Page 26 of War Of Fire and Fortune
My eyes darted back to Ace, and that was when I noticed something terribly wrong. Where his magnificent wings should have been, there was nothing but torn flesh and exposed bone.
"His wings." I sobbed, horror clawing at my insides. "They're gone."
Another promise broken because Ace wasn’t safe. He was on death’s door. Rage and grief collided within me, a wave of emotion that manifested in a violent gust of wind. It slammed into Kade, sending him flying backward into a tree with a sickening thud.
I lunged forward, gathering Ace's broken body into my arms. His skin was so hot. He was burning up.
"Brother," I whispered, cradling him against my chest. My fingers traced the ragged stumps where his wings had been, and I felt something inside me shatter. Ace had always been so proud of his wings. They were a symbol of his power, his freedom, his people. Now they were gone. They may grow back, but it didn’t change the fact that the wings that had carried him his entire life had been destroyed. The only thing left of them were the feathers in my and his hair.
"I'm sorry," I choked out, rocking him gently. "I'm so sorry.”
Behind me, I heard Kade groan as he struggled to sit up. The mated part of me felt the need to check on him, make sure he wasn't seriously injured. But I couldn't bring myself to care. I shoved my walls up in my mind to cut myself completely off from him until I was ready.
All that mattered right now was Ace.
Tears cascaded down my cheeks, blurring my vision. My hands began to glow with a soft blue light. I pressed them against his bloodied chest, willing my power to flow into him, to mend what had been broken. Which seemed to be fucking everything.
But as the seconds ticked by, dread settled in my gut. His wounds were catastrophic, far beyond anything I'd ever attempted to heal before. This wasn't a simple matter of knitting flesh and bone. Ace's very life was slipping away, trickling through my fingers like sand. It would take days, maybe even weeks of healing to bring him back from this. But he was my brother, and I knew he was resilient.
Footsteps pounded behind me, followed by a bloodcurdling scream that sent shivers down my spine. Luana. She threw herself down on Ace's other side, her face a mask of horror and anguish.
"Oh gods," she choked out, reaching out with unsteady hands to touch his face. "Ace,my love. . ."
A sob tore from her throat as her gaze traveled over his battered body. I saw the exact moment she realized his wings were gone, her eyes widened in shock, then crumpling in devastating grief. Luana wept, leaning over him, pressing her forehead to his.
I tore my gaze away from Ace, my hands never ceasing their healing motions. My eyes locked onto Kade, still slumped against the tree where I'd thrown him. Tears glistened in his eyes as he watched me.
The sight of his pain ignited an inferno of rage within me. How dare he look so devastated when this was his fault. He’d left him there too long. If he would have just listened to me when I’d told him to bring Ace back, this would have never happened.
"How could you?!" I screamed. The words ripped from my throat. "You promised! You promised me you would keep him safe! Lies," I spat, choking on the bitter taste of betrayal. "All of you—”
Kade flinched as if I'd struck him, his broad shoulders hunching inward. "Emelyn, I—" he began, his deep voice cracking. But I couldn't bear to hear his excuses. Not now. Not with Ace's life hanging by a thread. I turned back to my brother, pouring every ounce of my being into my powers to heal him.
"We need to get him in a tent," I said to Luana, trying to regain some of my composure. Lashing out wouldn’t help Ace right now. "And we need to get a fire going. I'll need towels and hot water to wash him. Can you help me?” I asked, trying to make my words gentler toward her.
She nodded, and instantly I felt the earth shift beneath us as Luana bent it, supporting Ace in a makeshift bed of soil and stone. The ground rippled, carrying us back toward the camp. My healing hands never left Ace's skin.
Chapter Fourteen
Kade
Isat with my back against the tree, feeling its rough bark dig into my spine. Atreya's footsteps crunched through the fallen leaves as she approached. She extended her hand to help me up. I ignored it, pushing myself to my feet. I turned my back to her, unable to meet her gaze. The gears in her head were already moving, thinking of what to do next.
“Kade?” Atreya's voice was honey-sweet. "I know how hard this must be for you, but you have to go back. It will be morning soon. We will take care of Ace, but you'll need to make an appearance at the palace and make sure you get your alibi together for when Val realizes he is gone."
It was almost laughable, how right I’d been about her. She hadn’t always been like this. Always plotting, always scheming.My fists clenched at my sides. How dare she speak of Ace so casually? As if he were just another casualty of war. And Emelyn . . . Gods. The hurt and betrayal in her eyes would haunt me the rest of my life. What had I become in my quest to protect her? A liar, a traitor, a monster?
"No." The word escaped my lips, barely a whisper. This wasn't just about refusing an order; it was about reclaiming my soul. The shadows around us seemed to deepen.
"What?" Atreya asked, dumbfounded. I glanced over my shoulder to look at her, and the shock in her eyes quickly morphed into something harder, more dangerous.
I felt my jaw clench, my fists tightening at my sides. "I said no," I growled, my voice rising with each word. I spun to face her fully, shadows coiling around my feet like restless serpents. It felt good to not have to cage them here. At the palace, I always had to be careful and keep them locked down.
As I stared into Atreya's cold, calculating eyes, memories flooded my mind. The day I'd agreed to join her rebellion, thinking only of Emelyn's safety. How, over time, the cause had seeped into my bones, the desire to end this senseless war becoming as vital as protecting my mate. I'd tried to balance both, to be the perfect spy while safeguarding Emelyn from a distance. But in doing so, I'd lost sight of what truly mattered. Her.
"I'm not going to be your spy anymore, Atreya. Emelyn is here, and she's the only reason I ever started this madness. It's gone too far."
I took a step closer, shadows writhing around me. "I have done everything you've ever asked of me. I've spied, killed, tortured. I've kept your secrets.” My voice cracked, but I pushed on. "But I am done. No more. I’m not going back.”
