Page 34 of Stealing Embers

Steel marches them inside without a backward glance; the door slams shut behind him with a bang. It’s not as if I expected anything special from him, but at least checking to make sure I’d made it out of that hellhole would have been nice.

Blowing out a frustrated puff of air, I turn my attention to Sable.

“So . . . ah . . . everything safe now?” I’d love it if someone would fill me in on what, exactly, is going on. “No more of those . . . you know . . .” I bend my fingers to look like claws and imitate the hissing sounds the creatures made—the ones they call Forsaken.

The woman behind Sable lets out a light laugh and the man coughs into his hand, a smile on his face.

I lift a shoulder in a half shrug. It wasn’t a bad impression.

Sable’s lips curl into a fleeting smile that flatlines a beat later. When she speaks, it’s as if the trickle of humor never touched her.

“Yes, the Forsaken have been eliminated and we’ve done a sweep of the academy. Our tech team is checking our perimeter security system to figure out how they made it into the building without detection. An alarm should have been triggered the moment they crossed onto the grounds, not when they were already in the sub-levels. The rest of the students are in lock-down in the dorms, but once we’re cleared by tech, the restrictions will be lifted.”

“Lock-down? What about those two kids I just saw with Steel?”

The man behind Sable scoffs, then cracks his neck. “There’s only so much we can do to controlthatfamily.”

The woman beside him nods her agreement.

Interesting.

“Emberly.” Sable grabs my attention when she lays what I believe is supposed to be a comforting hand on my shoulder. I stare at it as she goes on. “I want to assure you this is highly unusual.”

I can’t help the snort of disbelief that escapes me. This is the second attack in the last twenty-four-hours. When I was on my own, I went months—if I was extra careful—without slipping into the spectrum world. I maneuver out of her grasp. A crease appears between her eyes as her brow pinches.

“I’m serious. It’s been several decades since a Forsaken has entered the academy. Any of our academies.”

“So I’m just lucky then?” There isn’t any bite to my words, only grim resignation. I rub my eyes again as exhaustion hits me like a tidal wave.

Deep down, I’d hoped this would be a safe place for me. All the running, hiding, and scraping by day-to-day was getting old. Being able to live, even for a short while, without having my guard up all day, every day, sounded like heaven. But it may not be in the cards for me.

When I glance up, Sable’s pretty face is somber. Her lips are pulled down in a frown and her eyes strain, the start of fine lines visible at their outer corners.

“Every one of our academies is heavily warded—meaning we have an invisible shield protecting the grounds that Forsaken and Fallen can’t pass through, at least not without suffering severe injuries. The barrier burns them like the sun’s light. We’ll figure out what’s going on. And until then, this is still the safest spot for you.”

“I don’t know.”

I chew on my lower lip. I don’t want to be an ungrateful jerk, but come on. Ugly vampires? Hard pass on meeting one of those again. A wave of doubt crashes over me.

“My life may not have been fun, but from what I’ve seen in the last twenty-four hours, anonymity may have been safer.”

“One more chance. Give us some time to equip you with the knowledge you need to unlock your abilities. Right now, that’s all I’m asking.”

What she wants from me, really for me, isn’t unreasonable. I just . . .

I suck in a lungful of air, holding it in my chest for several beats before releasing it. I’m going to give in, again.

I don’t like the thought of depending on anyone else, but knowing more about where I come from and the creatures that want to hurt me is the smart move.

Straightening my spine, I give her a firm nod.

She releases a breath and a smile blossoms on her face.

“Great.” She gestures to the people behind her I’d all but forgotten about. “This is Seth,” the man nods at me in greeting, “and Angelica.”

A small laugh slips free and I slap a hand over my mouth.

Whoops.