Chapter 37 Smoke and Shatter #2
A female is the first to move, wrenching open the door with one hand raised, poised for an attack.
Two tentative steps, and she slips out. A handful of others follow, their strides tight with panic.
Then that warm, tugging sensation in my chest has me glancing up in time to see Daire step inside. His amber eyes glow as they land on me, like he knew exactly where I’d be. Relief flashes across his expression for only a heartbeat before it sharpens.
He crosses the café in long, purposeful strides, dropping into a crouch. “Spitfire.” His voice is low, a rush of relief blowing between his lips as he wraps his hand around mine.
“We’re okay.” The assurance is a reflex.
He nods. “Let’s get out of here.”
We stand slowly, the aches I felt when waking up, gone as adrenaline crests through my system.
Daire’s jaw is tight as he scans the café, his expression calculating. “We’re going to step outside, turn right, and walk down the alley.” He looks between Scarlet and me. “Any questions?”
I shake my head.
Scarlet sniffles, her eyes glassy. “Let’s go.”
Elementals are gathered in the street, being questioned and directed by uniformed guardians. Small puffs of smoke are still rising into the air, the shop across the street destroyed. I don’t remember what it was. We never went in. I never will.
Daire puts a gentle hand on my back, urging me forward. We slip into the alley, Daire’s magic more noticeable without the acrid scent of fumes. At the end of the alley is a glider, the doors already thrown open.
I sense the others before following Scarlet into the confined space.
Griffin moves to my side, his hands sweeping down my face and then my arms as he takes a silent inventory. He finally meets my gaze. “I know,” he whispers, hearing my internal screams of fear and panic. Of how helpless and useless I felt. “You did perfect. Your job was to hide and remain safe.”
“They came out of nowhere,” Scarlet says.
Griffin slowly eases back, his jaw tight. “That’s how they work. In, out, and gone.” His gaze hardens, confirming each attack is a personal offense.
“Has an announcement been made?” Scarlet continues. “Do they know if anyone was taken?”
“Not yet,” Holden says.
Lochlan taps Mysthaven’s address into the glider. “Kai’s holding the east. We have to go. More guardians are coming.”
“There wasn’t even a warning,” Scarlet says, her voice thin, thready as the glider smoothly moves forward.
I shift closer to her, realizing in the chaos, I didn’t drop the cakes. Part of me wants to throw them out the window, rid the weight and awkward, cumbersome bags. Part of me wants to start eating them with nothing but my fingers. Instead, I lower them to the floor and pull Scarlet into my side.
“I thought there’d be a warning,” she whispers.
“You reacted so fast.” I squeeze her shoulder. “You got us back into the café.”
Her breath hitches. “We were so close.”
A splinter of shame catches under my ribs. We hid. We survived. I’m not sure those should feel like the same thing.
I can’t tell if I’m dissociating or just broken, because my fear is dissipating faster than the glider is traveling.
Scarlet exhales slowly, then huffs a laugh that doesn’t quite land. “That was the worst lunch date. I wanted to distract you from monsters, not lead you straight to them.”
I snort despite myself. A dark and cynical part of me hopes today will replace the nightmares I have of the blonde woman who tortured me in prison, of how my parents never looked at me in court, of others failing to stop when I said no.
Her shoulder stays pressed to mine as we ride in silence, aside from each of the guys reaching out to contacts, occasionally sharing a report or detail.
Mysthaven’s long driveway feels like the greatest comfort as we reach it. The glider eases to a stop, and Griffin takes the cakes as we file out.
Kai is waiting inside, icy-blue eyes sharp, shoulders strained like he’s been pacing. Relief cracks through his features.
“We need to discuss this,” Lochlan says, gesturing toward the kitchen. Gwen is bustling over pots on the stove, muttering words that cease when we step inside.
“This felt like a warning shot,” she says.
“Warning shot?” Scarlet asks.
I glance at the guys, trying to read their expressions.
“We don’t know that,” Holden says.
Daire pushes his fingers into his hair. “There’s no way they could know.”
“Know what?” I ask.
Griffin’s eyes meet mine. “That you’re our Keystone.”
“They didn’t attack the café,” I say.
“And she’s unbonded,” Scarlet adds.
Griffin crosses his arms. “The last three Elementals taken weren’t Keystones.”
No one moves.
“What do you mean?” Scarlet asks. “The articles all said—”
Daire shakes his head. “They weren’t Keystones. Not yet, at least.” He steps closer. “We believe they’re predicting who will be a Keystone using bloodlines and behavioral monitoring.”
“One had recently moved in with four others that they were in a romantic relationship with,” Griffin explains. “They didn’t have imprints, but two of them reported their element strengthening since meeting.”
Scarlet swears. “Is that possible?”
“There’s a lot we don’t understand about Keystones,” Kai says, hinting at what I assume might be the most terrifying thought.
“We need to figure out who in the hell is helping them,” Holden says. “Who is watching and reporting.”
“What about the wraith?” I ask. “Do you think the two are connected?”
“It’s unlikely,” Lochlan says. “There were no reports of the wraith, and it seemed to be traveling alone. But the timing makes us uneasy. For now, we exercise caution, close ranks, and find every bastard who is betraying Bryxton.”