Page 61 of Blue Embers
“He agreed to it.”
“What?” Draven said through his teeth.
“Hector Wells, the head of the human council, stated that the distribution of bullets will inspire equality. Now Draak don’t hold all the power. Refusing to bring the bullets into the sectors would make people riot. Humans want the security forces armed with them. They say it’s only fair. And now Falcons have been hijacking news channels since Tuesday, preaching about this world belonging to humans and so on. It’s what they’ve always been doing, but now it’s very public. Lupin was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Give the police Phyre Glass bullets or refuse and risk an uprising inside the sectors that could hurt Draak and humans alike.”
“Wonderful,” Draven hissed, his nostrils flaring.
“It’s only a matter of time before the other sectors agree or disagree to give their security forces Phyre Glass,” Everly said. “Both options will work in the Falcons’ favor.”
“The public doesn’t understand what’s going on,” Keera said softly. “They don’t know what’s really happening. This is all going to lead to another war, isn’t it?”
“If it does, we need to start planning ahead,” Draven said, his eyes bright with ferocity. “If Haera planned it this way, it’s just a distraction so she can get her hands on the Leviathan. She’s still our priority. I need you to send a message to every regent. Refusing distribution of Phyre Glass is better than allowing it. If people rise up, we contain it.”
Killian nodded. “I’ve already spoken to the Draakir back home. Kasper is prepared to keep that stuff out of Wrenhil and deal with any backlash if it happens. He’s in talks with Aric Klaus to convince him to do the same and I’m assuming you’ll talk to Baliss in Nytho seeing as you appointed him the new regent. They should all know the order is coming from the Archon. Some Order members understand the situation, but most do not. Seems our human council members have been harboring a bit of bitterness these past decades. That and the idea of power is tempting to all creatures. When given the chance, most will take it.”
“I’m going to get in contact with Saxon and let him know what’s going on,” Draven said. “The damn Draak never keeps up with current events. If this gets more serious, I’ll go back and make a statement myself to all the cowards we put in charge of the sectors.”
“You know, it’s not far fetched that Ares had something to do with all this,” Lukan suggested. “He’d know what to say to the other leaders to soften them up.”
“Yeah, and if he shows his face again I’ll burn him to ash with that witch,” Draven growled, pacing out of the room.
Everly followed him, fists balled tensely as they both disappeared into another wing of the cabin. Beside me, Keera was holding Ronan close and looking at Lukan with a concerned arch in her brows. He cupped a hand on her cheek in a loving manner and kissed her on the forehead, comforting her worried mind. Meanwhile, Malice stood from the sofa with a grunt and rubbed the back of his neck, pacing slowly as the information settled on his mind. Lastly, my eyes wandered toward Killian, whose gaze was on me before I looked at him.
Suddenly all those pent up feelings started rushing toward the surface like flames bringing water to a boil. The longer I looked at him, the more my feelings stirred, growing uncontrollable as the seconds passed. My heart started to race, partly out of anger and partly out of desire. I was upset that I couldn’t figure us out and I was fighting against an attraction that had only been growing since Killian had marked me. Now, with the idea of war becoming something more real, I was becoming even more frustrated. I needed the cold. I needed the fresh air. Despite having just come inside, I spun on my heels and headed for the door again.
Knowing the sectors were on the brink of disarray only made my thoughts whirl with more unease. I stepped outside, taking in a lungful of the frigid, evening breeze as I made my way down the icy path. I headed for the boathouse in search of a quiet place to dive into my head again and sort through my emotions.
26
Killian
. . .
As soon as Persephone disappeared out the door, I wanted to go after her, but my feet planted themselves on the floor like two cement blocks. My jaw tightened with indecision, but when I caught Keera’s narrowed eyes on me, I knew that even if I didn’t go after her, she’d scold someone else into doing it. Letting out a sharp breath, I forced myself toward the door and followed Persephone into the cold. Once outside, she was already partway down the walking path headed for the boathouse at the lake.
“Persephone,” I said after her.
She whipped her head around, surprised to hear my voice, but continued walking. I could tell she was angry. I could tell before she left. She was frustrated, likely over me. I couldn’t blame her. I’d been keeping distance between us since she woke with my mark on her. In truth, I wasn’t sure what else to do. My feelings were toying with me and I was certain pulling her close would only hurt one or both of us in the end. Despite that, I needed to make sure she was alright, so I continued down the path toward the boathouse.
“Persephone,” I said again just as she stepped onto the dock leading into the small building on the water.
“I’m fine, Killian,” she said in an empty tone, which was certainly a sure sign that she wasn’t.
I tailed Persephone into the building where a luxury boat floated between two pathways leading around. I could tell that she had been here before, perhaps to think, by the way she walked straight for the boat like she knew exactly where she was going. Before stepping onto it, she turned.
“I’m just out here to think,” she said. “I’m not going to dive into the water and even if I did, I’d be fine, right? I’m an Ashling.”
“It doesn’t make you invincible,” I argued.
“Obviously. I hit my knee on the coffee table yesterday. Hurt like a bitch. Keera said you could heal it, but you haven’t really been around, Killian. Figured I shouldn’t get any ideas about what our little bond could actually do. Now, burning. That’s fun,” she laughed, though her tone was unamused. “I experimented a little and stuck my hand right in the fireplace this morning. Didn’t feel a thing. That’s new. Confusing, actually, considering I’m used to fire burning my skin off.” She shrugged. “It’s been interesting trying to figure all this out on my own while you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I haven’t been avoiding you.”
“That’s a lie, Killian. That’s something else I figured out. I just know things now and I know you’re not being honest with me. Look, I don’t blame you. You didn’t plan to bind us together. I understand you did it to save me. It’s not a promise. We’re not married and neither of us is obligated to initiate anything, but come on, Killian. Haera pulled me out of my home,” she said heatedly, her voice rising in volume. “She took my sister. Benjamin. Shemademe plungeyourknife into my body twice. I almost killed myself. I woke up with your handprint on me and then you just tell me how to live apart from you? I looked around inside at Keera and Lukan. At Everly and Draven. They’re concerned and they’re there for each other and then I see us and I think about how I’m going to have to cope with feeling connected to you all the time but never being able to touch you. I have to deal with the idea that now that I’m bound to you, you don’t want me!”
“I do want you!” I snapped.
Her words cutting deep. I stepped forward, lungs heaving when the phrase passed my lips.
