Page 91 of Of Glass and of Gold

A burst of orange light flared around us, and we turned to see a man wielding fire. He stood against one of our own, another wind wielder struggling to keep the surrounding flames at bay. With an arm extended, flames still blasting forward, the man raised his other arm. Our man went flying, as if picked up by a strong wind. He flew over the edge of the ship, plummeting into the raging river below.

“What the—” Nick said.

The man with fire caught sight of us, and the moment he extended his hand outright, Nicholas stepped in front of me.

“No!” I shouted, throwing myself against his back, arms wrapping around his waist. I felt nothing in that moment besides an overwhelming emptiness at the thought of losing him.

I expected my next breath to feel like I was inhaling dragon fire, but no heat came.

Nick touched my hands firmly set against his stomach. “Let’s go.” He didn’t release my hand as he pulled me forward. The fire wielder lay on the ground, an arrow embedded in his skull, his eyes unseeing toward the night sky.

We raced along a wall until Nicholas opened a door and entered, sword first. I followed him down the stairs, ignoring the altercations we left behind on the main deck. Our boots boomed against each step on the way down, emerging into a room filled with support beams and hanging lanterns. Crates of food lined the bordering walls, and a small cache of weapons spilled from a container similar to the one Nicholas and I confiscated. And in the back…

“Melody!” I sprinted across the room, approaching the small cell surrounded by bars.

“Nora?!” she called, disbelieving. She huddled in a corner, but she stood on uneven footing, meeting me at the bars. “How did, how are you—”

“We’re getting you out of here.” I scanned the room for any sign of keys.

“Here,” Nicholas called over the faint sound of jingling metal.

He jogged over, key ring in hand. I snatched it, my hands nearly shaking. The lock clinked, and the door screeched open. She bore a look of astonished relief. I dropped the keys, throwing my arms around my sister, squeezing her as if I couldn’t believe I held her in my grasp.

“I’m sorry.” My tears couldn’t be contained as they fell.

“I’m sorry too, but I think you more than made up for it.” Her hand stroked the back of my head, holding me close.

“Come on, we’re getting you out of here,” Nicholas said.

Melody nodded, but her eyes drifted to the side. “Look out!”

A man emerged from a stairwell leading to a lower level. Nicholas stepped forward immediately, but the man threw out a hand, sending Nicholas flying across the room until his back crashed into the wall.

“Chol!” I cried.

With my sister’s hand in mine, her standing behind me, I glanced at the clear path to the upper deck. That man wouldn’t let us get that far. He extended his hand toward me, and I could do nothing but brace for the impact and hope my sister survived the hit.

Except when I froze, she moved, stepping beside me.

A burst of white light flooded the room, and a wave of blunt power sent the man flying back down the stairs, tumbling and cursing as he did. Wide-eyed, I glanced side-long at my sister, and she to me. Then I raced for Nicholas, still trying to gather himself after the brutal blow. I kneeled beside him, helping him get up on his feet.

“Go,” he hissed.

“You’re coming,” I said without room for further discussion. He hooked an arm around my neck and staggered a few feet.

“I’ll clear the way,” Melody said, marching toward the stairs while holding up her skirts.

“Don’t, it’s dangerous!” I called out.

“Haven’t we already been through this?” She gave me a one-sided smirk.

“Yeah, and look how well that turned out.” I gestured to the human smuggling ship we currently stood on.

“Well, this time I’m armed.” Twirling her fingers in front of her, a stream of light wrapped around them like a ribbon. “It wouldn’t work behind those bars, but it’s working now.”

I ground my teeth, Chol’s weight starting to tire me. “Fine. There’s a boat near the back. Get to it.”

She nodded, her golden hair almost completely fallen from the beautiful style she’d had pinned back. A reminder of the struggle she’d endured. She led the way up the stairs.

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