Page 4 of The Spark that Ignites
The hurried footsteps closed in, and she begged her wobbly legs to sprint. But she didn’t recognize these dimly lit cobblestone streets. Which way was the inn?
She was all turned around. The wind lassoed her, tugging her forward, but she ignored it, a string of curses manifesting on her lips as she darted down a side street.
But it wasn’t a side street. It was an empty alley plunged in shadows.
Her heart hammered, matching the heavy footsteps as they rounded the corner. There was no time to turn back, and her hand drifted toward the dagger strapped to her thigh.
Why did she follow that damn note? After all this time, she still hadn’t learned. She’d madeanotherpoor choice.
And, evidently, they were adding up.
But this time it would cost her. Likely her life.
“Leaving so soon?” Fallon’s voice trailed like cold fingers up her spine, close enough to grab her arm. “If you come quietly, I won’t hurt you.”
The inevitable ‘yet’ was implied.
Chapter Two
Emmery couldn’t breathe. The world became too small, shrinking to this one catastrophic moment and the brick alley walls narrowed as she frantically searched for an escape. With Fallon behind her, straight through was her only option and it could lead to a dead end. The guard was too large to fight off unless she could catch him by surprise, but his eyes already tracked her every move.
She would have to be smarterandfaster. Might as well start with the former.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, feigning confusion as she watched his feet. Her hand rested on her dagger’s jewelled handle as she took a cautious step backward. “You’ve made a mistake.”
“Don’t play innocent. It won’t work, little demon.”
A cold sweat slickened her neck. Oh gods ... heknew.
Emmery darted toward the alley mouth, but his hand circled her wrist, reeling her back toward him. Sharp pain lanced up her arm as her feet skidded on the uneven ground.
Dagger. She needed her dagger.
Emmery tugged it free from its sheath, the blade glinting in the moonlight as she swiped wildly with fear claimed limbs. She could practically hear Fionn’s snarky voice in her head:Pointy end out, Em.
Fallon batted her hand away and her grip faltered. The dagger flew from her grasp, swallowed by the shadows.
No. That was her only weapon—
The guard’s arm snaked her waist and Emmery thrashed with every stubborn muscle in her body. Her hood slid off and his hot breath tickled the hairs stuck to her clammy forehead.
“Let me go,” she pleaded, her voice cracking.
A sinister smile played on his lips, her bones protesting as his grip tightened. Her heart raced, magic pulsed in her veins, and her fingertips sparked.
This couldn’t be happening. Everything had fallen apart so quickly, and her mind became a jumbled mess, her body screaming at her todosomething. To escape or burn him to a crisp—
As if seeing her thoughts, Fallon clasped both her wrists in one hand and slammed her against the alley wall, knocking the air from her lungs.
“You know the crest on that bag of coins you stole?” he bit out. “It belongs to me. Funny, I don’t remember you joining the family.”
She met his glowering stare but with her hands pinned, her magic was rendered useless, and Death stared at her through the guard’s eyes.
“A thief and a Damned One. It’s my lucky day,” Fallon continued. “We were already searching for you after your little show in Bagsdead. And not even a week later, my brother mentioned a silver-haired woman matching your exact description had stolen his coin pouch. It was too easy to track you down after that.”
Emmery gritted her teeth. That day in the market, she’d lowered her guard for a fraction of a moment. That’s all it took to lose control and expose her magic in a mess of sparks. The beggar woman’s rancid yellowing shawl, vacant black eyes, and charred, weeping face still haunted Emmery when she closed her eyes.
The guard gave her an insanity-soaked smile and with brute force ripped the collar of her dress, exposing her upper chest. Victory shone in his eyes as he surveyed her scars. “The King has been anxious to meet you,” he drawled. That glint in his eyes wasravenous. Surely there was a hefty reward for her capture. He practically purred, “It’s been some time since we caught a Damned One.”
