Page 13 of Blackheart

Arielle glared at the men around her. Drakers, Sapphires, and the Witchlord. She let out a blood-curdling scream, sending violet Blackheart flames barreling out of her hands.

I stood in panicked silence. What the hell was she doing? Using her Nature again, in front of everyone?

She had no control, not even attempting to aim. Some of her blows hit Sapphires, others hit Drakers. Scream after scream, Blackheart venom barreled out of her, the flames fanning larger and larger.

A Draker charged her, his sword held high. She didn’t flinch. With a shaking arm, she bared her teeth at him and sprayed black mist across his mask and armor. He screamed as it burned through metal, skin, and bone. She stepped over his body as he collapsed on the ground.

Arielle thundered with rage, igniting a violet flame the size of a boulder from her mouth.

It hurtled straight toward our apartment.

Luna and I pushed away from the window. We were halfway down the first flight of stairs when it hit. The impact sent us tumbling, landing on the platform of the next level.

Above us, others rushed down, while some yelled for help from their windows.

Luna cursed, wiping blood from her lip, but we had far worse problems. Smoke filled the already dark hallways along with the echo of screams. Overhead, a violet glow of flames ignited, melting the apartments. There were twenty stories inthis building. At least fifteen levels' worth of people would die at Arielle’s hand.

“Come on!” Luna choked through a cough. We hurried down the steps, our palms skimming along the rough walls. The moan of the crumbling building surrounded us, my vision obscured by dust and debris.

I followed her through the exit, into the smoky and blood-soaked street. We had no weapons, no training, and nowhere to go. Only a sewing needle and a will to live.

“Please! Please catch her!” a woman yelled from above.

My blood ran ice cold as I looked up.

The apartments wouldn’t last much longer. The highest floors were already sinking into the flames. Leaning her torso through the window a few stories up, a mother held out her child, heavily wrapped in blankets. “Please!” she shrieked.

I nodded, my throat too constricted with terror to produce words. I held my arms out, and Luna did the same. Was I strong enough to catch the infant from this height? Was the mother going to jump, too?

She dropped the baby.

I was so afraid. I wanted to close my eyes, but forced them open. Luna and I crashed into each other as we both aimed for the child, collectively catching her between our arms and falling to the ground. She wailed, but was safe.

A wicked scream rang out, and I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Arielle. She had to burn out soon. We couldn’t use our Nature forever.

As the flames engulfed the mother’s floor, she jumped without warning. Luna covered her face, and I tucked the girl to my chest, turning us both away before thesplat.

“Oh, Mother of Moons,” Luna sobbed, slapping a hand over her mouth.

The Sapphires and Drakers didn’t pay any mind to the burning building or the cries coming from it. The Drakers were outnumbered.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted as the neighboring building set ablaze.

Cloaks and steel continued to strike each other down, the bloodshed unending. Dark Natured cried for their fallen families, some even picking up weapons to use themselves. Against the Drakers. Against the Sapphires. Against their own throats, even. They had nothing left to live for.

We couldn’t stay put. There was no telling which direction our building was going to fall, or how many others it would take with it.

“We need to run.” Luna’s words were shaky, her eyes full of fear.

“My baby!”

An olive-skinned man with an unruly beard and tears streaking down his face approached, holding out his arms. He must’ve been working when the attack began.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumbled as I handed off the baby.

He hadn’t made it in time to save his wife.

Taking one last glance at my apartment, I followed Luna. We ran along the outskirts of the havoc, blocking out the cries and carnage. All of the Drakers looked the same with their masks and hoods, making it impossible to know which one was Riven.