Page 58 of Up In Flames
And then he was gone.
I looked at Ara.
He yanked me into his arms, and murmured into my hair, “Ember.”
“What's going on, Ara?” I clutched at his robes. “I'm so confused.”
“I know, and I'm sorry. Death has done a terrible thing to both of us. But that doesn't change what we feel for each other. We must hold onto that. Love will guide us.”
Your heart will never lead you wrong,a woman's voice whispered through my mind.
I lifted my head. That voice did something to me, sent a shiver down my spine. It was a memory, but of who? Damn Death for taking pieces of my mind. Why had he done it? Right. Because Ara and I tried to escape. But escape impliescaptivity. Were we captives? I thought we could leave whenever we wished. It didn't feel as if we were prisoners.
Burn bright, little spark,the voice came again.
“Ember!” Ara's hand went to my face. “Why are you crying, my love?”
“I don't know. I just have a terrible feeling that Death is hiding more than our memories. Ara, we need to get out of here.”
“We can go wherever you wish, Ember. Where do you want to go?”
“I see somewhere in my head, but I don't know where it is.”
“Take me there.”
I took Ara's hands and faded us to the place I saw in my mind. Yes, faded. I had Spirit back, and I didn't want to use Death Magic to travel as Ara did. Death had taught me how, but I didn't want him to sense us and know where we had gone. I wasn't sure yet, but this could be an escape.
We arrived in a room equipped with strange devices—big contraptions that looked as if they were meant to torture people. But the room also had a bed in it. Who would torture someone, then go to sleep in the same room?
“Ember, where have you taken us?” Ara asked as he strolled around the room, idly running his hands over the odd things.
“I don't know.” I went to the window, pulled aside the curtains, and stared down into a busy street. “I think this is a Tytra city.”
“Tytra?” Ara joined me at the window. “You're right. Those are definitely Tytras.” His gaze lifted to the ring of mountains visible over the rooftops. “I believe this is Myar.”
“I was here recently,” I said. “I'm sure of it. Someone brought me here.”
“For what purpose?” Ara turned to stare at the contraptions again. Then he blinked. “Oh.”
“What?” I spun about.
“This is a room for pleasure, my love.”
“It is?” I looked closer at the equipment, then at the table with its rows of odd items. My stare caught on something phallic and a memory bashed into my brain. I gasped and gripped the window sill.
“Ember!” Ara steadied me.
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “We need to leave.”
Aranren's expression went grim. “Yes, I believe we do. Why don't we go into the city and find somewhere to have our breakfast?”
“Did you bring any crystals with you?”
“Crystals?” He blinked. “Oh, elemental crystals. No. We won't have to pay.”
“We won't?”
“No. Something tells me that they'll be happy to provide us with whatever we wish for free.”
