Page 75 of Kiss of Embers

I dodged the fiery cloud and kept on running. Sweat poured down my face. Smoke seared my lungs. A weight landed on my back. Crying out, I stumbled forward and went down hard, sliding over the rocks and acrid soil. Rough hands flipped me over, and Brader’s enraged face filled my vision.

“You fucking bitch!” he screamed, wrapping his hands around my throat. Murder gleamed in his eyes. And madness. He was going to kill me.

Panic flared, bringing adrenaline with it as I fought for my life. I bucked my hips, trying to throw him off as I gasped for air. “Help,” I managed to rasp. Regret coursed through me. I’dbeen so stupid, dismissing him as a threat so I could finish the challenge. But fuck him, I wasnotgoing to die on the side of a volcano. Not when I’d just found Struan and Finn.

Brader’s fingers tightened. Spittle flew from his lips. “You think you’re so smart, but you’re nothing but a whore! Spreading your legs for dragons who will use you and toss you aside when they’re done.”

That wasn’t true. Struan and Finn would never be done with me. My vision swam, spots dancing in front of my eyes.

A knife burst through Brader’s chest, the pointed tip reflecting the lava around us. He stared down at it, a bemused look on his face.

Finn loomed behind him. He wrenched the blade from Brader’s back, grabbed him by the hair, and tossed him aside. Brader landed with a grunt. Blood spread in a circle around the hole in the front of his shirt.

“You’re not allowed to have knives,” he gasped, his features contorted in pain and anger.

Finn looked at the curved blade in his hand. “It’s not a knife. It’s a cutlass.” Finn tucked the blade away, then extended a hand to me. I took it, and he pulled me to my feet and cupped my chin. “Run, lass. You’re wasting time.”

My heart squeezed. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck. Instead, I spun and sprinted up the slope. Tears burned my throat as I left Finn behind. He’d sacrificed his chance at the elixir for me. I couldn’t let him down.

Smoke shot from geysers around me. The mountain trembled. Struan lumbered ahead, the back of his shirt soaked with sweat. In a final burst of speed, I passed him.

Golden light shimmered ahead. Straining, I reached for it…

…and touched the edge of the Fountain of Truth.

The volcano disappeared. I stumbled into the center of the clearing from the first night of the Games. Inessa sat on theedge of the fountain, her attention on an iPhone in her hands. The screen glowed in the darkness, and the sounds of a game drifted from the speaker. Just as I opened my mouth to ask what the hell was going on, hundreds of competitors appeared out of nowhere. They filled the clearing, coughing and staggering as they fell to the ground. Their clothes smoked. A witch cursed bitterly as he slapped fire from the hem of his barasta. Finn shoved his way forward, the back of Brader’s collar tight in his fist. Struan stalked behind them, his eyes shooting sparks as he watched Finn shove Brader to his knees.

“Ow!” Brader yelled, twisting around to glare at Finn. “You fucking asshole!”

Finn hauled his foot back and slammed his boot under Brader’s chin. Brader flew backward and sprawled on his back.

The pair of female fae who’d mocked the gym bro the first night of the Games stared down at him. One bent and plucked a tooth from the ground, then tossed it onto Brader’s chest. “Here, dickhead. You dropped this.”

Her friend snapped her gum, then turned to the first woman. “How do you know he’s a dickhead?”

“He has that look.”

Bolveg and the rest of the demons from the Rules Committee popped into the air next to the fountain. Bolveg looked around the clearing, relief evident on his face. “That’s over, thank the gods.” He pulled a cloth from his front breast pocket and mopped his brow.

“Crushed it!” Inessa exclaimed, staring at her phone, which lit up as it played an upbeat song. She pumped her fist, then lifted her head and smiled at me. “Congratulations, Zara. You’ve won the Firstborn Games.”

Chapter

Twenty-Two

STRUAN

Resignation sat heavy in my gut as Zara approached the fountain. Fear followed closely on its heels.

Finn and I had lost, and I had no idea what that meant for Queen Isolde or the race. No idea what the future held—or if we even had one.

But how could I begrudge Zara her victory? I couldn’t. Not when she looked like she did, her bottom lip trembling and tears of relief welling in her eyes. She was a true leader. A great alpha. She’d hauled ass up that mountain, coming from behind and pulling off an epic victory. Not for herself. Not because she wanted to take anything from anyone. She’d done it because she put her people’s needs before her own.

Soot streaked her face. Bruises blossomed on her neck where Ashcroft had held her down and choked her. He moaned on the ground, broken teeth visible between his busted lips. My beast boiled beneath my skin, urging me to shift and put him to flame.

Soon, I told my dragon. Right now, we had to watch our woman claim her prize.

The crowd fell silent as Inessa gestured Zara toward the fountain.