Page 104 of Ashes

I swallowed and smiled at him. “It does feel better.”

“And I rescued you just like I promised,” he proclaimed, his smile turning into a full-on grin. “Do you know what that means?”

“No.”

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “It means now we have to get married. You can be my pirate princess, and we can fight off all the bad guys.”

“Aren’t pirates bad though?” I wrinkled my nose at him. “I don’t want to be a bad guy.”

“You won’t be, Rinny. We’ll only hurt the ones who hurt us. I’ll be the bad guy, so you won’t have to, OK?”

“Promise?”

“I swear it.” He began walking backward, my hand still in his as he led me. “Do you believe in magic?”

I nodded. I loved magic and fairies and unicorns.

“Do you believe I’m magic?”

“Yes.”

A serene look covered his face.

“Then as long as you believe in my magic, nothing will ever harm you. Pirate’s honor.”

“You’re a magic pirate?” I giggled at the notion.

It only made him grin wider.

“I am. You’ll see someday, Rinny. You’ll see.”

I twined my fingers with Seth’s, the light infiltrating my dark prison. He’d saved me then. He promised to save me now.

I blinked rapidly, the light from the flames in the fireplace hurting my eyes.

Seth’s blue eyes greeted me.

“Rinny,” he breathed out. “Hey.”

I crinkled my brows, ready to retreat as fear gripped my heart.

“No. No! Don’t go. Stay. Fuck. You have to stay. Just. . . listen. Sully has Stitches. He’s here. He’s experimenting on him. We need to get out of here, but we can’t because you’re not well enough to leave. If you stay here in the moment, you save us all. You save Stitches, Rinny. Remember Stitches? Malachi? You-you love Malachi.”

I licked my lips.

Malachi.

Stitches.

I was his angel.

I stared at Seth. He seemed different. Darker. Tired. Worried.

Asylum. He was crazy. He hurt me. . .

I retreated from his stare, but he was quick to squeeze my hand.

“I’m not as crazy as you think I am,” he whispered. “I’m not him. I’m not Asylum. Youshouldfear us, but you should fear Sully more. Right now, I’m not your enemy. Stay. Save Stitches if not yourself.”

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