Page 140 of Freed By Fire
It drives off a moment later.
“Wait, what about Miss Deveroux?”
“I made sure Katia got her a message. She’ll get herself out and keep herself safe.”
Silence stretches around us as we stand side by side, barely touching.
There’s a loud banging sound, and I turn around to see red and orange flames licking the outer edges of the manor.
Mason ushers me into the car, and Katia barely waits for the door to shut before she hits the gas. The tires screech against theasphalt, and we drive off. I turn to study the burning manor in the distance, and I can’t look away.
Smoke is rising high in the sky now, and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen.
So much beauty and destruction.
Mason reaches for my hand, but I ignore him.
A short while later, we pull up to a gate on an abandoned back road. Katia hurries out of the car, undoes the latch, and clears the path. Then she gets back into the car and drives through. Mason gets out of the car once we’re through and slips on a pair of gloves. He pulls the gate shut and locks it again.
It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay. Mason isn’t going to let anything happen to you.
I wake up sometime later, and we’re pulling up to a gas station with miles of empty road on either side. Katia is dressed in a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. She gets out of the car and reaches for the gas pump, her dark eyes wide and unflinching. My throat is dry as I lean away from Mason.
“Let’s get you something to eat and drink.” Mason gets out first and surveys the area before he holds his hand out. I take it and feel Mason slip a knife into the waistband of my jeans. The metal feels cool and strange as I grip his hand and lower my head. Mason pulls his cap lower over his head, and the bell over the door rings.
Mason doesn’t let go of my hand until we reach the bathroom in the back. He offers me a brief smile as I unlock the door and step in. I step back out after washing my hands and face, and Mason is as still as a statue. Then, we wander the aisles, picking up a few random things.
Once we reach the pimple-faced cashier, Mason pulls out a wad of cash and sets it down on the counter. The boy barely glances at us as he rings up the items and chews his gum. Then he shoves everything into a plastic bag and hands it over. Katia iswaiting for us when we reach the car, only this time, Mason gets into the front.
“Get some more sleep. It will be a while before we stop again.”
I stretch my legs out and pry open a pack of chips. “Okay.”
“Let me know if you need to stop.” Mason leans forward to give me a quick kiss before settling in the front. He pushes his chair back a little, and his fingers move to the buttons of his shirt. After changing into a bright Hawaiian shirt and jeans, he stuffs his clothes into one of the plastic bags.
I bring the back of my head to rest against the glass and stare at the world outside as it rushes past. The chips taste bland, and the loud crunching sound reverberates inside my head, but it keeps me from thinking too much. Eventually, there are more cars on the road, and I sink lower into the seat.
I drift in and out of consciousness as I feel Mason drape a coat over me.
When I blink, we’ve stopped, and Mason is leaning between the seats to smooth out my hair. I offer him a sleepy smile, and he brushes his forehead against mine. I sleep again until another jolt awakens me. Gingerly, I push myself up and rub my hands over my eyes.
It takes a minute for my eyes to adjust, and when they do, I notice two things at once.
The first is that every part of my body aches from the odd angle I was curled up in.
And the second is that it’s pitch-black outside, and there’s nothing but a single farmhouse in the middle of an otherwise empty stretch of land.
Katia is leaning against the car, a phone pressed to her ear.
Mason lets the seatbelt slide back into place and steps out of the car. He opens the back door and helps me out. I stop to stretch my arms over my head and blink again.
“Where are we?”
“One of the safehouses.”
I spin a little on my heels. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Mason drapes an arm around me. “We are, but don’t worry. The place is properly stocked. It should be good for a few months.”
