Firestorm - Ellie Masters Page 0,106

the crackling and smell the smoke.

We charge forward and I brace for the wall of flame, hoping the horse beneath me pays more attention to the pressure of my heels against its flank than the heat of the fire.

Intense heat consumes me, singing the hairs on my arms, but it’s over in a heartbeat.

We barrel through the opening of the barn and into the dark night.

I cough and sputter as the horses come to a stop. Brody grabs the reins of the Arabian and Cage helps me down from the chestnut mare.

We’re out.

We’re safe.

But where is Asher?

I spin around and can’t believe my eyes. The entire structure is engulfed. It went up so fast.

“Asher!” I cry out.

Cage grabs my waist, keeping me from running back into the burning building. My eyes fill with tears and I try to yank free.

As I struggle, a shadow of the deepest black appears in the flames.

Knight leaps through with Asher on his back. They breach the opening as the barn roof collapses behind them.

Asher comes to a stop, leaps off Knight and slaps at the flames burning Knight’s tail. Brody and Cage rush to help, the three brothers put out the burning hair.

I hold the reins of the other two horses who paw at the ground and rear up on their hind legs. Their eyes roll back, white with fear.

Asher and his brothers pat down Knight, then Asher hands the reins of his horse to Cage.

He rushes to me, strips the shirt of his back and hands it to me.

No words are spoken as he pulls me into a hug. There’s a light tap on my wrist as Brody takes the reins of the horses from me.

I wrap my arms around Asher and weep.

30

Asher

I came to with a ringing in my ears, and the worst headache of my life, not knowing what the hell happened. I still don’t know, except I woke to flames.

Evelyn’s quick thinking saved not only our lives, but the horses as well. I can say I never want to lead a terrified Knight through a wall of flame anytime soon.

I wrap my arms around Evelyn as sirens sound in the distance. Their red and white lights flash in counterpoint to the flickering light of the flames and the pounding in my chest.

We nearly died. I almost lost everything.

“What happened?” I hold Evelyn tight. I still don’t know why I was knocked out or came to inside a burning barn. I expect her voice to be shaky, terrified, but she speaks clearly.

“It was Felix.”

“Felix?”

“Yes.” She steps away as a firetruck pulls up.

Men from Fire Station 13 pile out of the fire engine. I’m not sure what they can do. The barn is a complete loss.

I turn my attention back to Evelyn. “Are you sure?”

“He was crazy. He hit you on the head, then set the barn on fire.”

“Felix has always been trouble, but why would he want to hurt you?”

“Because he’s the one who started the forest fire. He’s the man I saw on the ridge.”

“How’s that possible?”

“I don’t know, but he looks different now. He cut his hair and shaved. That’s why I didn’t recognize him.”

She repeats everything Felix said to her and my gut twists. There was never anyone out to hurt Evelyn. It was always about me.

She was merely collateral damage. Which means the plane crash really was an accident. I feel like a tool for the way I’ve been treating Prescott.

One of the firefighters walks by dragging a hose. He gives a nod. It takes a second before I realize it’s Grady Malone.

Over the next hour, they fight the blaze.

Grant arrives and pulls us to the side. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” It’s the truth. Other than escaping the fire, I have no memory of Felix.

“Damn, I’m really sorry.” He pulls out a grainy photograph and turns to Evelyn. “Do you recognize this man?”

She peers at the photo of a scraggly man with a beard at a hardware shop.

“That’s him.” She points excitedly. “That’s the man I saw on the ridge. It’s Felix.”

Grant’s lips twist. “That’s what I was afraid of.” He tucks the photo back into its folder. “Needless to say, the arson charges against you are being dropped.”

“And what about Felix?” I want to go after the bastard, wring his neck, kick him in the balls, then toss his ass off a cliff.

“There’s a warrant out for his arrest. I’ve sent people to his home, but we’re not likely to find him there.”

“How did he think