Page 130 of To Ashes and Dust
We’re on the—
A darkling slipped beneath the arc of flames, crashing into me, breaking my concentration, and my heart lurched as my feet left solid ground. I careened over the edge of the rooftop, the icy wind surging around me. Barrett whipped around, grabbing hold of my outstretched hand. His chest met the edge of the rooftop and I slammed into the brick wall, the air rushing out of me. I gasped, air flooding my lungs with unrelenting force as the darkling and my daggers both fell.
“I’ve got you!” Barrett said, holding my wrist. I lifted my eyes to him as I dangled, gasping for air. I reached my other hand up, grabbing onto him, holding on for dear life. My gaze threatened to fall to the descent. “Don’t look down, Cas. Look at me.”
My gaze locked on him, adrenaline clouding my thoughts.
“I’ve got you,” Barrett gritted out, his steel eyes meeting mine. “Did Damien get everyone out?”
“Yeah! Pull me up!” I gasped, my sweaty hand threatening to slip from his grip. His other hand shot out, grasping onto my hand.
“I’m sorry for always picking on you,” he ground out, grimacing.
“What?”
“You’re really good to Damien, you know that? He’s happier than I’ve seen him in a long time thanks to you.” His arms quivered as he held me. The darklings’ clicks and snarls reached my ears as they recovered from the flames Barrett had just unleashed.
“This is a horrible time to be sentimental, Barrett.” My boots slipped against the brick as I tried to pull myself up. My arms shook under my weight, my strength waning.
“Dammit, Barrett pull me u—” I stopped breathing as my eyes locked on his arm. Blood rolled down his leather armor, reaching his hand where he held me, the red blood swirling with... darkness. My eyes darted to his as he swallowed, forcing a weak smile.Oh God, no. When had he been bitten? Had it happened on the roof when I’d had my back turned? In the stairwell? Panic shot through me and I pulled harder, trying to climb.
“Barrett!” I jerked against him. “Pull me up!”
Barrett didn’t respond at first, and my heart dropped.
“It’s too late for me,” he said.
“No! I can draw it out! We can draw it out! Damien said it’s dangerous, but not impossible!” My boots skidded against the brick as I struggled to climb, desperate to get to him.
Barrett tried to reason with me as he glanced over his shoulder. “They’re recovering… and there’s too many.”
“We’ll take them out together!” I fought to pull myself up.
“I’m sorry, Cas.” A look of pure endearment spread across his face, lighting those steel eyes.
My vision blurred. “Don’t you fucking talk like that, Barrett! Please!”
“Shift for me. Show me that pretty owl I’ve heard so much about,” he said with a sweet smile.
My heart lurched, tears blurring my vision. No, not like this. I needed him here; we all needed him here. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no!”
“Tell Thalia I love her. Tell her I’m sorry.” Tears rolled down his cheeks and fell onto mine.
I sobbed, fighting. “Barrett, pull me u—"
He released my hand, my fingers slipping through his, and I stopped breathing as that warm smile remained on his face.
“Fly, spitfire.”
Time slowed; my eyes locked on his. No! Not like this! I stretched my hands out to him as air rushed past me. I wanted to shift, needed to fly, needed to reach out to him, grab his hand. Barrett’s warm smile remained on his face, his skin beginning to glow as the black veins crept across his skin. The veins turned molten, his skin glowing brighter and brighter. The claws of the darklings came into view at his back.
“No!”
Pain erupted at my back, feathers flying loose around me as wings shot out in painful urgency. I wouldn’t leave him, wouldn’t let him go. Darklings came into view as they launched onto him, and he slammed his hand into the brick wall, his body erupting into a blinding light, flames engulfing him and the darklings at his back as the fire exploded, shooting down the stretch of the building, destroying every darkling that remained.
The blast knocked me back, my wings swinging wildly and uncoordinated. I couldn’t brace against it, couldn’t right myself, and I slammed into the chain-link fence at the far end of The Complex’s yard.
Ringing filled my ears, drowning everything out as I blinked. My eyes wouldn’t focus, my vision a blur of bright light and darkness. I couldn’t move at first, my body unresponsive to my commands, numb and floating. I needed to get to him. I had to get up. I needed to...
