Page 87 of A Clash of Embers

“Clara, I need to talk to you,” he whispered. Not because he didn’t want others to hear, but because he physically couldn’t.

“Yes, of course, we can talk. Let’s go.”

When I went to walk toward him, I felt it. A certain darkness creeping in. Internally I focused my attention on the white-flamed ember that flickered within me and immediately the darkness went away.

I stood in front of him with everyone surrounding us. He leaned his forehead into mine. “Clara.”

I closed my eyes, “What's wrong?”

His sunshine eyes poured into mine. Pleading with me forsomething. “She— Athiana. She.”

My head pulled back slightly as I studied him. Something had happened to him, but what was it?

I whispered, “Athiana what?”

He took one deep breath and sighed, “Athiana is here.”

“What do you mean that Athiana is here?” I questioned him. Partially terrified of the answer that would come out of his mouth, but an incessant need to know what it was.

“I can't say… here. We... We need to move. We need to go,” he whispered and I could hear the uneasiness in his voice. Something wasn’t right. Something was very wrong.

“Leo, what’s wrong? What’s going on?” I pushed him further wanting to know what the answer would be.

He sighed, “It’s her. Athiana. She is her.”

I scrunched my face, “Who isher?”

“Consul Loveridge is Athiana. It’s her,” he quickly said between clenched teeth.

I stepped back because I didn’t know how to process this. I didn’t believe it. It wasn’t right. It couldn’t be right.

I felt Leo’s hand on my arm trying to draw my attention back to him. “I ran into Bethany when I was trying to think through everything that Eros told me and she had Lettie with her. They were adamant that we get to you. That we get you away from Consul Loveridge becausesheis Athiana.”

My eyes were frantically searching around the people standing in a group a few steps away from us. There was no way. She was looking at me before I was looking at her. Consul Loveridge was standing with a blank expression watching me. Is that why she acted the way she did with me?

“We need to rejoin the group. Let’s go,” I said to Leo and he quickly followed behind me.

“Clara don’t do anything. Please,” he pleaded with me. I stopped, slightly turning to face him and made my reproach.

“Why? What is she going to do?” I asked with a certain bellowing in my gut. Wanting to scream. To yell at him to tell me who hurt him.

“I need to know what happened. You’re not telling me the truth. What happened,” I said through clenched teeth.

A sweet voice spoke behind me, “Clara, is everything all right?”

The hair on my neck stood on end and I wasn’t sure why. Why was I feeling this way?

I saw a flicker of dread cover Leo’s features before I turned to face Bethany. A grin spread over my face, “Yes. Everything is great. Nothing to worry about.”

She let out a breath and said, “Great. We need to get going before the troops arrive. We don’t want to be caught within their battle lines.”

I nodded my head and started to walk towards Eros that stood patiently. Waiting for me. Stepping into his space I stood close and looked up into his face. “Something isn’t right. I can feel it."

His emerald eyes searched my face for the answers. For what else I wasn’t saying. He nodded, “Okay. We will stand guard. I’ll let our group know.”

I gripped his forearm and he halted his movement, “Actually don’t say anything. Please. I need to see if I’m right about something.”

“That’s fine. I won’t say anything.” He smiled as he leaned over to kiss me on the forehead. “Let’s get going.”

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