Bright Fire (Bright Fire Series Book 1) (18 page)

Chapter

45

We are moving as fast as we can, but Cass is weak so we don’t get far when I skid to a halt. Hades is in front of me standing in my path. How in the heck did he get in front of me so fast?

He shakes his head at me. “Oh Delfia."

Panting I plead with him, "You said I could leave if I Persephone stayed."

"That was when I thought you would make the right decision. Unfortunately, you didn’t."

My heart can’t take anymore. I just want to go home and be with Alec, Cass, and Lyla. I want to go to school and the movies, and normal teen stuff. ”Please, Cass needs a doctor. I have to get her back."

"That’s not going to happen." His expression is cold and detached.

Alec comes up behind me; held at sword point by Ascalaphus. The look on his face is too much for me to bear. It is pure defeat. I know what I have to do. "If I agree to stay. Will you let Alec and Cass go?"

"NO!" Cass starts sobbing.

Alec is in my head again.
Dell, don’t do this. We can find another way. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.

I have to try to save you both. You and Cass mean more than my life and I will protect you.

It is my job to protect you.

Hades breaks off our internal conversation. “If that is what you want, then yes I will let your friends go."

"How do I know you are telling the truth?"

His eyes gleam wickedly for a second. “You don’t."

In the blink of an eye, my hands clamp together, and I see manacles my wrist. I whirl around, and Alec and Cass are gone. Hot tears fill my eyes as I scream, "What did you do to them?"

"Don’t worry Delfia, now we can be a proper family."

I want to rip out his throat, but instead I drop to my knees. With my head in my shackled hands; I begin to cry.
What have I done?

Epilogue

He stares at the empty four poster bed with longing; longing for the girl he loves. How had this happened to them? Is she even alive? Of course,
she’s alive;
he chastises himself.

I’m going to get her back if it’s the last thing I do. He sits on her bed and runs his hand along the comforter. He’s thinking of the time they had spent the night together. Cass almost blew a gasket. Now the room is eerily quiet.
I will save her
he chants over and over. He lays down and feels something under one of the pillows. He pulls it out and sees it is a book.
Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R Tolkien. He smiles and flips to the first page. She has written in it.

Alec,

You said if I found a good book you would read it. I hope you like it.

Love,

Dell

There is a knock on the door, and Cass pokes her head in. "You need to eat."

"I’m not hungry."

"Alec, I understand what you are going through, but you are no use to Dell dead. You need to take care of yourself. She made her choice to us. We can’t fault her for that. And you can’t blame yourself. So stop being a stubborn bull and get downstairs and eat."

He loves Cass. He didn’t think it was possible to fit in; to belong to a family. But that is what this is. Dell, Cass, and Lyla are his family. She’s right. "We need to come up with a plan."

She cocks her head to the side, and the pity is all over her face.

"Don’t give me that look, Cass, I am going to save her. You know that right?"

She smiles. “Of course I do. But you can’t do it on an empty stomach."

He relaxes a bit. “Alright, alright. You win." He walks over to Cass and enfolds her in his arms. She must be just as distraught, yet she doesn’t show it. "I am going to save her. And then I am going to murder Hades, and no one is going to get in my way." At this moment, he knows he is capable of anything, even atrocious acts, to get back the girl he loves.

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