Page 33 of The Spark that Ignites
Branches barricaded the sky and roots climbed to meet them.
They were out of time.
Pupils engorged, his wild eyes locked on hers for a tense moment then darted between her and their disappearing path, his thoughts written in the taut lines of his face.
“Don’t—” she started but with a low, anguished sound, he dropped his sword, grasped her in both hands, and shoved. A hearty gale propelled her, lightning cracking the sky, as she landed beside her fox.
The branches wove a wall. Tightened. Sealed.
And Vesper’s desolate face disappeared behind it. Emmery stared at the barrier as harsh reality sank in—the consequences of her actions.
This couldn’t be happening. He was trapped. He was trapped on the other side. And with Kaah’s deadly beasts. Emmery’s stomach sank, a tidal wave of panic drenching her.
Oh gods, what did she do?
“No!” Scrambling on her hands and knees, Emmery lunged with her dagger. She struck but it ricocheted off the roots. “Vesper!”
Again and again, she brought her blade down, but it was no use. The impenetrable wood mocked her, squeezing tighter at each attempt. This couldn’t be happening. Itcouldn’t.
Breath not coming fast enough, her chest convulsed. Emmery cursed, the foul words echoing in the empty air. She screamed, voice fading, as her fists and feet feebly struck the roots. The seconds dragged into minutes, and the invincible wall only stared back. Her dagger slipped from her grasp and, hopeless, Emmery slumped to the ground with it.
She did this. He was trapped because of her. Becauseshedidn’t listen. It was all her fault. And now she was completely and utterly alone in a world she knew nothing about. And she’d condemned Vesper to this fate. Her berating mind chanted—fool, coward, monster.
Emmery bit her cheek until she tasted blood. There had to be a way to destroy the wall. She just didn’t know how. All she had were daggers and a pack full of useless supplies.
She needed to think but her pounding heart and roaring in her ears drowned her.
Surveying Emmery with wise amber eyes, the fox nudged her clenched fist. She blinked back. The fox did it again, flipping her hand, palm up.
Vesper had mentioned her ability to disintegrate barriers. Was this what he meant? The fox’s eyes glimmered approval as Emmery studied her palms like she could visualize the magic clinging to each line. It was worth a shot. At this point, what did she have to lose?
Slowly, Emmery rose to her feet.
With a deep breath and pounding heart, she extended her palm to the wall. Leaning her face away, her magic surged. And released. Sparks pounced on the roots and smoke filled the air as flames ignited.
Emmery pushed. Andpushed.
Indulging her magic was strange when suppressing the beast under her skin had become essential to her safety. But it was easy, fluid, like breathing or walking or speaking—an intuitionlocked within her. And the magic in her veins thrived, now no longer within human constraints.
She wasfree.
Emmery coaxed the blossoming flames, feeding them sparks, singing to them a melody swimming in her blood. Her teeth gritted and she fanned her magic, willing it harder, bigger, brighter, until—
The brittle branches crackled and disintegrated. Charred wood flaked until there was a patch large enough for Emmery to punch her fist through. She clawed the wood away, her nails broke, and blood ran down her fingers.
On the other side, Vesper’s wide eyes met hers.
“Stand back!” he hollered.
Emmery darted away just as his sword cleaved enough of the charred roots to push his broad shoulders through. Vesper sheathed his sword, and she grabbed his forearms, throwing her weight back before the branches could mend. He crashed through, knocking her to the ground.
The branches stitched back together, solidifying the wall once more.
They both landed with a thud and a groan. He lay atop her, their chests heaving, battling for air. His hands, on either side of her face, kept from crushing her, but also formed a cage.
“Are youtryingto get uskilled?” Vesper barked, his breath hot, and face too close.
Emmery flinched but there was nowhere to go. No escape.
