Page 1 of Of Bone and Ash

Prologue

(PLEASE CHECK THE CONTENT WARNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK BEFORE READING)

Serafina

(Thirteen Years Ago)

“Fina! Dinner time,” Maddie hollers from downstairs, making my lips purse in frustration as I set down the doll my brother gave me on my soft pink bed before sliding off and padding out of my new room. I hesitantly peer down the dark hallway and take a deep breath before making a mad dash to the stairs, not wanting to be in the dark any longer than I have to.

The dark is where the monsters come out to play.

The dark is where I get hurt.

My hand grips the railing of the stairs as I dash down them, seeking the warm glow of the kitchen light, my heart pounding in my chest when I hear a noise behind me.

No, no, no… He’s not here anymore. Gabe said I was safe now!

I toss a quick look over my shoulder when I finally reach the bottom of the stairs to make sure Dad’s not stalking down the steps behind me, then gasp as I run into something soft, making me fall back on my butt with a hard thump.

“Ow,” I mutter, a burst of pain shooting up my back, aggravating the old injuries there. It's been over a month since Dad locked me in that dark room, strapped to the cold metal table with tubes and wires connected to my arms, legs, and chest. But the echo of pain I feel in every inch of my body is a constant reminder of the nightmares I went through that night.

“Fina! Are you all right?” Maddie gasps, her dark eyes widening in alarm behind the black frames of her glasses as she stumbles back from my impact. She quickly recovers and reaches down to grab my much smaller hand, then yanks me back to my feet before turning me each way, looking me over to make sure I’m okay. My pigtails smack me in the face and make me blink several times as I try to get my bearings.

“Yeah,” I grumble, my cheeks heating as I kick the toe of my shoe against the floor. I look at her hands on my arms, her fingers covered in small silver rings gleaming with magic. I stiffen under her touch, waiting for her anger. “Sorry for running into you,” I add, not wanting to make my new friend mad. Maddie is nice. She makes me food and even reads me books! Plus, she hasn't hit me once since I came here a few weeks ago. I don’t want to ruin everything.

I’m good at that… ruining things. Father always said I only excelled in one thing, and it was being a disappointment.

“It’s no problem,” Maddie whispers, a soft smile playing on her heart-shaped lips as her eyes move to my face. Her brows furrow as she slowly releases my arms and steps back, glancing up the stairs as if she is looking for my dad as well. “I got something for you,” she says, smile still in place as she turns and heads into the brightly lit kitchen. I follow, stepping into the room and breathing a sigh of relief as the light washes over me.

The room is full of yummy smells, making my stomach grumble. I walk over to where Maddie is rummaging through some grocery bags before she grins. Something small is in her hand as she turns and crouches down next to me so we are the same height. She holds her hand out, and I can feel myself frowning as I reach for the small white piece of plastic she holds in front of me.

“What is it?” I ask, turning it around and finding a small light bulb.

“A night light. I thought we could plug a few of them into the outlets in the hall so it's not so dark at night,” she suggests. My eyes widen in surprise and elation as I look up at her.

“Really?” I ask, unable to stop the excitement from bleeding into my voice. I know I need to stay in control of my emotions. Dad hated it when I was too excited, but Maddie always smiles and seems to like it when I do the same.

“Mm-hmm.” Maddie stands and grabs the bag, opens it up, and shows me four other night lights. “I got one for the bathroom, too. That way, it won't be dark when you need to find the light switch at night,” she says offhandedly, like it’s no big deal.

“Thank you,” I whisper, then throw my arms around her waist and squeeze as hard as I can, trying to replicate the feelings I get when my brothers hug me. They always make me feel safe, and now I can add Maddie to that list.

“You’re welcome,” she whispers, her small arms wrapping around my shoulders and squeezing me back. It’s a different hug from the ones I’ve started getting used to from Gabe and Attie, but it's all nice. “Now,” she says, letting her arms fall away from me as she points to my chair and nods. “Time to eat. I made your favorite,” she mutters, turning toward the stove and grabbing an enormous pot of spaghetti.

My eyes widen at how much food she places on the table, and I happily skip to my chair, yank it out, and sit down, placing my newly acquired night light next to my plate. Maddie goes back to the stove and returns with a pan of garlic bread. I can feel my mouth water at the sight. Dad would often withhold meals as punishment, so I would hoard any meal I was given, yet I haven't missed a single one since coming here. I’ve almost forgotten what the painful cramps of hunger felt like.

“Dish up!” Maddie announces, clapping her hands with a grin as she sits beside me. I heap food on my plate, and we eat in comfortable silence. I can feel Maddie watching me, like always. Her dark eyes are constantly on me when we are in the same room. I know my brother told her to keep an eye on me, and the therapist told her to report back on my behavior. I overheard her talking to Maddie at the door on her last visit. She said I seemed to be adjusting well, whatever that means, but wanted to be careful.

“This is good,” I whisper, shoveling another bite into my mouth.

“I’m glad you like it,” Maddie says when she sets her fork down. “Your birthday is coming up next month. You’ll be seven.” Her eyebrows furrow as she thinks. “What do you want to do?”

I shrug my shoulders, eating another bite of food. My last birthday was spent locked in my room because I went outside without Dad’s permission. I had gone to bed without dinner, and there was no celebration. “Can I see Gabe and Attie?” I ask, the idea blossoming in my mind, making hope bloom in my chest.

“Of course. You brothers wouldn't miss that.” Maddie laughs, brushing a lock of black hair away from my temple. “What about cake? Do you want a birthday cake?” I nod, loving that idea.

“Can it have sprinkles?”

“It’s not a proper birthday cake without sprinkles.” Maddie smiles, I nod as I grab my fork, then freeze. The hair at the back of my neck stands on end, and a flicker of unease worms its way into my chest. Something in the air moves, making my insides shift with it.

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