Page 71 of Star-Crossed
“County firefighters are already on their way,” Ethan said.
The urgency in his eyes was enough to put any thoughts of Cy and Lyra’s previous conversation on hold.
Fawkes and Gabe joined the fray as well, their faces set with determination. A mix of faces Cy recognized from around town milled about, some looking anxious, others focused and ready for action.
“You got another kit in your truck?” Cy asked, already shrugging out of his flannel.
“Look, Cy—” Ethan began.
Cy didn’t wait to hear the rest, marching over to Fawkes’s truck and grabbing a bundle of gear. He had no idea what he was doing, but he couldn’t stand by while his friends were in danger.
“Cy,” Ethan said, the unspoken implication hanging heavily in the air between them as Cy quickly pulled on the protective clothing.
His jaw clenched as he shot Ethan a stubborn glare. “Give the brief.”
“I know you want to help,” Ethan said, shifting uncomfortably under Cy’s heated gaze. “But I think—”
“You’re wasting time,” Cy snapped. “Give the goddamn brief.”
The rest of their group, including Fawkes and Gabe, had drawn closer now, their attention homed in on the escalating argument.
Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he reluctantly shifted his gaze toward the assembled gathering. “All right,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Here’s the plan. We’re going to form two teams of three and tackle this thing from both sides. Gabe, you take the area closest to the barn. Fawkes, you take compost pasture with the volunteers from town.” He glanced around at their expectant faces before continuing. “We’ll start by clearing away any brush or debris near the barn so that we can create a firebreak on both sides. We’ll need to set up a perimeter around the barn with hoses and wet down any brush that’s close to it. If necessary, we’ll have to burn out a line ahead of the fire to prevent it from spreading further. And most importantly, we need to make sure everyone stays safe. No risks, understood?”
The group murmured in agreement as Cy felt acid eat its way up his throat.
His name was conspicuously absent from the plans.
“What can I do?” he asked, hating the note of urgency edging his voice.
“You can stay here and direct the other volunteers as they arrive.”
The air around them crackled with tension as Cy processed what Ethan had said.
He should let it go. Fall in line and do as Ethan suggested.
But he couldn’t.
Or wouldn’t.
As with Lyra the other morning, he seemed categorically incapable of gracefully weathering rejection. Making people say the quiet part out loud.
“Or Gabe could stay behind,” Cy suggested, already marching toward his truck. “Seeing as I know every goddamn tree bordering the property and can climb better than any of you.”
“Not anymore.”
Cy’s hand froze over the ignition. A blaze of an entirely different kind climbed the back of his neck.
He felt the weight of the stares from his friends, the judgment and pity in their eyes.
He forced himself to turn around, meeting Ethan’s gaze head-on.
“I’m still capable,” he said firmly, his voice a low rumble.
“I need you here,” Ethan said softly. “There’s no one else I trust more to direct the rest of the volunteers when they arrive.”
The moment seemed to stretch on for an eternity as Cy processed what Ethan had said.
He couldn’t deny the truth in it, but admitting that fact felt like swallowing broken glass.
