Page 10 of A Spark in the Ash

“Keep it to yourself, ‘k?” I say with the arch of an eyebrow. He chuckles, so I get up out of my seat and leave before he can tease me any further.

When I walk out of the conference room, I walk across the command center, headed for my bedroom. But ahead, I see Ascelin step out of the kitchen with two bagels, one in each hand. He gets this little look in his eyes, and I know what’s coming.

I sigh and walk forward.

“I thought you might be hungry,” Ascelin says as he steps forward. “I made you a little something.”

I can’t look at Jaxon as I walk in front of the vault. I just can’t. So, I walk by without looking over, and we stop in front of each other just out of Jaxon’s view.

“Thanks,” I say. “I’m starving.”

“I figured,” Ascelin says, talking slightly louder than necessary so that Jaxon can hear him. “You barely eat anything anymore. You need to take care of yourself. Or…” he trails off, and I silently laugh as he rolls his eyes at himself. “Let me take care of you.”

I hear something smack the thick glass wall and watch as Ascelin’s eyes shift over my shoulder to it. From the smile on his face, I know that what we’re doing is working.

“You’re burning yourself out watching out for him,” Ascelin continues. “And what are you getting in return, huh? He can’t even talk to you right now, he’s so out of control.”

“Stop, okay?” I say. And I mean it a little more than I should, considering I know this is for show. “You act like you don’t even know me. When have I ever given up on anything easily?”

“And when have I never said something when I’ve watched you run straight toward a solid wall?” he asks. And the expression on his face gives an apology for what he’s saying.

I let out a sigh. Like Ascelin said, this entire plan is making me uncomfortable. And then it gets worse.

“Why don’t you come out to dinner with me tonight?” he says, surprising me. He did say we were going to have to level this up. “You could use a break. Let’s go into the city and just…let things be normal for a second.”

Jaxon roars again.

“I just went into the city yesterday, but thanks,” I say with a sarcastic tone. And then I turn and walk away from him, hoping he knows I still appreciate what he’s doing.

I step into view of the vault and look Jaxon in the eyes.

They aren’t glowing brilliant white anymore. I can see the green of them, and it immediately pulls a smile onto my lips.

“Hi,” I say in a breath. His entire body is still burning, but I still see this as progress.

He breathes hard through his nostrils. He looks like he’s in pain. And then he hangs his head between his shoulders, his hands braced on the glass.

“Jaxon,” I say as I raise my hands and match them with his. “I know this is hard. I can’t imagine what this is like, being surrounded on all sides by darklings. But I believe in you. I know you can do this. Please,” I whisper, “come back to me.”

Slowly, he raises his head back up, and he fixes his green eyes on me. I see a perplexed look in his expression. He’s trying to fight this. But he is also still in all-out ultralight form.

My heart soars though, when he whispers one word.

“Serena.”

Emotions pull at the back of my eyes. I’ve been suffocating them for two weeks, but in this moment, I can’t fight them anymore. I let the tears come. They streak down my face.

I watch the expression on Jaxon’s face break, too. The pain in his eyes doubles.

He brushes his hand over mine through the glass.

The flames shrink, just a fraction.

“Serena,” he says quietly once more.

I lean forward, and rest my forehead against the glass, mirroring his position.

“I believe in you,” I say quietly.

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