Page 57 of The Spark that Ignites
His eyes narrowed. “Acting like what exactly?”
“All broody and silent.” Emmery’s nails bit into her palms. “I thought you hated silence.”
“I do.” The answer was short, simple, and infuriating.
Emmery cursed and stalked beside him with heavy footfalls. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I told you, I’m not angry withyou.” Vesper’s lips pressed together, his pace quickening. After an impossibly long silence in which she basically chased him down, he admitted, “I’m angry with myself, alright?”
He was angry withhimself. In what universe did that make sense? Emmery huffed a breath, her steps meeting his with great effort. “For what? I was the one who burned you.”
“This”—he pointed at the melted armour—“is nothing. You didn’t even hurt me.” His face was hard, unreadable. “I dropped all this shit on you about the prophecy and thekhaosflame at the worst time, but I didn’t know what else to do, and I ... I don’t know how to help you, Emmery.”
She shrugged, her shoulders tight. “It’s not your job to help me.”
“It is.” He shook his head. “I should be able to give you some guidance. Help you train your magic or ... I don’t bloody know. At least offer something. Do something.”
Her fingers dipped along their pactum scar. “It’s not part of our bargain. You don’t owe me anything. You got me across the gate and helped me pass the trial. You’ve done your part.” She paused, traitorous thoughts brewing in her head. Was he worried she couldn’t break down the barrier and that’s why he was angry? Because she was undoubtedly useless and had proven that time and time again. “Don’t worry, as long as I’m in one piece I’ll fulfil my part of our little deal. I’ll try not to lose control and burn us both to a crisp.”
“Come on.” His eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
She shrugged but her hands fisted at her side. Why did she care if he thought she was a danger? That he was scared and flinched away from her magic. He was right to do so.
“You’re infuriating, you know that? One of the tiniest, most infuriating people I’ve ever met.” Vesper raked a hand through his hair, letting it stand on end. “You always assume the worst of people, don’t you?”
“Maybe.” She whistled between her teeth and Aera sprinted from the brush, covered in pollen. Emmery perched the fox on her shoulder. “But it’s kept me alive this long, hasn’t it?”
“But it’s made you miserable, Emmery. Even I can see that.”
His words stopped her dead in her tracks and her stomach filled with lead. This was more than just her magic and the prophecy. Vesper clearly wanted more than companionship and sounded like he genuinely cared. A tiny voice inside her told her she cared too but she clamped a hand over it.
Maybe she could pretend to be his friend. Put on a pretty smile and fool him. The more trust she built between them, the easier it would be to swindle him out of the items and then she could keep herself safe.
She could do that. She could pretend.
“Look, I’m ... sorry.” Emmery choked out the word and stared at her feet to up the show. “People have never shown me their good sides. I’ve been burned every time I trust someone. I’ll ... try harder.” She plastered a delicate smile on her face. “Be patient with me.”
Vesper gaped at her like she’d flashed him. He muttered something along the lines of “that was easy"and said, “Uhm, yeah ... alright.”
And just like that, he bought her packaged lie tied with a pretty bow, though she knew the truth laid beneath the surface. Yet, as they descended into the belly of the Sacred Lands, guilt bridled her.
Chapter Twenty-One
The meadow, unfathomably deep within the Sacred Lands, was shrouded in blurred light and sinister mist—peaceful bliss replaced by deadly stillness.
“I don’t see a gate,” Emmery said, shivering. It was like the temperature had dropped to freezing. “I thought you said there was a barrier.”
Stalking forward, Vesper extended his arm until he froze, tension bracketing it. “Here.”
Emmery too reached out, her hand making contact with something, not detectable to the eye, yet solid. She pushed against the unyielding force.
“What do I need to do?” she asked.
“Put both hands on the barrier and visualize it disintegrating. Don’t think about anything else, clear your mind and focus on only that.” He peered sideways at her puzzled face. “See it turn to ash in your mind.”
“Itsoundssimple enough.” Though that rarely seemed to be the case.
As Emmery squinted past the barrier into the mist, Aera plunked down beside her and peered up with a blink of confidence.
