Page 125 of Drawn in Blood
“Go with Fen and Odette,” she said, squeezing his hand back. “Gaelen is waiting on the other side. I’ll be right behind you.”
Theo wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and Ember squeezed him like it was going to be the last time she ever saw him. He looked up at Ember, eyes glistening with unshed tears as he nodded and walked over to Fen, Odette, and Maeve.
“Hurry, okay?” Fen said, as he hugged her, whispering in her ear. “Mum will kill me if I show up at home with only one sister.”
Ember grinned as she gave him a nod, afraid if she said anything the tears she was holding back would come pouring out.
“See you on the other side.” Fen grinned with a mock salute, then the four of them were in the water, swimming down and away.
Ember handed the vial to Killian, who took his drop, and then she held the vial out to Rowan next, but she shook her head, pushing it away.
“I won’t be joining you.” She smiled. “My work here isn’t done.”
“I can’t leave you alone,” Ember said, as she furrowed her brow. “You can’t just stay here. What will happen to you?”
“Nothing worse than what already has.” Rowan shrugged. “A few beatings, maybe being locked in my room, but nothing worse than I’ve already endured. My only saving grace is that you won’t have to endure it too.” She gave a half smile, and Ember’s chest felt like it might cave in. “No one knows I was here, and Collum never saw me. I’ll go back through the tunnels, act like I found Collum unconscious in the dungeons and the cells empty. Hopefully, it buys you all more time to get home.”
“Just come with us,” Ember pleaded. “We can get information about the castle some other way. You don’t need to risk your life to do it.”
“This is my way of atoning for what I’ve done,” Rowan replied. “Someone has to tell the stories that went on in these walls. Either they write our story, or we do.”
“I can’t let you do this,” Ember whispered again. “Sacrificing your life and future isn’t worth it.”
Rowan smiled faintly. “What if sacrifice is the price we have to pay for change?”
Ember smiled, wrapping her friend in a hug and said her goodbyes.
“Tell my mum I love her, okay?” Rowan asked, tears pooling on her lower lash. “Tell her I’m sorry.”
Ember nodded, tilting the vial to her mouth, when a voice rang from the back of the cave.
“Mo Stór,” it rang out, “what have you done?”
Chapter 39
There Blood of the Covenant
Ember gripped the vial in her hand, backing up into Killian and almost sent them both tumbling into the water. The clock was ticking—he only had so much air to breathe underwater before the potion would stop working all together.
“You have to go.” She turned toward him. “Go, and I’ll meet you there. I can’t leave Rowan.”
“I’m not leavingyou,” Killian replied, as he shook his head.
“Killian, the potion!” she almost shouted, but he grabbed her free hand, jaw tense as he stared into her eyes.
“I am not letting you go. Do you hear me?” his voice was desperate, amber flashing against the fear in his eyes. “I lost you once, never again.”
She steeled herself, turning to face her mother as she corked the vial and stuffed it in her pocket.
“You’ve had me worried sick,” Aoife said, running her hands down Ember’s hair as she reached her.
“How did you find me?” she whispered, tensing every time her mother’s hand made contact with her clammy skin.
“The tiara has runes carved into the antlers,” she replied. “A tracking spell is etched into it, among other things, just in case it ever fell into the wrong hands. I saw Collum leave the balland realized you weren’t there either,” she replied. “I figured he was going to find you. But when he never came back, I activated the spell. I saw him unconscious, the dungeons empty, and only imagined the worst.” She cried as she spoke, but no tears escaped her eyes. “I’m so glad to see you unharmed.”
Ember took a step, narrowing her eyes as she clenched her fists. “Unharmed?” she hissed, as she took a shaky breath, taking another step away, “You knew them. You knew what they did to Rowan, what they did to those children, what they would gladly do to me. Do you really think I stand here unharmed?” She looked at her mother, eyes locked as she studied her, cool and calculated.
Looking into her hazel eyes should’ve felt like home, but it didn’t.
