Page 67 of Into the Fire
Levi dropped to the ground, flat.
“Levi!” Emery screamed, running further into the barn, heart splitting.
But even through the searing pain, he turned his head toward her,eyes desperate.
“Emery, get out! Now!” he yelled as he pushed himself up and lunged for Cole again as he tried to run out of the barn.
The heat was rising fast.
The smoke was thick and heavy, Flames dancing across the hay like they'd been waiting for their cue, stretching up to the wooden rafters and cloaking everything in an orange glow.
Emery couldn't just leave; she wouldn't let the horses burn. Not wasting another second, she ran, her chest tight with panic, and she yanked open the first stall.
“Come on, girl,” she coaxed the mare, grabbing at her halter and guiding her toward the exit. The horse resisted, nostrils flaring in terror, stamping nervously.
Emery tugged hard, voice louder this time, firmer. “You’ve got to go now!”
The horse bolted, finally taking the opening, hooves thundering across the packed dirt and disappearing out the open doors.
Emery spun, coughing against the smokealready burning her throat, and went for the next stall.
“Three more,” she said under her breath. “Just three more.”
The second and third horses went smoother, adrenaline lending her strength she didn’t know she had. Each time she ran back through the haze, sweat beading and dripping down her back as fire crept along the floor, catching any straw and dry feed sacks in its path.
The final stall latch was sticking.
Emery braced her shoulder into the bolt, but it still didn’t give. Backing up, she kicked it hard twice, then three times. It finally gave with a snap, the wood cracking, and the horse inside screamed in panic, eyes wild.
“Come on, big guy. I know it’s hot, I know—” Her voice broke as she fumbled with the halter, nearly blinded by smoke.
A crash from behind made her flinch as the gelding reared back.
The flames were too close now. The fire had crept along the beams above, and something creaked loudly as a small section of the loft abovefell in a cascade of embers just a few feet away.
The fight between Levi and Cole had spilled out of the barn and into the dirt just beyond it—raw, furious, and violent. Blood smeared Levi’s knuckles and dripped from his lip. His breath was ragged, ribs throbbing as he dodged a wild swing and returned one with all the anger burning inside him.
Cole staggered back with a grunt, spitting blood into the dust.
“You’re throwing away everything,” he snarled. “For a skank who’s gonna ruin you, just like she ruined Denny.”
Levi saw red.
He slammed into Cole with a snarl, taking him down hard. Gravel dug into his knees, but he didn’t stop—his fists rained down, he didn't even see anyone else coming, but now Jess was pulling Levi off Cole. “I've got it, Levi,” he said as he flipped Cole and put a knee in his back, bringing his hands together right as flashing red and blue lights painted the trees and shouts filled the air.
The Sheriff and deputies rushed toward them, voices raised, getting there fast thanks to Jess calling on his way over and them happening to be patrolling nearby. A deputy cuffed Cole, relieving Jess from holding him down in the gravel.
Levi was turning, eyes searching, breath caught in his chest, not from the fight, but from what he didn’t see.
Emery.
She wasn’t outside.
“Where is she?” he barked at no one in particular, panic gripping him by the throat. “Where the hell is Emery?!”
No one answered—because no one knew.
And then Levi saw the smoke pouring thicker out of the barn’s side.
