As she reached for the knob, a hooded figure grabbed her arm and yanked her away.
With a few steps, they disappeared down the alley. I wasn’t even sure if she screamed. My vision tunneled before the bitter taste of her fear hit my tongue.
I shoved through the crowd with no hesitation, unsheathing my sword as I moved. Ember’s shouts didn’t register in my ears, nor did the outraged cries of those I charged past. Everything faded away. My singular focus was on closing the distance between us as I sprinted through the crowd.
When I caught up to them in the alley, Ember’s knife was raised. The spice of her anger and the tart taste of her fear collided as she sprinted toward me. I reached for her, and the noise of the city returned the second my hand touched hers. A breath of relief escaped my lungs as I pulled her behind me and positioned myself between Ember and her attacker.
“Stay close, Chaos. We don’t know how many there are.”
Though I knew she hated the proximity, she listened, and she didn’t return her dagger to her skirts.
“Themis is waiting. She grows impatient.” The attacker’s words were a whisper before he pulled his sword and drove toward me.
I raised my blade to block his attack. With the other hand, I reached for Ember, reassuring myself she was there. She had moved closer, ensuring my access. We backed toward the brick wall together as two more men entered the alleyway, blocking our ability to run.
Shouts in the main street called for guards. Someone must have noticed the weapons.
Guards didn’t patrol the streets of Ciril as they did in Kavios. I was under no illusion they’d arrive quickly to help.
The three men moved in coordination, striking together, making it impossible to defend. Steel slid against steel as I blocked two strikes. The third sword grazed my leg before I side-stepped.
“Shit,” I hissed as the blood bloomed from the wound. It didn’t feel deep, but it slowed my movements as I defended again.
The bitter flavor of Ember’s fear overwhelmed and reminded me of the usefulness of our curse. The weapon we could only wield with each other’s help.
“Take my fear,” she whispered as if knowing the direction of my thoughts.
I hated her words as much as I needed them.
“Fucking Chaos,” I murmured, but didn’t have time to argue. I didn’t want to take from her. It would only remind her of every wrong she levied against me. A traitorous thought crossed my mind as I lifted my sword again:Maybe taking would help her understand when I had actually done it in the past.
The thought was irrelevant. She didn’t care for the explanation, as she’d proved over and over on our journey.
The men moved against me relentlessly. Another slice across my shoulder meant every swing of my blade brought more pain. Before I could decide anything and reach for Ember as I so desperately needed to do, the heat of her ungloved hand touched the skin of my neck.
It hit me like lightning striking. Power flared at the connection point. I had only a moment before her fear unfurled between us. She offered it to me freely. “Take it, Hart.”
I couldn’t deny her anything.
The emotion coated my senses. Instead of the tart taste from earlier, this was indescribable. Unchecked. Like a dam breaking and a mighty river unleashing itself on the land.
The attackers fell to the street. Their screams filled the small space. The guards who finally rushed into the alley collapsed as the nightmare magic caught them, too.
“Shit,” Ember murmured, and retracted her hand. Quickly, I killed two of the attackers, leaving the third for questioning.
The guards stood, swaying on their feet as questions erupted from their lips. “What was that? What’s going on?” Then to Ember, “Are you alright, miss?”
A brief nod was all she gave them. I explained the situation while not taking my eyes off Ember. Her fear receded as the guards took the attacker away. She suppressed any other emotions as they told us that the queen would expect a report at the castle.
Ember still clutched her dagger tight. I stepped toward her, offering a hand to accept the weapon, offering her a chance to unclench, to recognize that she was safe.
She only retreated. Her back hit the stone wall behind her, and I winced.
My hand fell in more than disappointment. Still, I offered her what comfort I could. “Thank you.”
She tilted her head in question as she finally collected herself enough to resheath the blade beneath her skirt. “You saved us. I shouldn’t have been so foolish to run through the crowd.”
That might be technically true, but I hated that she had to live her life that way. I wanted her to run free and chase every sticky cinnamon cake she desired. “Your fear saved us. An emotion you not only felt but offered me.”
