Chapter 15 #3
Sera started prying planks free along the outer wall above her, letting the wood fall to the earth below.
The outer wall was apparently just as poorly constructed as the interior.
Kieran felt more compelled to secure her legs than the wall, but he did as ordered.
He could hear her mumbling to herself as she worked.
“The gap is about nine feet, most construction follows the same standard measurements… which should be ten minimum…” After a moment she called back to them in a clear voice. “I think that’s it.” She climbed back inside. “Since you’re taller, it would probably be best for you to do it.”
“Do what?” Kieran asked. “I have not had an inkling of your intent since you’ve arrived.”
The building shuddered. They all held their breath, then Sera pressed, “Just… reach up as high as you can and push.”
He did as instructed. After a moment of exertion that was way more taxing than it should have been, the wall gave to the pressure and Kieran threw himself backward to keep from falling with it.
The outer wall tipped forward, but remained attached by its base and it was wedged between buildings.
The fall knocked through the glass of the opposite window in the process.
A bridge.
“It’s not going to be super secure, but if we move fast and keep our weight distributed by crawling, should be fine. Seth, you first.”
Kieran marveled as Sera guided Seth to safety. Sera continually berated her intelligence, but they would never have escaped without her. Even as Seth reached the window, his shadow had pulsed and then disappeared as he landed on the other side. Safe. Because of her.
When it was her turn to go, she hesitated, biting her lip, fingers twisting. “You should go first,” she said, as he stared openly at her, though not with the intent of her discomfort. He was simply too in awe to do anything else.
“Do you truly believe I would go before you?” he asked, a smile in his words. Perhaps even on his face, he couldn’t tell any more. He’d smiled more in the past few days than he had in his entire life combined.
Her answering smile made him warm and satisfied, glad to be the cause of her humor. “I guess not, but then I don’t know why you’re standing around staring at me like that.”
He set a finger under her chin, tilting her face up. “Because you are astounding and, lately, I don’t much wish to stare at anything else.” He moved his hands to her back and guided her to the ‘bridge.’ “But this is not the time. I’ll be right behind you.”
She lowered herself and started to crawl toward Seth.
She was halfway when the building shifted.
Her scream echoed off the brick. Kieran leaped to reach her, attempting to keep his steps as light as possible before simply throwing himself through the opposite window, Sera tucked into his arms. Their bridge crumbled and fell into the street below.
Flat out on his back, Kieran held Sera to his chest.
It was like Death wanted her specifically and wouldn’t rest until it had dragged her into the afterlife.
A grim prospect, not welcomed given he was no longer able to anticipate death on her.
After this was over, he’d have to encase her in some sort of shielding if he didn’t want to die of worry.
Or just never let her leave his sight. He buried his face in her hair, allowing her scent to calm him into moving.
This wasn’t entirely over. Those flames could easily overtake this building once it consumed the other.
Kieran lifted Sera gently, checking her face for signs of distress or hurt.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she clung to him, resisting his attempt at distance.
“Just a moment… I… I thought I’d fallen to my death for a second there.”
“Is she okay?” Seth asked, startling him. He had forgotten Seth existed.
Kieran maneuvered himself to stand, not letting go of Sera—not that he had a choice. When he moved, she would adjust her grip, refusing to allow any gap between them. As he took in the room, she remained clamped to his chest, breathing hard against his shirt.
When she finally relaxed her grip the three of them undid the locks and proceeded down the stairs to the street below. Into the utter chaos of a battle.
Though Sera had released Kieran, she couldn’t bring herself to let go entirely. She held his hand as they entered the chaos outside. Taking up the entire street, Wraith’s men were slowly gathering in number.
Cole stood behind a wall of flames, on the steps of Sera’s old apartment.
He’d barricaded himself, a half-wall of wood and kindling that shielded him from being rushed by the growing army.
The Lady Archer stood on the opposite side of the street, but her arrows either burned before reaching Cole or were plucked harmlessly from his body like annoyances.
The fire kept most of the forces at bay and what did get through, Cole could brush off while high on Divinity.
Wraith’s men were occupied either attacking, managing damage, or evacuating buildings.
Sera searched for Miles from where they’d separated.
Once she had seen the flames beginning to take over her old building, all her thoughts had been for Seth.
Miles had stayed behind to help deal with Cole.
She hadn’t expected to find Kieran as well, keeping Seth safe.
Thank the Divine she hadn’t been too late.
She couldn’t locate Miles in the mayhem, but, shockingly, Cole was still alive.
Her fists clenched at her sides, jaw locking.
Seth and Kieran were safe. That was all she’d cared about.
Cole would not last much longer. Even with Divinity he was too outnumbered and the fire would burn out eventually.
Sera’s role in this was over. All she had to do was walk away from the fighting.
“Sera!”
Head jolting toward the voice, Sera locked eyes with Cole, his face blurred by flames.
“Why won’t you stay dead, you stupid bitch?
” Cole spat, as more of Wraith’s people tried to figure out a way to get close.
“Your entire life was a mistake and if I get out of this, there is no where you can run. Not North’s fancy fuck shack.
Not the inner Ring. I will make it my life’s mission to stop your dumb cunt heart from ever beating again. ”
Kieran’s body stiffened next to her, and Sera glanced up to see rage storming openly in his eyes. She squeezed his hand tighter, drawing his gaze back to her. Her jaw ached, but adrenaline was making it easier to forget.
It was every insult her mother had thrown at her all her life. Stupid. Dumb. A mistake. Did not deserve to live.
But her mother was wrong.
Both of them were wrong.
And Cole was about to learn that Sera Blair was not stupid.
Sera did a quick survey of the scene, looking for options.
Noting Cole's placement against her old building, most of it engulfed in flames so that the structure might collapse any second.
Her eyes moved to the surrounding buildings.
She noted that no more occupants were being rushed to safety and the barrage of arrows that caught fire as they broke through the fiery barricade.
That could work.
Kieran followed her eyes and shook his head, his anger draining instantly. “No. Sera, we need to leave. You are safe. Seth is safe. Job done. Let Wraith deal with Cole.”
She shook her head. “And then what? Wait around guessing on whether or not he’s actually defeated this time? We’ve been in limbo for nearly two months. I will end this. I’m going to make sure Cole is done hurting people.”
He studied her, and she could see the indecision. She could see his respect for her, his unwavering belief in her abilities at war with his fear of losing her. She knew that he didn’t doubt her. Knew he believed her capable of the task. But love made him scared.
He had never said the words, but in her heart she knew all the same.
Sighing, he looked at their joined hands. “You’re asking me to let you go again. I’m not sure I’m strong enough.”
“Then don’t let go.”
He looked up, brow furrowed.
“Help me.”
His answer was a smile that warmed her soul. Kieran turned to Seth and said, “Stay out of sight, head straight, then left until you’re well clear of the fighting. Joy should be waiting near the Axis Street divide into the Fells.”
“Please, Seth,” Sera said, cutting off Seth’s protest, “I can’t risk you again. I have a plan and you need to be safe.”
With a frown, he threw himself onto Sera, squeezing her in a hug. “You better come back,” he said, voice wobbly with unshed tears.
Sera had to keep her own tears out of her voice when she replied, “Of course.”
With a nod, Seth swiped at his eyes, and proceeded down the street. It was up to her now to ensure they made it back to him safely.
Sera could do this. She knew angles. She knew cause and effect. She understood the physical world so much better than she understood most things. Maybe tomorrow she would go back to thinking herself stupid, but not today.
Miles carried firearms. Guns required powder to create the explosions that launched the bullet. Which means they stored that powder somewhere.
Sera searched her memory for the storerooms located throughout Demon Row.
Wraith had various supply houses set up for emergencies.
The closest was the one just next to her building, but it was also too close to Cole’s flames.
There was another a few streets over in the craftsmen district, but she’d have to take the long way around.
Her sense of direction was not the greatest, but the pressure and gravity of the situation formed a crystal clear picture in her head of the direction they needed to go.
“This way,” she ordered, not releasing Kieran’s hand. Needing that grounding sense of security.