My Maddie (Hades Hangmen #8) - Tillie Cole Page 0,91

you fight off in the cellar each day… they must be put to rest. They must be put to rest so that you can rest. Finally, baby. Your soul needs to heal, for that it needs rest.” I blinked away the tears building in my eyes. “You are tired. So, so tired. It is time to breathe. It is time to remove the shackles from your heart and lungs and be free.”

“I… I can’t,” he said. His lips began to tremble. His defeated demeanor destroyed me where I stood. I heard AK clear his throat from behind us, and Viking curse under his breath. Flame like this, so defeated and scared, was a torture to witness.

“You can,” I countered and gently kissed his lips. “I shall be with you every step of the way, as will your best friends.” Flame glanced to AK and Viking over my shoulder. Then I glanced to Asher who was listening intently, listening to his brother buckling under the weight of his pain. The pain Flame was feeling reflected in Asher’s agonized expression, for all the world to see. “And Asher too,” I said. Asher’s head snapped up. I held my hand out to him in offering. Asher stared at my outstretched hand like it was laced with. Flame’s haunted gaze followed the path to his brother. Asher briefly met Flame’s eyes. Then I heard Flame hold his breath.

Asher would not have heard this, nor would AK or Viking. But having Flame so close, I did. He was holding his breath, awaiting Asher’s answer. Flame wanted Asher to come with us. He would never say so, but the held breath, that suspended moment where he waited for Asher’s answer, broke my heart. Asher was loved, so very loved, but he was blind to it. Darkness occluded that truth like a blindfold. I would not force Asher to come. He had been through so much too. This had to be his choice.

“Ash…” Flame rasped.

Tears built in Asher’s eyes. Before his tears could fall, Asher turned and fled inside the house. Flame did not move, he just stared at the place his brother had been standing.

“Let’s get on the road,” AK said.

Pulling gently on Flame’s hand, I told AK, “Our bags are in the spare room.” AK walked past us and into our cabin. I led Flame to the van. If anything, Asher’s unwillingness to join us seemed to break his spirit. I had not thought it was possible. Flame joined me in the back of the van. He sat beside the window, placing his hand in mine. I laid my head on his arm, taking strength from the warmth of his skin. Viking jumped into the passenger seat.

“Sister Ruth is waiting at her apartment.” AK would not let us travel without her being present.

A spark of something unknown seemed to light in Viking’s eyes. He made to turn away but cast a quick glance at Flame and gave me one of his warmest smiles. Viking was always smiling. His energy was infectious. “This’ll work, Madds. Flame, this’ll fucking work.”

I smiled at Viking. The back doors of the van opened. AK put our bags inside. He climbed into the driver’s side and started up the van. “Ready?” he asked. I nodded and AK began reversing the van out of the clearing. We were about to drive along the graveled path, when a loud knocking sounded on the van doors. AK brought the van to a speedy stop.

“What the fuck?” he shouted. The side doors flew open. Relief flooded my veins when in saw Asher, bag in hand, breathless from chasing the van. His eyes were wary. His cheeks were flushed. But he climbed into the van, silently and sat behind Flame and me.

“Little fucking Ash!” Viking declared and shook his head. “Leave the amateur dramatics to me in the future, yeah? I’m the motherfucking prima donna in this group.”

“You can say that again,” AK confirmed, smirking at Viking. AK turned back to us. “We fucking ready now?”

I nodded, trying to hide the smile on my lips. Asher had come. He had come with us… I looked over my shoulder and held out my free hand. Asher’s jaw clenched. He eventually reached out and held my hand. Thank you, I mouthed. Asher nodded once, then withdrew his hand.

As I settled my head back onto Flame’s shoulder, he exhaled a long breath, muscles losing their tension. I kissed his bicep. Flame was relieved. Asher was here, and Flame was