Page 19 of Wrapped in Their Arms

But he’d never pushed…now he wished he had.

Because whatever memory this place was dragging up, it was eatingBurnalive from the inside.Brightcould feel it…and there was nothing he could do.

Nothing but keep standing next to him.Keepbeing solid…steady…present.

You don’t have to talk yet.Juststay with him and wait…maybe soon he’ll say something,he told himself.

A quiet sound beside him made him turn.

It wasNoelle.Shehadn’t said a word since they were herded into the hold.Buther eyes—Gods,her big brown eyes were wide and luminous in the dark—filled with fear.Shewas shivering again, arms wrapped tightly around her chest.Herlong, dark hair trembled against her cheeks, and she kept glancing towardBurnlike she was afraid he might shatter right in front of her.

She’s scared out of her mind,Brightthought, his heart fisting in his chest.Andshe senses there’s something wrong withBurn, too.

She wasn’t just trembling from cold, he thought—though the metal floor beneath their feet seemed to leech the heat out of their bodies by the second.Shewas in shock—still reeling from their sudden abduction…still trying to make sense of what the hell had just happened.

Bright inched closer, until their shoulders brushed.Thecuffs sparked again but didn’t fire this time.Maybethey were calibrated to warn, not punish.

He kept his voice low.

“You okay, sweetheart?”

She blinked up at him.Herlips parted, but no sound came out.Then, after a beat, she shook her head.

Bright nodded slowly.

“Yeah.Meneither.”

“This is all just…so crazy.”Shegave a tiny, shaky breath that might’ve been a laugh…or a sob.

Bright tilted his head toward her just slightly.

“We’ll get out of this,” he said quietly.“Ipromise you,Noelle.BurnandI—we’re not going to let anything happen to you.You’resafe with us.Evenhere.”

Her fingers tightened on her arms, but she nodded once.

“Thank you.That…makes me feel a little better.”

Bright swallowed the knot in his throat and turned back towardBurn.Hisfriend still hadn’t moved a muscle.

What’s going on in that head of yours?Brightwondered.Whywon’t you let me in?

But he already knew.

Burn wore his ghosts like a second skin.Andwhatever theSkowship reminded him of, it had peeled that skin wide open.

Bright closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the sounds echoing down the corridor.Shouts…distant crying…the high-pitched whine of metal under strain.

They were in a prison ship headed for theFleshBazaar—the most notorious slave auction hall in the known universe.

Goddess,he thought grimly.WhathaveIdone?

He’d made the call to surrender…had given their word in exchange for a fragile promise from a monster in a mask that the three of them wouldn’t be separated.

And now here they were…caged…powerless.

But still alive.

That matters,he reminded himself fiercely.We’restill breathing.We’restill together.Aslong as we are, there’s still a way out.