Page 40 of The Ember and the Emerald

“Kevin is annoying,” I muttered. To the bottom of the pack he went. Zip.

“Shhh, he’ll hear you.” Jasher leaned closer, eyes glittering. “We don’t want him running away like your chicken, do we?”

Was he…teasing me? Heart jumping, I gave a mock hmph. “Yes, well, Cluck Cluck is working through some issues. Obviously.”

He snorted, and I beamed. I did that. Me.

The storm ended as quickly as it had started. While the others remained cold and wet, I dried off in seconds. “I’ll never get tired of this particular perk.”

Jasher’s wing brushed my uninjured side, practically a caress. “I’ll make a bargain with you. Rye.” He spoke softly, for my ears alone. “You tell no one my name, and I’ll tell no one yours.”

I arched a brow and replied in the same low volume. “You’ll keep a secret from the Guardian, without being compelled?” Or would he spill to Ian at the first opportunity? Not just my name, but the time loops. The Ember. My family ties.

He could ruin everything.

Hello, complications. I white-knuckled the strap of the backpack.

“The Guardian,” Jasher grated, “will find young me. What he’ll do with him—me—I don’t know.”

Oooh. He wasn’t interested in a bargain, I realized. Not really. He wanted a command, just in case Ian attempted to wield his influence to pry information from him. A move to spare young Jasher from retaliation or scrutiny. Current Jasher just didn’t want to admit it.

And how badly did I want to meet young Jasher?

Still at low volume, I stated, “I refuse to bargain about this, Tinman. I forbid you from telling anyone anything. About me. About you. About our situation.”

I expected more taunts about enjoying my power a little too much, despite his almost-admission, but he dipped his chin in a gesture of… thanks?

“From this point on, I ask that you both remain quiet,” Captain Rourke said, on alert. He darted his gaze as if he expected an attack at any moment. “Because of the storm, monstra might be in the area. Noise attracts them.”

I nodded my agreement and looked to Jasher for the same. He was glowering now. He even bared his teeth and extended his middle finger at me.

Okay, so, he was upset that we’d had a moment. Noted.

Over the next several hours, we trekked through charred fields and cut through abandoned villages. Jasher never made a sound. Any animals we came across bolted. Occasionally, Kevin spoke from within the pack.

“I run on gears and poor decisions.”

“I have no advice. Only expert opinions.”

“Confidence level: medium. Battery level: concerning.”

The guards yearned to snatch the toy from my pack and smash it to smithereens, as evidenced by their glares, but no one made a move against me. Or Jasher. I had a feeling he would protect Kev with his life.

Great. I was now jealous of the toy.

We reached a series of burning tar pits, and an idea I couldn’t shake took root. Here might be the best place and means to destroy my father’s journal, removing it from this loop, ensuring Ian couldn’t use it to bring down the royals.

No better idea came. My stomach twisted.

Hating myself, the world, my circumstances, I withdrew the precious book. Held on until the last possible second… then…

No. Don’t do it.

Change requires change.

I dropped it into the flames.

There. It was done, and there was no going back. Ian couldn’t use it against my family, so, win. But dang. I hadn’t even read half of my father’s stories, prompts, and suggestions. Now, I never would.