Page 157 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Lena’s body began to give off a slight golden glow, and I could tell she was fighting off the same. She sucked in a deep breath as I lowered my head to hers, my lips brushing against her own.
“You are my soulmate. I think I’ve always been waiting for you to walk into my life. I love you, Wildfire. You’ve forever branded my soul.” I tucked the hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. My fingers lingered as if trying to commit the feel of it to memory. “Lena, you’ve pulled me out of the darkness and brought me into the light. I promise with all my heart I’ll always do the same for you.”
Chapter 64
Elena
Ablanket of embers and ash covered the entire town. Screams and shouts rang through the air as wind gusted around where we landed.
Shame curled inside my stomach for taking a few hours’ rest before making our way here, but I knew without it Declan and I would have drained our dynamis completely. Then we wouldn’t have been able to help anyway.
Without words, we ran into the streets, launching our dynamis at every Nightshade and enemy guard who leapt into our path. As the fighting still erupted all around us, my eyes roved over the bodies that lay lifeless on the ground. Some faces unfamiliar, others I knew like the back of my hand. Fear surged inside me, as I prayed to the gods that the next face I stumbled upon would not be my father’s.
As we rounded the corner towards my home, a cloaked Nightshade stepped in front of us and launched a stream of fire towards Declan. Dec dove out of the way just as I conjured a wave of water towards the hooded man.
With the man stunned, Declan took the opportunity to use our combined dynamis and interlocked his hand with mine. Theman flew back into the stone wall of the temple behind him and his neck twisted with a snap.
It was hard to not see it as some kind of divine justice. Death by temple wall.
“ELENA!”
A voice that hadn’t graced my ears in over a month echoed from down the street. Standing in the road, covered in blood and face blackened in ash, was my father.
Releasing Declan’s hand, I sprinted towards him. He met me halfway, and we collapsed to our knees in the dirt beneath us.
“Father,” I sobbed.
Tears streamed into his chest where I buried my face. He stroked my hair and pressed a kiss to my temple.
“Sunshine, you’re alive.” His voice rasped and I squeezed him tighter. “Bless the gods.”
Wood crackled and split apart behind us, followed by a thud, the sounds of our town falling apart all around us. I held my father’s head between my hands. “Are there still people inside their homes?”
He nodded, and I pulled him to his feet. “We’ve gotten most to safety, but I was on my way to Ophelia’s.”
“Let’s go.”
Declan followed behind us as we fought our way through each corner until we were outside of Ophelia’s home. Her two small children were crying outside when we arrived, and Declan scooped them up and moved them further away to safety.
“She must have got the babes out and gone back in for Thomas,” my father said.
The crack of wood splintered through the air. We didn’t have much time before this entire cabin caved in. Without one more thought I ran into the house, my father and Declan on my heels.
Flames roared inside, and the smoke filled my lungs with an acrid burn. Trapped beneath a fallen beam, Ophelia’s bodywas sprawled out over the floor, arms still wrapped around her husband. The memory of my father holding my mother’s lifeless body flashed before my eyes. My dynamis surged within me as I released it straight onto the flames. I would not allow Ophelia and her husband to meet the same fate as my mother.
While I doused the flames with a wave of water, Father’s mouth gaped wide. He recovered quickly and gathered a swirling cloud, snuffing out the rest of the fire inside the small cabin.
Declan lifted the beam off Ophelia as fire continued to rage outside. Father scooped her into his arms, and Declan placed Thomas over his shoulder. I followed behind them just as the cabin shuddered and the floorboard underneath my foot caved.
“Gods!” I gasped, clawing at the doorframe, trying to tug my leg free.
A snap crackled above as the entire ceiling began to cave in. Panic invaded my body. I pulled one more time and my leg finally broke free. I tumbled right into Declan’s open arms as he zephyred us away just in time to hear the entire building collapse behind us.
“All five gods.” Ophelia’s raspy voice came from the dirt below me. Dark brown eyes met mine, full of remorse and shame as she mouthed silently, “Thank you.”
Two words that meant so much to me. A forgiveness I’d never thought that I would receive.
Grabbing the children, we ran towards the safe haven my father had shouted directions for. The town was silent except for the crackling of embers and wood. Relief trickled through my bones at the knowledge that we wouldn’t have to fight anyone else.
