Page 114 of Fearless

I lunge for her.

My body crashes into Blair’s, and we tumble to the ground atop a trail of flame. We both cry out as the fire sears our skin, singes hair. But I am not finished.

That dark, terrifying side of me stamps out all fear and pain and sane thought as I pin Blair Archer to the scorched floorboards. A numbness spreads through me, like every nerve has decided to turn a blind eye to my violence. Fire burns its way through my pants, rippling along my thigh as I lean over her pale face. Thick smoke wafts from my own clothing, my own flesh, but still, I feel nothing.

Flame curls to the right of Blair’s head, licking that lilac hair. She whimpers, out of fear or pain, I’m not sure. I no longer feel either. The sleeve of her tunic is thoroughly singed to display angry red skin beneath. I memorize this moment, right down to the terror flickering in her gaze.

The palm of my hand meets her cheek.

I cough through the smoke crawling down my throat.

I push against her face, turning it slowly toward the eager flame.

Lenny’s shout is lost behind the wall of fire encircling us.

Blair’s head swivels slowly beneath my palm. “You don’t know pain,” I whisper. She fights against me with her own strength, too weakened to use her power. I smile. “Not until it skewers you through the chest.”

“Please,” Blair blurts.

I shove her closer to the flame.

“Please…”

My voice is even and rough with smoke. “I told you I would make you beg.”

She screams when I force her face into the hungry wall of fire.

The side of Blair’s pretty face bubbles and burns within the heat. My hand, still shoved against her unharmed cheek, is scorched by the mere proximity to flame. The stench of fried flesh fills the air, accompanied only by the screams of Adena’s killer.

I cough again, my lungs constricting.

That comforting numbness bleeds from my body until all I feel is pain.

And then I feel nothing at all as everything goes dark.

CHAPTER 41Kai

“Where is she?”

I shove Imperials aside, quickening my pace down the cramped hallway. Smoke hangs thickly in the air, wafting from a charred room that Hydros huddle around. They do their best to tame what is left of the flames with waves of water.

Lenny is raising his hands in surrender before I’ve even reached him. “She’s fine—”

“Take me to her,” I order.

The Imperial takes a breath. “She’s with a Healer, but there is no need to worry.”

“No need to worry?” I almost laugh. “I woke to an Imperial beside my bed and smoke in the air. So I’ll ask again. Where the hell is she?”

Looking utterly defeated, Lenny reluctantly leads me through the throng. We turn down a quiet corridor to stop before an unsuspecting door. Opening it, Lenny gestures me inside where I’m greeted by several gazes.

But it is only hers I search for.

Paedyn sits on a stool, clothing charred and hair blackened. Burns run down the length of her body, pink and blistered. A bloody gash sits right above her brow, making her flinch when a smile reaches the eyes beneath.

I rush over to her, not caring who bears witness to my worry. “Are you all right?”

She nods. Winces. Curses the burn climbing up her neck. “I’m fine,” she eventually grits out, voice like gravel. “Everything happened so fast.”

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