Page 6 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

"I don’t know," Lea said sharply. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm fucking leaving with you all. What do you think I’m doing? Emma, get up," Claire spat as if Emma’s fear disgusted her. She shook Emma’s small, trembling body. "We need to go. The king is on his way."

Emma cried out, tucking her knees beneath her chin and squeezing her eyes more firmly shut.

"Stop!" Lea roughly pulled Claire’s hands away from Emma’s arms, stepping in front of her to protect her from Claire’s less-than-gentle attempt at helping. "You’ll hurt her. She’s in shock!" Lea’s eyes bounced between her mate still fighting a handful of guards and her friend crumpled on the ground, knowing that Emma needed to get to safety or she would be a sitting target for the few royal soldiers that did remain. But she didn’t want to leave Gray. Not again.

"How do you know the king is coming?" Lea asked.

"The soldiers running back into the castle were whispering about it. Thank the gods it’s night, or I wouldn’t be able to hear so far." Claire tapped her ears. "They didn’t want to die. Said if the king wanted his son dead, he could do it himself. Now let’s move."

Claire has magic? Or is it a trick?"Shit." Lea hissed as she searched for Thomas. He’d be strong enough to carry Emma to safety. Her eyes scanned the streets, heart clenching in fear when she couldn’t find him.Thomas is okay. He must have already made it through town,she told herself. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Emma, trying to make a new plan.

Lea could feel Gray’s eyes on her as he fought, could sense his gaze sweeping across her body every time he spun and turned, watching over her and assessing for danger. He moved with the grace of a dancer, somehow picking up an older guard with his shadows and throwing him into a patch of fire while simultaneously slicing another man’s leg clean off with a single swipe. But even with his superhuman strength and speed, he wasn’t invincible. A small cut marred his left cheek, already scabbing over. His shirtsleeve was torn and he was covered in blood splatter—though how much was his, she wasn’t sure.

Lea’s gut squeezed as Emma let out another soul-shattering scream, so loud Lea was sure that her throat would be raw by morning.I need to get her out of here.She looked over her shoulder at Gray, tilting her head toward Emma.

He nodded to her. "I’ll be right behind you." Her mate’s eyes briefly left hers. "Erik!" he barked. "Take Emma and Lea to the meeting point! I’ll find you there!"

Erik scooped up Emma as Janelle stumbled over to them, grabbing Erik’s arm. Her eyes were full of pain, her blistered skin now opening and weeping.

Lea reached out to heal Janelle’s arm, but before she had a chance, Erik’s eyes settled on the burn, flashing with concern as he placed his hand on her injury. The stiffness of Janelle’s posture eased as the pain faded and her skin knitted back together. Her arm turned a soft pink, almost good as new, but Lea felt guilt heavy in the back of her throat that she had been the one to cause Janelle that agony.

Janelle placed a hand over Erik’s, a silent moment passing between them before she turned back to Lea and pointed to a dark, foot-worn path that wrapped around an old, weathered house. "You need to go around there, behind the tavern. You won’t make it if you run straight through town."

Lea turned to look through the village. The streets leading toward the woods were nearly empty now. But who knew what was hiding behind the houses and shops lining the bloody cobblestone street? Alaric could be waiting, or soldiers could be hiding in the shadows behind the houses, preparing to catch those trying to flee.

"The fastest way is straight to the forest." Lea hesitated, narrowing her eyes as her confidence faltered. "I don’t know what’s happening with Emma, but something isn’t right. We need to get her away from here, now."

"If you want to get her out of here fast andalive, we need to go this way." Janelle threw her arm backward to point past the dark houses. "We’ve done things your way until now, and I’m not afraid to tell you that not all your choices have been the right ones. Once again, you're not the only one who loves these people! I do, too. And it’s time you listen to me."

Lea’s eyes flicked to Emma, who was cradled against Erik’s chest, her eyes still shut tight with her hands pressed against her ears. Worry gnawed at her gut, sweat beading on the back of her neck. It went against every instinct to go where Janelle was leading them, where there were far more places to hide and limited sight, where Alaric may be lurking—waiting.

The woods were dark, the gnarled trees threatening in a way she couldn’t describe. Was it just fear making her see things? Surely Alaric wouldn’t have been so close and allowed her to escape unscathed. But she had seen him—felt his unadulterated rage and fury.

Still, Janelle had never been caught. Not once. And Gray had told them that Janelle would lead them to safety. If Alaric were hiding in their path, Janelle would sense it.

Lea grabbed her friend's hand. "Lead the way." She positioned herself behind Janelle, pushing down her pride and fear, and following her best friend.

Janelle didn’t hesitate, turning on her heel and sprinting toward the tavern they’d visited only a few weeks ago, the night Thomas had abandoned them to meet with Vincent. At the time, Lea had been certain he was the Eclipsed King.

The tavern looked the same, except now, the roof was on fire. It appeared the grass that had adorned it had dried from the summer heat, creating perfect kindling to ignite the building amidst the chaos.

Heat kissed the side of Lea's face as they continued to run, darting around the tavern and up the hill before ducking down to squat behind a crop of pointed rocks. Flames flickered off Janelle’s face as she thought about their next move, reminding Lea of the many Fire Nights they’d spent together back home, when all they’d cared about was the wine they were drinking and what they would wish for at sunset. How had their lives come to this so quickly?

"We need to wait. Not long, just a minute or two," Janelle whispered as she held a hand up, eyes still scanning the trees and buildings around them.

Lea glanced at the fire spreading closer to them by the second. Her heart pumped harder in fear as smoke rose toward the sky. Scooting back, she sent out a stream of shadows in an attempt to block the flames from advancing toward them. "Janelle, are you sure—"

"Do not finish that question, Azalea. And stop distracting me," Janelle snapped.

Claire shifted, restless as the heat of the fire grew warmer. "Let’s go already. We’re going to get burned alive."

"Just WAIT!" Janelle hissed, her shoulders rising angrily. Erik placed a hand on her arm, and Janelle leaned into his touch, but her eyes never stopped evaluating their surroundings.

Claire peeked out from behind the rock. "I don’t see anyone, and I didn’t flee the castle just so I could burn to death right outside it. Let’s fuckinggo." She stood from their hiding place, taking one single step forward before an arrow embedded itself deep into her throat. Blood gurgled from the wound and out of her mouth as she stumbled and crashed to the ground with athud, a sickening sound that would haunt Lea’s dreams for the rest of her life.

Erik placed Emma on the ground and sprang forward before they could even react. Pulling his sword from its sheath he ran ahead, dodging arrows with ease as they flew straight at his chest. They bounced on the ground as they missed him, and Lea picked one up to examine it. It was long, made of dark wood with a deadly iron tip and midnight blue feathers at its end.

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