Page 71 of Facade

But before I could say anything, my skin prickled all over, a metallic scent burning my nostrils.

“What the hell—” My vision darkened as my body slid down. The last thing I felt was warm, strong arms pulling me up.

Then nothing.

19

Evanee

Fire surrounded me, consuming the moonflowers, their petals eaten away as the smoke thickened. The mountains blurred into shadow behind the haze, the vibrant colors I was accustomed to swallowed by an orange glow.

I panted as the smoke burned my lungs, clapping my hands over my mouth as I ran blindly. I ran, and I ran—not another soul in sight, until I came upon a cliff’s edge and nearly toppled into a black sea below.

The flames pursued me—hunting me. There was nowhere left to go but over.

The fire closed in. Flames licked at my wrists and ankles, a scream clawing its way up my throat.

This was wrong. Like one of those dreams where you run but never escape. Where fear presses in from every side. Somewhere deep in the haze, reality wavered, as if my surroundings were bleeding into something unreal.

Blinding pain struck me as fire traveled up my legs, across my chest, snaking down my arms, and settling around my wrists. There was only one thing I could do.

I jumped—

“Dammit, Aniah, do something!” A male voice snarled above me.

I barely heard him over the screams. My screams.

My eyes flew open, and I held my wrists in front of me, expecting to see the flesh melted from bone—instead, both markings glowed a furious orange. I tried to swallow my raw cries, but they tore free anyway as the pain surged hotter, sharper.

Someone stroked my hair. I barely felt it. My world narrowed to the searing pain. Tears slid down my cheeks—

“I’m working on it!” A female yelled back. She shouted words that made no sense. Then suddenly, the pain eased. Enough that I could drag in several shaky breaths. Sweat fell from my brow, everything spinning.

“How are you feeling?” the female asked softly.

My head was heavy like stone as I turned toward her.

“Who are you?” I croaked, blinking until my blurred vision cleared. I placed my hand palm down, feeling a boulder beneath me. The light of a small fire danced upon stone walls—a cave. I’m in a cave.

My head pounded—then I remembered.

I shot up, the room spinning, and I bent forward, emptying my stomach.

“Easy,” the male crooned from behind me. My hair was pulled back from my face, a cool hand resting on my back.

“You!” I snarled over my shoulder, jerking from his grasp. He dropped my hair, walking around to face me. It was the white-haired male from Thaddeus’s. A devilish grin spread, revealing his canines, those eerie eyes flashing.

“Miss me?” He casually placed his hands in his pockets, but despite his nonchalance, his eyes told a different story. His jaw flexed as his gaze drifted over me. And that voice—it had been him shouting over me. Stroking my hair—

“What did you do to me?” I barked. “Where am I?” His gaze flicked to the female. I stiffened.

She smiled warmly, but I didn’t return it. I scuttled back, damn near falling off the boulder as I took in her red gaze. Just like Cressida's.

“You’re one of the Four Sisters,” I breathed, fear coating my tongue like ash. I fumbled my way off the boulder, standing too fast, stumbling. The white-haired male lurched forward in the blink of an eye, grasping my arms. I jerked away, throwing myself against the wall. My fingers bit into the stone as my gaze drifted down to the oversized black tunic draping over my body, almost to my knees—then to the shirtless male before me.

A cold sweat spread as I remembered I’d been in the spring. Completely naked.

He grabbed a blanket from the end of the boulder where my head had been, offering it to me. I snatched it, not taking my eyes off the blue-eyed bastard as I wrapped it around my shoulders, scowling at him. He held his hands up.