Page 113 of Spark of the Everflame

“Diem.” There was a deadly gravity to his features. “Listen to me. Go home and stay there. Forget you saw the fire, and forget you saw us.”

I started to protest, but a mutedboominterrupted my words. The ground rumbled in response, and the fiery cloud ballooned higher and brighter into the sky.

Quiet snickers rippled through the group. One of the shadowed men clapped another on the back. Even the corner of Henri’s lips twitched upward at the sound.

My body went still.

Theworldwent still.

“Henri,” I breathed. “What’s going on?”

One of the men broke off from the group and came up to Henri’s side. With the blaze now burning brighter, faint orange firelight illuminated his face.

A fragment of memory ripped through me.A man, standing outside the healers’ center, his profile softly lit by the glow of a lantern. Not a patient—a visitor. Whispering with my mother.

“Sister Diem,” Vance said in greeting. His smile was lazy and triumphant. “The victory tonight is as much yours as ours. We could not have done this without you.”

My gaze flew over the group, spotting Brant and Francis among their numbers, then took in the pair of carts, both piled high and covered with tarps.

“What’s in those?” I asked.

Henri glanced at Vance, who paused, then subtly shook his head.

“Brother Henri is right,” Vance said, kindly but firmly. “You should return home and not speak of this to anyone.”

A horrible sense of dread filled my soul.

“I can’t. People might be wounded—children—I need to go.” I started to move away, but Henri’s hands held me firm.

Vance’s smile faded as he stepped closer. “We can’t let you do that, Sister. It’s best if no mortals are seen anywhere near the target.”

I tried to free myself again, but Henri’s grip tightened on my shoulders, his fingers digging painfully into my skin to hold me in place. I stared at him in shock.

“Diem,” he started.

“Get your hands off me, Henri.”

He didn’t budge.

The other men silently formed a circle around us.

Henri’s expression turned pleading. “We’ve been planning this for weeks. We can’t risk your presence tipping them off. Please don’t make me do this.”

“Don’t make you dowhat?” I hissed.

The circle of Guardians inched closer, surrounding me in a ring of hard, mistrusting eyes. Henri’s hands slid from my shoulders and clamped around my upper arms.

My heart thumped wildly in my chest.

Six men. Six large, strong men.

There was no way I could take them—they would grab me, drag me kicking and screaming back to Mortal City. Even if I could get to my weapons, even if I was willing to stab them, stabHenri—

My father’s words pierced my roaring thoughts.

What have I taught you about fighting an opponent that is much stronger than you are?

If you cannot be stronger, be smarter.

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