Page 39 of Fire & Ice

I bit back a triumphant smile. Everything was going according to plan. "I agree, but we must be very careful. This Halfling is volatile right now, and she may lash out if she feels threatened or cornered."

"What do you suggest?" Beau asked.

"Let's give her some space first," I shrugged. "Let her anger cool and her power settle. Then we approach her gently and show her we only want to help. If we can get her to trust us, we may be able to help her gain control over her gift at last."

"Alright," Beau said. "We'll do it your way. But we have to find her soon, before she hurts someone else or herself."

I nodded, my face expressionless as I tried to hide my satisfaction. I knew that I had won this round, but I also knew that the battle was far from over. Tempest would be found, all right, but not before Charlie had his way with her.

Tempest

I had finally stopped running and fell against the bark of a tree, my chest heaving. I didn't even have enough time to fully process what had all transpired before Charlie was there in front of me, pulling me into his arms. "Tempest, are you okay?"

I wrenched myself away, unable to bear his touch. "Leave me alone," I said, my voice thick with tears.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I'm here for you."

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "I can't," I said. "It's too much."

Charlie took a step closer to me, his hands outstretched. "Please," he said. "I want to help."

I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my eyes. I hugged myself tightly, trying to stop the shaking. "I just don't know what I'm going to do," I whispered, barely able to speak, “him and Sara… Beau was WITH HER! How could he do this to me? We’re fated by the moon goddess herself and he acts as if I mean nu-nu-nothing to him,'' I sobbed, my heart constricting as the vision of Beau pressing Sara up against the wall, his hands roaming over her body, his lips upon her lips. It made bile rise in my throat and I wanted to burn it all down to ease my pain.

Charlie put his arms around me and pulled me close. "You're going to be okay," he said. "I'm here for you. We'll get through this together. You can trust me, Tempest."

I laughed bitterly, the sound edged with hysteria. "Trust you? After you betrayed me too?"

He looked genuinely puzzled. "What are you talking about? I haven't betrayed you."

"Haven't you?" I shook my head. I couldn't trust anybody. "Just go away, Charlie. I don't want to see you either."

"Tempest, please. I don't understand what's happening here."

"Just go away Charlie," I said before taking off, but he gave chase behind me as I ran blindly through the forest, branches whipping at my face and tears blurring my vision. I could feel the anger and sorrow forming around me manifesting in a smoky fire as I stumbled onward.

"Tempest, stop!" Charlie cried, hurrying towards me with his hands raised like I was a skittish animal. "Please, stop running away."

I froze, torn between fleeing from him as well and collapsing into his arms. But no, I couldn't trust anyone now. Not after what Beau and Sara had done.

"I know you're upset," Charlie said gently, "and I don't blame you. What they did was wrong." He shook his head. "Beau should be ashamed of himself for treating you this way."

A sob caught in my throat. "How could he do this to me?" I whispered. "I thought he loved me."

"I'm so sorry," Charlie murmured, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around me. I leaned into him, too heartsick to resist the comfort he offered. "You deserve so much better than him. Beau never deserved you."

I closed my eyes, wishing the ache in my chest would fade. But it was still there, a gaping wound that throbbed with every breath.

My heart felt like it was shattering, the pain spreading through my veins like poison. I wanted to scream and rail against the injustice of it all.

"Tempest," Charlie murmured, as if he sensed my anguish. He drew me closer, his arms supporting me when my legs threatened to buckle beneath me.

At first, I resisted, too consumed by grief to accept comfort. But then I allowed myself to relax into his embrace, soothing away the raw edges of my pain with every gentle stroke of his hand.

I closed my eyes, wishing the ache in my chest would fade just a little bit. But it was still there, a gaping wound that throbbed with every breath.

"It's going to be alright," Charlie soothed, his hand stroking my hair as he held me close. "I'm here for you, Tempest." He paused for a moment before continuing softly, "I won't let you go through this alone."

I clutched at him, holding back the inferno building inside until finally I stepped away from him and wiped at the tears on my face with trembling hands. But something still nagged at me, something dark and unsettling at the back of my mind that refused to be silenced. Something was not right…

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