Page 3 of Remnants
He curses in relief. “Scoot back, and I’ll help you down. Then you can help me, and I can pull you up.”
I do as he asks, shifting and then dropping down with his guidance. We switch spots, with me offering him a lift instead this time and he pulls himself up all the way. He lies on his front and reaches for me through the opening.
“Ready?”
I answer with my hand in his. He pulls up, surprising me with his strength when he hauls me up and against him before falling back. We lie there panting, his heart pounding against my ear and my body suddenly aware of the firm muscle beneath me. I wouldn’t have expected him to stay so fit while he’d been cooped up in the Tower all those years, but he clearly didn’t waste that time sitting in front of a computer all day.
He slides his arms around me, tightening his grip and holding me securely to his chest as he catches his breath. My pulse quickens, as he strokes down my back.
“Dane...”
“I know. Just a few seconds...please.”
He draws a deep breath, then releases me.
Standing, I help him up with a small smile and then palm the closed elevator doors of the nearest floor. My gift eats away at the doors as it had done the last time, leaving nothing but ash in its wake when I’m finished. Dane and I repeat our last steps, boosting him and then pulling me onto the open floor.
Groaning, I roll onto my side and then stand. I take Dane’s hand between both of mine. “Do you trust me?”
He blinks at our hands, then raises his gaze to mine. “Yes,” he answers without hesitation.
Now it’s my turn to stare as I’m thrown by his immediate response. Even though I hoped he would say that, I had at least expected a bigger delay. “Oh. Uh, good,” I mutter, gathering my scattered wits back and lowering our hands. “Then come with me.”
His lips press to a thin line. “Where?”
“To check on the Guild members first, then find Kellan. The power cutting out like that wasn’t a coincidence. And most of the Guild doesn’t know how to fight, right?”
Dane watches me quietly, his amber gaze intense as he considers what I’m asking. I know why Kellan wanted us to go hide, but that was when he only thought Harvey was up to no good. But the power outage means that it’s a much larger attack.
We never should have left Kellan.
“Alright.” He squeezes my hand. “But promise you won’t leave my side. If we’re going out there to fight, we stick together.”
“Promise. And same to you.”
We share a smile, then release each other and break out into a run to search the floor.
Chapter two
Kellan
Thereweredays,notlong ago, where I would have given anything to feel the swift rush of adrenaline through my veins. To feel the firm, if eager, beat of my heart at the prospect of something out of my control.
To feelalive.
Back then, nothing and no one could hurt me. Not even myself.
But now I realize that my fear doesn’t come from myself. It comes from the others; from her.
From the fear of losing the people precious to me.
This time, the thrill of danger doesn’t make my pulse race with anticipation.
It makes my muscles tighten and temper sharpen in preparation for a fight.
“The door to the quarantine area opened on its own. Is that something? Or maybe we have a ghost?”
There’s no reason for Harvey to be on that floor. Even though he’d been on the island team to rescue the people who are staying inquarantine, he doesn’t have clearance to enter that area on his own. For him to open the door unaccompanied—and while invisible—it can only mean he’s up to no good.
