Page 2 of Remnants
Another breath.
Moisture gathers in my eyes, but I grit my teeth.
I’m fine.
Safe.
Gordon isn’t here. He may even be dead, though I won’t trust it until I see him for myself.
The Guild is in trouble. Aiden and Jack aren’t here to help while they’re fighting Thorne at the butcher shop. It’s up to Kellan, Dane, and me to keep everyone safe.
“I’m okay,” I mumble, and his eyes snap open.
“Rae!” He crushes me in a tight embrace. “Thank fuck. I wasn’t sure what to do or if I’d make anything worse.”
I grip his back like it’s my lifeline to sanity. My voice is muffled against his hoodie. “Sorry you had to see that.”
He pulls back just enough to capture my face with his thumb and forefinger. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Apologize for something like that.” His thumb grazes over my lower lip. “If you ever want to talk about it or need to get something off your chest, I’ll listen.”
I nod, too embarrassed to voice a reply.
Dane smiles. It’s the sweet one that induces butterflies to run rampant in my stomach, making me feel like a sixteen-year-old girl with a crush again.
“Good. Now, we need to get to our room so we aren’t sitting ducks here. Any chance you can make a hole in the doors without getting the rest of the elevator?” He lowers his hand from my face, though his other arm is still curled around my back, and the light from his gift fades.
I snatch his wrist without thinking as soon as I see the glow weakening. “Wait. I…I need that.” To keep Gordon away and for my next task, but I’ll keep the former detail to myself.
He brings it back without question, holding his palm up in front of me to give me the most light without blinding me.
“Thanks. Shine it on the doors so I can see what I’m doing.” We both stand, and I shift to the side so I’m not blocking the light. I press my hands against the cool metal, drawing my gift out, slow and steady. The heat of my gift burns away any remaining doubt, returning my strength to me as I lock down the memories of my time with Gordon again.
The metal groans,cracks, as I stretch my gift outward. Once I havethe size I’m looking for, I stop my gift from spreading and send a burst through the existing cracks.
The door disintegrates to ash.
Frowning, I stare at the elevator shaft wall.
Dane steps up to the edge, his hand fisting and bumping against the concrete wall. There’s maybe a handful of inches between the elevator and the wall, which isn’t enough for us to squeeze between.
I grip the edge of the opening, peeking out as far as I can fit to look up and down. There’s a shadow of concrete jutting out far above us. “Could that be one of the floors?” I point, and Dane’s gaze follows it, his brows pinched.
“I fucking hope so, or else we’re trapped.”
“I could always break one of the cables, and we could try jumping onto one of the floors while we fall.”
Dane stares at me. “I hope you’re joking.”
Shrugging, I turn my attention to the square panel in the ceiling for emergency exits. “Unless you have a better idea…”
“I do,” he counters, moving around me. “Living. That’s a better idea.” He bends a knee and interlocks his hands to make a stirrup above it. “Here.”
I grasp his shoulder, place my foot in his hands, then push myself up with his help. I hit the panel and it knocks open without resistance. Gripping the edge, I work to pull myself up as he lifts me underneath until I can hold myself up by my forearms.
“Yes! There’s a floor a few feet up.”
