Page 5 of A Blaze of Fire
I deflated. “You don’t even know what I was going to say!”
“You want to see Ansel,” he said knowingly.
I lowered my head for a moment and then raised it confidently. “Yes I do, and I have every right to. I’m not a prisoner here.”
“You might find this hard to believe, but the moment you’re within reach, you’ll becomeAnsel’sprisoner. I can promise you that.”
My eyes widened. “No! He wouldn’t do that!”
Alec snorted. “Of course not,” he said sarcastically. “My little brother is an angel. He wouldn’t dare do anything possible to keep you from the Unseelie Court.” Alec eyed me warily as if I was the dumbest human known to manorfae.
I considered his words carefully. Would Ansel imprison me to keep me safe? Was he capable of that? I sighed, realizing it was a very real possibility. I couldn’t risk leaving the guard of one brother only to become the prisoner of another.
“At least let me call him,” I haggled. “You can allow that, right?”
He eyed me snidely, looking every inch the prudish schoolmarm. “This phone call will be supervised.”
I rolled my eyes and gifted him with an equally spiteful smile. “Of course. I would expect nothing less from my correctional officer.”
Alec huffed as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and started scrolling through his contact list. Finding Ansel, he dialed the number and put the call on speaker. We listened to it ring. Once, twice…
Ansel answered. “Alec,” he growled.
“Hello, little brother,” Alec answered brightly. “How wonderful of you to answer.”
“Where is she?” he growled again.
“Easy there, she’s safe. She came of her own volition,” Alec said. “We’re about to take a trip, but before we go, dear Violet wanted to say goodbye.”
“You son of a bit—”
“Ansel!” I said into the phone.
“Vi,” he sighed. “Where are you? I’ll come get you now.”
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and then opening them again. “No, Ansel, I can’t tell you where I am.” Truthfully, I had no idea where I was and couldn’t tell him if I wanted to.
Ansel exhaled loudly, the frustration clear in his voice. “Listen to me, Violet – you can’t trust Alec. You don’t know everything—”
“I know, Ansel,” I said. “Believe me, I don’t trust him one bit.” I peered over at Alec, who offered a little finger wave. I glared at him. “But this is for the best … for everyone.”
“How is this for the best?”
“I need to keep you safe,” I said.
Ansel choked out a laugh. “Violet,I’mthe one who’s supposed to keepyousafe!”
I looked down at the phone in my hand and whispered, “Sometimes the roles have to be reversed.”
“Don’t do this, Vi … please.”
“I promise I’ll find my way back to you. Some way, I don’t know how, but I will,” I pledged.
My declaration was met by a couple beats of pained silence before he muttered, “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Maybe not, but at least this way you’ll be safe.” I looked over at Alec, who slashed his hand across his neck, telling me to end the call. “Don’t come for me, Ansel. Promise me,” I said hurriedly.
“I won’t make that promise, Vi.”
