Page 68 of Up In Flames
I burst through the shadows and right into Ara's open arms.
“My Ember,” he whispered as he clung to me. “You came back for me.”
“Always, Ara.” I faded us away with one last shout, “I have him!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
I took Ara to the chamber outside the Emperor's apartments.
Ara peered around the vast room with wonder, then down at me. “You did it. You freed me. Again.”
“And I'm going to make sure that you stay that way,” I vowed.
“Thank you, Ember,” his voice cracked. “Thank you.”
I cupped his cheeks even as my men arrived around us.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Kel drawled. “But we need to get him secured.”
“He's fine,” I said. “I freed him of Death. We can take the manacles off.”
“No!” Ara cried before anyone else could protest.
“You're safe here, Ara,” I said. “Death can't get through the Emperor's wards.”
“He can if there's still a piece of him inside me.”
“There isn't. I destroyed the cage.”
“We don't know that for sure. Just as I hid my link to Caleb, so could Death be hiding his link to me. We must becautious. Once we're bound and I can put up Spirit wards inside myself, then you can release me.”
“I can't fucking believe I'm about to say this, but I agree with Aranren,” Keltyr said.
“Fine,” I said. “Just for now.”
Meanwhile, Rath went to the Emperor's door and pounded on it.
Ara stepped away from me to face my lovers. “Thank you. I know you must feel conflicted.”
“Conflicted?” Xae snorted a laugh. “Yeah, maybe a bit more than that.”
Agal, the Emperor's manservant, answered the door with his usual annoyed expression. “What is it now?” Then his stare found Aranren and widened. “Oh, great Goddess! Is that—?”
“Where is he?!” Rath rushed past him.
“It will be all right,” I said to Ara and took his hand.
“I know it will be,” Ara said. “You've given me your hope, Ember.”
“I had enough for both of us.” I drew him after Rath and the other men brought up the rear.
Agal rushed ahead, glancing back often to gape at Aranren. “I don't think . . . uh . . . I can fetch—”
“We don't have time for that,” Taroc said and pushed the man forward. “Run. Go get him.”
Agal ran. I would have been amused if not for the severity of the situation. Yes, Ara was safe behind the Emperor's wards, but even the Emperor's wards could be surmounted. And the war wouldn't be over until Death's door had been locked, bolted, and bricked over. I had to bond with Ara as soon as possible.
Then I heard laughter. A little girl's laughter.
