East

East | Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

"You don't have the prophesied—what are you doing out of bed?"

Ash furrows his brows and begins to walk towards me. I throw out both hands. "Don't come—closer," I say.

His face falls. "Alright," he says. His expression smooths over, but not quickly enough to hide his confusion. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize... I thought we were okay."

"I'm just..." I close my eyes in frustration. "Whenever one of you touch me, it just burns, and I..."

"Alright," Ash says again; his posture becomes a little too correct, too straight. "I just came in to check on you."

And now I feel bad, and I say, "Sorry. I know. Thank you. I'm sure this will end... Soon."

My legs are beginning to shake, forcing me to put one hand down on the desk behind me to support myself. I don't like this weakness that's in my body, that's in my voice every time I try to speak. I want this to be over. I want to be normal again.

Ash nods at the mattress. "Come sit," he says. "We have a lot to talk about."

I sit, but look around the room again. "Where the hell am I?" I croak.

"Deep in the forest," he says unhelpfully. "This cabin is extremely well-protected, even more so than the house itself. It's like a panic room; there's even a ward around the entire area—one that you did not break or affect in any way when I took you through.

"You're safe here, East," he continues. "There are only two people at a time at the safe house who know its location. Right now, that's me and Callia.

"I brought you here because..." Ash hesitates. "Because you don't have the fire."

"What?"

He sighs. "We were wrong. You're not one of the fireborn at all."

My mouth drops open. "But—But all that bullshit—"

He's shaking his head. "I don't know, either; it doesn't make sense. You crossed the ward safely, completely undamaged—you broke it, actually—and you can touch my lights, and you were immune to my fire. But you don't have any of you own."

"Then what am I?"

"I don't know."

I sigh in frustration. "So this was all a waste of time?"

"No..." he says carefully. "I mean, you're obviously special, and the professor still believes that you're exhibiting symptoms of immolation. But I don't think you really have to worry about that."

I swallow; my throat is sore. "I guess that's one good news."

Ash shifts in place. "This place has helped a lot of lighters, East. I'm hoping it'll help you recuperate. Callia and I both activated here..." His eyes take on a faraway look. "...and Parker as well. He was always too stressed around Maggie, so we..."

But I've stopped listening; my mind is finally connecting the dots and the picture that they form makes me straighten with a gasp. "It was you," I blurt out. "You—disguised it—Callia's sparks—"

Ash's eyes widen. I look into them, daring him to tell me the truth.

"Yes," he says quietly. "And I know I shouldn't to ask anything more of you, but I'd like to ask you not to advertise that fact."

"But why? Why go through this whole charade?" I frown. "She doesn't have the fire, either, does she?"

"Not that we've seen so far," he admits, "but her whole family was comprised of lighters, so it's still possible. She did give up hope, though."