Page 63 of Up In Flames
“Who the fuck is Ara?” Xae demanded.
“I believe that's Aranren,” Taroc said. “The Corrupter.”
I reached up and stroked the blue scales at Taroc's temple. “I'm sorry. I took him to our special place.”
“I know,” he said. “It's all right. I'll find somewhere else for us. It's better to start fresh anyway. I should never have sullied you with that.”
I started to cry again.
“Shh.” Taroc wiped away my tears. “There was a sighting of the Corrupter in Myar, but he left without attacking anyone. Witnesses said he had a human with him. When I checked the apartment, I smelled you there. You and him.”
“We didn't do anything there,” I said.
“I know. I would have smelled that too.”
“Oh, fuck.” I covered my face with my hands. Then I swiped angrily at my face. Ara was back under Death's control, and there I was, falling apart. “He's not what we thought.”
“Who?” Xae asked as he sat on the coffee table before me. He handed me the clothes. “Get dressed. You're shivering.”
Taroc helped me into my tunic, then I stood up to pull on my pants. I wanted to go back into Taroc's arms, but I knew it would only start me crying again. So I stepped back and faced them all.
“Aranren was tricked as I was. Except I was more of an idiot,” I said. “I was warned several times, even by the Goddess herself, and Death still outsmarted me.”
“You're not an idiot for trusting Death,” Rath said. “He did a lot for you.”
“He made it look as if he did,” I corrected. “And I didn't trust Death. I thought I was smarter than him. I thought I could prove his intentions. So, I tested him. Every morning, I got up early to train with him on the roof.”
“You did what?!” Xae growled.
“I wanted to know once and for all, if I could trust Death,” I said. “I thought if I made him believe that I did trust him, he would reveal himself. But he used our training sessions to sneak deeper and deeper into me, wearing me away. All those mood swings were his doing. I'm so sorry.”
“Ember, forget all that,” Rath said. “It doesn't matter.”
“Yes, it does. I need you to know that I wasn't myself when I said those terrible things.”
“We know, Ember,” Xae said. “We knew it as soon as you said them.”
“Thank you.” I sighed. “Death primed me. Everything he did was to lure me to him. Make me think I was stronger and smarter than him. That I was safe. When I got the last letter—”
“What letter?” Kel asked.
“From his admirer,” Rath said. “Go on, Ember.”
“He said that I didn't see him. It was his final letter. I was so upset that when Death offered to help me discover who my admirer was, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to test him. I even took precautions. I wrote that note and kept it in my fist, then I prayed . . . to . . .” I trailed off.
“You prayed to the Goddess?” Kel asked.
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “My heart will never lead me wrong. I worked it out while Death had me, but I still didn't understand the whole of it.”
“What's happening?” Xae asked the others.
“I believe he's figuring out why he had to be taken,” Rath said softly.
“Had to be?” Xae growled. “That did not have to happen.”
“I think it did,” I said, looking at Rath. “When I prayed to the Goddess, I felt a shimmer of approval. Her guidance. Her love. I knew I was doing the right thing. But as soon as I let Death in and dropped my wards, he consumed me. He took control of my body and sent me to Caleb.”
“Caleb?” Taroc frowned. Then he blinked. “Holy fuck!”
