Page 124 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

"What is that?" Ezra stood frantically, the chair toppling behind him as he wiped at the rash with his hands as if he could wash it away. His wide eyes filled with panic. "Please, someone tell me. What is it?" The boy shrieked.

"You expect me to believe you didn’t know?" Gray’s shadows squeezed tighter, but Lea placed a hand on his arm, silently begging him to stop.

"Know what?!" Ezra was now sobbing. Lea walked to him, now immune to the disease, and pressed a palm to his chest, sending healing energy flooding into his skin. She whispered soothing words, explaining to him what had happened, that he was infected, but that she would fix this. Gray didn’t hear the rest. He was blinded by fury.

It had been a trap. Alaric hadn’t been out of control at all. He’d knownexactlywhat he was doing when he’d told the entire army of his plans, when he’d waited on the parapet to see who would flee to warn his enemies. By allowing Ezra entry into their fortress, they had played right into Alaric’s hands, and now, any rebel with magic would be dead within the week.

Chapter 80

Gray

HourshadpassedsinceEzra had entered the cavern, breathing the Lonely Death into the air without knowing that in his attempt at helping the rebellion, he had probably doomed them all. It would only be a matter of time before black wounds would start appearing on the chests and hands and throats of all those with magic. Gray thanked the gods for the small mercy that the rebels who didn’t possess magic would be safe, as would his mate. For now at least.

Gray had been unable to keep his hands from Lea’s skin as they all moved to sit near the fireplace, caressing her fingers and tucking her hair behind her ear. With his army infected, Gray could feel death whispering at his neck. Alaric would wait until tomorrow, when the illness would begin ravaging the weakened bodies of the sick, to launch his attack. They’d had the numbers to have a chance, enough people with magic that could help them. But now? There was little hope. Shame oozed from every one of Gray’s pores. He’d let his people down. He should have seen this coming. Why hadn’t he considered this possibility?

If he hadn’t been connected to Lea, if his life wasn’t tied to hers so intimately, Gray would sacrifice himself and his blood to allow the moonflowers to grow. Even if Lea was willing to sacrifice herself as well, it would do no good. Alaric was too powerful, and the only one capable of matching him was Lea. To sacrifice himself would be to save an entire army of people just to leave them to be slaughtered by Alaric without anyone to defend them.

"You are not allowed to give up." Lea touched his shoulder, sending a wave of love so potent it ran through his body and collected as a lump in his throat.

It had been difficult to discuss strategy with the blood roaring in Gray’s ears, but somehow, they’d persevered. Ezra was sent to an empty room to quarantine with Noah on the off chance the Lonely Death hadn’t begun to spread, and word was sent for everyone to remain wherever they were until they were told otherwise. If they were lucky, only those in Vincent’s office and the barracks Noah returned to had been exposed.

The room was almost pitch black as Gray’s shadows writhed in every corner, smothering the light of the torches. They’d planned for years for this. It couldn’t end this way. It wouldn’t.

"We have to kill Alaric," Gray’s breaths were ragged. "That’s the only way out of this."

Lea looked up through her eyelashes at him, her soft, beautiful face creased with worry. "We spill his blood and grow the moonflowers."

Gray hated the weight that sank onto Lea’s shoulders. He wished desperately that he could take it from her, that he could be the one with the burden of being the only person that could save them.

"I can do it." Lea looked around at her friends, pausing on each of them as if memorizing their faces. "If we can get to Alaric and kill him, I can grow them. We just need his blood, and we can save everyone."

"We need a new plan," Erik said confidently as he schooled his face into the epitome of calmness. "Our numbers and the courage of our soldiers won’t be enough if our army is weakened with the Lonely Death, especially now that he has Brennus’s power."

"Well…" Emma stepped forward with tiny steps, as if she was second guessing what she was about to say. Thomas placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, and Emma took a deep breath. "I’ve been studying a lot, and I was thinking, and, um… well, reading. I have some ideas, if that’s okay."

"Eudora’s potion…" Gray trailed off.

"That’s part of it. Yes." Emma’s voice was soft, and Thomas pushed her forward gently. "Um. So we’ve known from the beginning that you and Lea are our best chance of defeating Alaric. You’re the most powerful, so we need to get you to him. Lea, if you can find Alaric through the rebels’ eyes, Janelle can help lead you both to him safely."

Erik wrapped his arms around Janelle, pressing her back against his front protectively. "I’ll stay with Janelle to protect her." Erik looked at Gray as if challenging him to question his statement.

"That goes without saying." Gray shook his head, his eyebrows lowering, slightly offended that Erik had felt he’d had to say it. "Just as I will not be leaving Lea’s side during the battle."

"Right. Um… Of course. But that’s not all." Emma wrung her hands together, her fingers turning white from the pressure. "I found a way… Well, I’m pretty sure anyway—"

"Emma," Thomas said, his voice soft. "You can do it."

"Right." Emma took a deep breath. "The dead can fight with us. I can make that happen. If any soldiers die with a weapon in their hand, that is. I can make it so they can continue to fight. Our numbers will never dwindle."

"Emma, that sounds—" Lea started, concern evident in the tension in her jaw.

"I’ve already decided," Emma said, uncharacteristically confident. "Eudora gave me a potion. If I drink it, it will slow my heart, bring me close to death. I can be the bridge between the physical and the spiritual. As long as I remain in that state, they will be able to interact with the world."

Thomas stiffened, his hands fisting at his sides. "You didn’t tell me that part. No, Emma."

Emma held up a hand. "I’ve already decided. We will all die of the Lonely Death if we don’t do this."

"And how do we know this won’t kill you?" Thomas asked, and Gray didn’t miss the way his voice cracked with fear.

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