his face, but the shield protected him from the flying debris. He thanked the Lady Moon for keeping him safe. The next bolt of lightning offered him a glimpse of his protector—Fane.
Then, just as suddenly as the storm erupted, it dissipated. The rain ceased, and the winds vanished.
Moans and sobbing filled the silence that followed. A flash of fire rose from the far corner, and soon, the glow of candlelight revealed the extent of the destruction.
The entire inn lay in broken ruins far worse than the tower that had collapsed in Trivinus. Cries of help came from those pinned under the debris while some bodies lay in such a way that there was no hope of finding life within them. Those that were able starting digging their fellow guests out from the rubble, but Kell only cared about the safety of one person.
“Arden,” he shouted.
When no answer came, he jumped to his feet and ran toward the remnants of the staircase. He called her name out again and peered at the fragile remains of the third floor where her room was, praying even harder to the Lady Moon.
“Help me up,” he said when Fane joined him.
“Are you crazy? Those stairs will never support you.”
“I have to try.”
Fane shook his head but cupped his hands together to boost Kell to the first landing. The storm had sheared off the front of the inn, leaving behind fractured and missing stairs along the side wall. The wood crumbled under his fingers as he tried to hoist himself up. His body jerked down and dangled precariously until a hand reached out from the darkness to save him.
“Can’t stay out of danger, can you?” Dev asked.
For once, he was glad to see the sullen knight. “Not when it comes to her.”
Dev tested the weakened floor before giving him a final tug up. “Where was her room?”
“On the third floor.”
Dev cursed under his breath and looked up. The roof had collapsed, obscuring any view of the floor above. But despite his rough words, his face was pale and tight, his chest billowing. Dev was just as worried about Arden as he was. “I hope Cinder stayed close to her.”
He brought both of his little fingers up to his lips and whistled. The shrill call was answered by a low howl and a whimper. Dev hurried toward it, leaping over the fallen timbers as though he was skipping over puddles.
Kell envied the ease with which the elf crossed the inn. He stumbled and climbed over the obstacles in front of him, hoping he wouldn’t lose Dev in the darkness.
“Hurry up, Kell,” Dev barked. “I need your help.”
“I’m coming as fast as I can.” An unseen hole in the floor sent him sprawling, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. “A little light would be helpful.”
“Cinder, light up.”
At Dev’s command, the wolf’s coat burst into flames that swirled around him like sheer silk veils. Kell’s breath froze. Never in all his dreams could he have imagined such a thing. “Does it hurt him?”
“No, but I’m having to cast a shield around him to keep from setting the place on fire.”
The impatience of the words nipped at Kell, and he wiped the blood away from his mouth before moving as quickly as he dared toward Dev. When he got there, Cinder was licking a small hand arising from the rubble.
Kell’s gut clenched, and his heart beat wildly. “Arden?”
“Kell?” a faint voice answered back.
Kell’s knees buckled under him, and he grabbed the hand, grateful to feel her fingers curling around his. She was alive.
“Are you bleeding?” Dev asked, slinging away a portion of the thatched roof that sat on top of the pile.
“No, just a few bumps and bruises.” Her voice seemed higher than normal, a mixture of pain and false cheer. “I’m stuck, though.”
“I’m trying to dig you out.” Dev tossed a section of the wall behind him, exposing her face. “If your lover would care to help me instead of holding your hand, we might be able to get you out of this quicker.”
Kell’s pride stung from
Then, just as suddenly as the storm erupted, it dissipated. The rain ceased, and the winds vanished.
Moans and sobbing filled the silence that followed. A flash of fire rose from the far corner, and soon, the glow of candlelight revealed the extent of the destruction.
The entire inn lay in broken ruins far worse than the tower that had collapsed in Trivinus. Cries of help came from those pinned under the debris while some bodies lay in such a way that there was no hope of finding life within them. Those that were able starting digging their fellow guests out from the rubble, but Kell only cared about the safety of one person.
“Arden,” he shouted.
When no answer came, he jumped to his feet and ran toward the remnants of the staircase. He called her name out again and peered at the fragile remains of the third floor where her room was, praying even harder to the Lady Moon.
“Help me up,” he said when Fane joined him.
“Are you crazy? Those stairs will never support you.”
“I have to try.”
Fane shook his head but cupped his hands together to boost Kell to the first landing. The storm had sheared off the front of the inn, leaving behind fractured and missing stairs along the side wall. The wood crumbled under his fingers as he tried to hoist himself up. His body jerked down and dangled precariously until a hand reached out from the darkness to save him.
“Can’t stay out of danger, can you?” Dev asked.
For once, he was glad to see the sullen knight. “Not when it comes to her.”
Dev tested the weakened floor before giving him a final tug up. “Where was her room?”
“On the third floor.”
Dev cursed under his breath and looked up. The roof had collapsed, obscuring any view of the floor above. But despite his rough words, his face was pale and tight, his chest billowing. Dev was just as worried about Arden as he was. “I hope Cinder stayed close to her.”
He brought both of his little fingers up to his lips and whistled. The shrill call was answered by a low howl and a whimper. Dev hurried toward it, leaping over the fallen timbers as though he was skipping over puddles.
Kell envied the ease with which the elf crossed the inn. He stumbled and climbed over the obstacles in front of him, hoping he wouldn’t lose Dev in the darkness.
“Hurry up, Kell,” Dev barked. “I need your help.”
“I’m coming as fast as I can.” An unseen hole in the floor sent him sprawling, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. “A little light would be helpful.”
“Cinder, light up.”
At Dev’s command, the wolf’s coat burst into flames that swirled around him like sheer silk veils. Kell’s breath froze. Never in all his dreams could he have imagined such a thing. “Does it hurt him?”
“No, but I’m having to cast a shield around him to keep from setting the place on fire.”
The impatience of the words nipped at Kell, and he wiped the blood away from his mouth before moving as quickly as he dared toward Dev. When he got there, Cinder was licking a small hand arising from the rubble.
Kell’s gut clenched, and his heart beat wildly. “Arden?”
“Kell?” a faint voice answered back.
Kell’s knees buckled under him, and he grabbed the hand, grateful to feel her fingers curling around his. She was alive.
“Are you bleeding?” Dev asked, slinging away a portion of the thatched roof that sat on top of the pile.
“No, just a few bumps and bruises.” Her voice seemed higher than normal, a mixture of pain and false cheer. “I’m stuck, though.”
“I’m trying to dig you out.” Dev tossed a section of the wall behind him, exposing her face. “If your lover would care to help me instead of holding your hand, we might be able to get you out of this quicker.”
Kell’s pride stung from
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