“Lina!” he bellowed again.
This time it sounded closer, yet pained and hoarse.
Then I saw them.
He was barely staying on his feet. Stumbling through the smoke and undergrowth, Penn still in his arms. His face was streaked with soot and sweat.
I swung down from Mushu’s back.
“Reed!” I sobbed, racing toward them.
I threw myself into his arms, wrapping them both up in mine. I gripped his face in my hands, pulling his mouth down to mine, kissing him. Penn wrapped her little arm around my shoulders.
“Lina.” She coughed.
“Oh, princess, I’m so sorry I couldn’t get to you. I didn’t think I’d be able to find you. I didn’t think I could reach you. We rode so fast.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. A blanket of peace washed over me, telling me this was exactly where I needed to be. Except we needed to get out of this inferno.
“I would have fought through a war to reach you.” Reed’s voice cracked and strained with the words. “There was no version in which I didn’t come back to you.”
“I wouldn’t have stopped. Not until I found you and Penn.”
“I know, sweetheart. That’s why I had to keep going.”
I held them both to me.
The heat of the fire grew and sparked, and the horses blew their noses behind us, reminding me that we were standing on the edge of a growing wildfire. We still had to get out of there.
“We gotta go,” Reed announced, grabbing my hand and pulling us over to the horses.
Reed helped me back up onto Mushu and handed Penn to me. I gripped her tight as coughs racked her little body, pinching my gut with worry.
“Hold on, princess,” I told her as we grasped the reins.
Pulling himself up onto Warrior’s back and gripping the halter, Reed looked back at me, his brows furrowing. “Ready?”
I nodded. “Get us outta here.” I patted Mushu’s neck. “I trust you to get us home, boy.”
We turned around on the trail, pointing our compasses home. Sensing the urgency, it didn’t take much for the horses to take off, leading us out of the fire.
41
lina
We reached the double-wide before we could reach the stables. I followed Reed into the yard where the hitching post and paddock were. I immediately thought of Romy and baby Charli, my eyes searching for where we left her fighting the flames. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her sitting on the ATV with Charli in her arms. She looked spent, but they were safe, even if the land wasn’t.
As soon as we pulled up to the hitching post, Reed swung down from Warrior, tying the horses to the post before he drew Penn into his arms. I nearly slid off Mushu needing to get to him. Needing to feel both of them. Needing to know they were okay.
“Reed,” I croaked, rushing into his arms.
His hand went to my face, his eyes full of concern. “Are you all right?”
“I’m okay. Are you hurt?” I asked.
“No.” He shook his head.
I looked at Penn, wiping the soot off her brow. She covered her mouth as she coughed.
