Page 5

Arson

T he last time I trudged through the wilderness, I’d been bleeding profusely and sweating into the hundreds of cuts across my body. I even got hit by a car. But I’d take that a million times over compared to this helpless feeling, rage simmering in my veins and guilt eating away at me.

My mate is gone . I let her be taken right out from under my nose, and now I’m powerless to get her back.

“Motherfucker.” My lone crutch slips on a loose rock of the forest floor, and I’m two seconds away from hurling it at the nearest tree and watching it explode into a million pieces. The only thing stopping me is knowing it would slow me down even more.

My mate’s missing, and I’m stumbling through the forest with a broken leg. My powers are being blocked by whatever bastard kidnapped her. I’m useless.

If it wasn’t for Myles, we wouldn’t even know where she is. And as much as I hate to admit it, right now, Ledger is our best chance of rescuing her.

And her boy toy, I guess. My angel would be sad if we left him behind, but Snow White’s on my shitlist right now. How the hell is he able to break my leg, yet lets himself and our girl get snatched off the street?

Fuck Bellamy. Fuck these stupid woods, and fuck everyone that I’m about to tear limb from limb.

My brother suddenly stops, rubbing the heel of his hand over his chest and frowning. “I think… I think Ever’s awake.”

Ledger pauses as he leads us through the dense wilderness. “Is she hurt?”

Myles adjusts his new glasses, having ditched the broken ones for a backup pair when we were regrouping. “I think she’s… angry. And afraid, but she’s squashing that down so it’s only a little flicker. Mostly angry.”

Of course she is, my girl’s amazing. Ever’s been on her own for so long, she knows how to handle shitty situations with a clear head. But she shouldn’t have to anymore. We’re supposed to be there to take care of things for her.

A low snarl vibrates Ledger’s chest, the sound echoing in the suddenly silent forest around us. “I’m going to pull their still-beating hearts out of their chests and string them up by their entrails.”

I knew I kept him around for a reason. Toss up between that being the daddy issues or murder buddy aspect, but whatever, doesn’t matter. Murder daddy is going to help me avenge our girl.

“Stop,” Myles hisses, and we listen without protest. Now isn’t the time for pissing contests, and my brother is the smartest person I’ve met, next to my mate. If he says stop, he must have a damn good reason, even if I don’t see it yet.

Following his lead, I peer through the tree trunks to see a crumbling, ancient stone temple in the clearing in front of us.

It backs up against a mountain, the stone steps mostly intact, but the rest of it is in dire need of repair.

A pillar has collapsed in front of the entrance, so old that moss has overtaken it.

Bits of dingy white stone have crumbled and fallen around it, looking like something out of Ever’s fantasy games.

Shrouded in mystery, with enough malignant energy and ominous foreboding surrounding it to send the average man running for the hills.

The skulls and charred plants ringing the property like a warning to ward off superstitious humans mean nothing to me. I grew up in an assassin’s guild; I used skulls as building blocks as a kid. It’ll take a hell of a lot more than this to scare me off.

“So what’s the plan?”

Ledger scrubs a hand over the scruff on his jaw, scowling. “Without being able to rely on our powers, our best chance is Myles’s idea. You and I will be a distraction while taking as many people out of commission as we can to buy him time to find where they’re keeping Ever and Bellamy.”

“And if they’re unconscious and need to be carried out?” I demand, restless. Agitated.

I respect my baby brother, but we need to be realistic. He can only carry one of them, and while I’d like to pretend he’d make the right choice, he’d never leave Bell behind. He’d waste precious time trying to figure out how to save them both.

“Don’t underestimate your brother.” Ledger clenches his fist, scanning the woods with a keen eye, searching for traps or ambush. “He’ll figure out a way to get them out while we give him cover.”

If I could find the bastard neutralizing our powers, it’d be a non-issue. I could just scoop up my angel and disappear. The others too, I guess. Ever would probably be sad if I left them for dead.

And… they’re starting to grow on me. A little.

“I’ll get them out,” Myles declares, steeling his spine and giving me pause, canting my head as I study him in a new light.

Maybe a power boost isn’t the only thing bonding Ever gave him, because that confidence has our girl’s name written all over it.

“You just worry about buying me as much time as possible.”

A slow grin curls my lips. Maybe Ever was right; discretion isn’t my forte. But burning shit to the ground?

Gotta live up to my namesake.