Repairer of the Breach (Stones of Fire Book 4)

by Sarah Ashwood

  He didn’t respond for a long moment, except to tighten his hold. I could tell by the way he hugged me, clung to me, that he was thinking the same thing. Was quietly expressing his gratitude that we were both alive and uninjured.

  Finally, I made myself draw back so I could see his eyes.

  “How are you feeling?” I questioned worriedly. I couldn’t keep from reaching up to touch the lines of his face, reassuring myself that he truly was himself and unscathed.

  “Like I’ve been to hell and back,” he answered roughly. “Which reminds me—where are we?”

  “Well, not there,” I chuckled weakly. “At least I don’t think that’s where we are. It’s not hot enough.”

  He smiled, but it was grim. “You wouldn’t be there anyway, Ms. Goody Two Shoes. Me, yes. You, no.”

  “Don’t say that,” I reprimanded. “Besides, we really can’t be there anyway. I—I think I may’ve seen an angel.”

  His dark eyebrows rose. “A what?”

  “An angel,” I repeated, my voice strengthening with the force of my conviction.

  “There’s no such thing,” he scoffed.

  Now it was my turn to be incredulous. “You shapeshift into a living bronze statue. Your blood unlocked the magic of some ancient stones and brought us both through some magic portal into another world, and you want to claim angels don’t exist?”

  It took him a minute, but he finally relented. “Fine.” He rolled his eyes a little. “I’ll give you that one. But it still doesn’t seem likely. What makes you think you saw an angel and not some sort of shapeshifter?”

  “Obviously I can’t know for sure,” I admitted, “but…”

  With that, I proceeded to run down the course of events from the time I woke up on the beach until his awakening. He listened attentively, no longer quite embracing me, but still sitting close enough on the sand that our bodies touched. Speaking of touching, I couldn’t quit touching him, tracing my palm up and down his upper arm, reassuring myself that he truly was okay and promising him nonverbally that I wasn’t going anywhere.

  “So I brought all that back with me,” I concluded. “The sword. The water from the fountain—”

  “The shirt for me?”

  “Over there.” I nodded towards where I’d laid it. When I did, I noticed my little feathered friend was gone. I guess he figured I didn’t need him anymore. It might have been nice to present him to Carter as a backup to my story. Oh well…

  “Are you getting cold?” I asked, letting it go.

  He hadn’t complained, but goosebumps were popping up all over his flesh. The breeze hadn’t relented. I guessed he must be chilled. Which was something I wasn’t. I could never begin to explain what was going on with me, but the longer I sat there within the circle of his arms and legs, him shirtless and me touching his skin, his arm, the more my core temperature rose. I knew this was hardly the time nor place. I knew we needed to formulate some sort of game plan and act on it before night fell, swallowing us in a strange new world. Knowing all of that logically and telling it to my body, my heart, were two different things.

  Thankfully, Carter seemed unaware of the crazy effect he was having on me. He hadn’t responded to my quip about being cold, so I added, “The temperature is dropping. I think we need to move. Find someplace we can stay tonight.”

  Carter lifted his head to look around. “Yeah. You got any suggestions?”

  “The city, I guess,” I shrugged. “Plenty of shelter there. I think we can make it there before it gets too dark.”

  “I’m not sure I like this idea,” he grumbled, easing away from me so he could get his legs under him and stand. “But I guess we don’t have much of a choice.”

  “Why don’t you like it?” I inquired, puzzled, rising also. I handed him the tunic I’d fetched for him, which he slipped over his head. I squelched a ridiculous pang of disappointment at seeing him fully clothed. “There’s nothing else around here, at least not that I saw, unless you want to try to make a shelter and sleep in the woods.”

  “That might be safer,” he said shortly, stooping to gather up all the items I’d collected.

  “Why? Why are you so dead set against the city?”

  “Ellie, think. Something either wiped those people out or made them leave. What if it was a plague? A monster? Some type of nasty shifter neither of us has ever encountered? And I’ve run up against plenty,” he added grimly. “What if we’re walking into a death trap, blind and weaponless?”

  “We’re not weaponless,” I reminded him, gesturing towards the sword he now held in his hand.

  “Yeah, about that…” He stood, clasped the blade and turned it over, examining it. “I don’t know why anybody would give this to me. I have no idea how to use it. Swords aren’t exactly part of security detail anymore.”

  “The sharp end goes into the bad guy,” I teased.

  Carter glowered.

  “Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood.”

  He didn’t appreciate it. “Some things aren’t worth joking about,” he said, turning away, towards the forest. “That way?”

  “Listen to the king of snark telling me some things aren’t worth joking about,” I gibed. “Yes, it’s that way. And what’s gotten into you? You didn’t wake up in a very good mood.”

  “What’s gotten into me?” He’d stalked off several paces in the general direction of the forest and city beyond, but at the inquiry swung around to face me. “I thought you were going to die, Ellie. They would have killed you. I willingly risked my life to save yours, thinking that was it. I was going to die, wake up in a dark void, and that would be it. I’d be gone. Life would be over. And I don’t want to hear any of your afterlife beliefs,” he inserted, waving away potential remarks. “I’m acquainted with the basic tenets of your faith. That’s not the point. The point is, I went into it all with my eyes wide open, thinking that was it, that I’d done what I needed to do to protect you. My purpose was fulfilled and you’d be safe.

  “Then what happens? I wake up who-knows-where. You’re here with me, telling me this wild story about us going through a portal created by the Stones of Fire and my blood. We’re vulnerable. We’re basically helpless. And you’re still here, and I still have to protect you; only now I don’t have the resources to do it.”

  “I don’t understand,” I murmured. My happiness had vanished. My stomach felt leaded, heavy. I wanted to cry. After everything we’d been through, this was the last reaction I expected. “Are you mad that you’re still stuck with me? You’d rather be dead than be stuck with me? You don’t have to keep on protecting me, you know. I can take care of myself. I’m not a child.”

  To his credit, Carter didn’t make any jerk comments about my inability to defend myself. Give me a gun, and I could do a credible job. I’d proven that already. However, that was probably about as far as it went, and we both knew it. Instead, he stared at me almost incredulously, as if he was trying to follow my train of thought.

  “What?” the word was almost an explosion of incredulity and frustration. “What are you talking about?”

  “Never mind.” I turned away, upset. To go from being so excited to seeing him alive to this reaction was painful. After all, he wasn’t the only one who had sacrificed. I’d followed him through the portal.

  “Ellie, stop.” I felt a hand on my shoulder, felt Carter take my arm, turn me around to face him. “You’re misunderstanding what I said. I’m not angry that you’re here and I have to take care of you. I’m thrilled you’re here. I know I don’t look it, but I’m ecstatic that you’re alive. My whole purpose of living is to make sure you’re safe. I love you. I think I proved that. I’m not upset you’re here. I’m upset with myself that now I have to keep you alive and I don’t have anything to do it with except this sword that I don’t know how to use. If we were back on Earth, instead of whatever forsaken place this is, I’d be able to figure it out. I don’t know if I can figure it out here. I don’t want to lose you again.”
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  It was as if scales fell from my eyes while he spoke. I was able to look past the brusqueness to see not anger but worry. Fear. Or, if there was anger, misplaced anger at himself that he wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done to defend us both. His words rang in my brain: My whole purpose of living is to make sure you’re safe. I love you.

  I took in a breath and blew it out while still searching his face, attempting to read him, trying to figure out a response. Finally, I shook off the hand on my arm so I could step forward and wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “We’ve made it this far. I can’t believe we’ll make it this far only to fall apart before you do whatever it is you’re supposed to do. Repair the breach, or something. I can’t believe all that help would’ve been sent only for both of us to wind up dead here. I really think we’ll make it.”

  “You and your faith,” he scoffed, but I could hear the gruff teasing tone which told me the old Carter was returning.

  “Hey, it’s gotten us this far.”

  “Maybe. Maybe it is your faith that’s gotten us this far. And if you did see some angelic being, I’m sure that’s because of you, not me. Nobody would send an angel to help me.”

  “Uh huh,” I teased, drawing back. “They already did. They sent me to help you.”

  I’d meant it as a joke. I wasn’t expecting Carter to react the way he did. He reached up and caught the back of my neck, pulling me close, leaning down to press his mouth against mine in a fierce, almost scalding kiss. I couldn’t breathe or move as the fire of the kiss spread through my veins, reigniting everything I’d felt earlier, curling my toes and scorching me to my soul. Finally, he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine as he attempted to catch his breath. As we both did.

  “You’re right,” he whispered, his voice rough. “You are my angel. If I somehow escape hell, it will be because of you.”

  This wasn’t the time nor place to correct bad theology, and, anyway, I didn’t think he’d meant it as a theological statement. I ducked my head, a little embarrassed by the fervor of his words, but let my hand linger on his chest even as I retreated.

  “We’d better get out of here,” was all I could think to say. There was more. So much more that I wanted to say from the depths of my heart and soul, but figuring out our relationship was going to have to take a back seat to figuring out survival.

  Chapter Six

  It could have been a rebuff, except there hadn’t been any rebuffing in Ellie’s attitude, especially the hand on his chest, like she didn’t want to break physical contact. There sure hadn’t been in her response to his kiss. His unplanned, impulsive, what-the-hell-was-I-thinking kiss. His kiss that shouted more than Carter would ever be able to express in words his gratitude towards her for saving his life, sticking with him, and doing everything she’d done to bring him back, but also how much he loved her and how grateful he was she was in his life. He wasn’t a romantic guy. Before Ellie, he’d have thought the ability to say that much in a kiss was the stuff songwriters dreamed up. Now, Carter knew it was entirely possible to say a lot without saying anything.

  He was certain Ellie had sensed it—some of it, anyway, if not all of it. But she was also smart enough not to get drawn into a situation they couldn’t handle right now. She was being sensible, formulating a plan. Carter wished there were better options for formulating a plan, but when the chips were down you did the best you could. With any luck, they’d figure out a way to survive until morning. And after that, survive until they could find a way home.

  That was eating him too. Getting home. Getting home from where? And what was all this business with Ellie’s so-called angelic visitor and the living water and the sword and the Repairer of the Breach crap? Like he was some kind of hero, or person with a grand destiny? He was a kid who’d been sent away by his parents to someone who could help him understand his shapeshifting abilities. He’d grown up tough, learning to fight, learning to defend, learning to be willing to kill or die. He wasn’t a white knight, and he wasn’t any kind of prophesied, legendary hero.

  Unless it had to do with his blood, which apparently was unique enough, even in the shifter world, to unlock the Stones and open a portal to another dimension. That made Carter’s stomach feel unsettled, leaving him uneasy. There were clearly more things going on here than he ever could have suspected. And there was Ellie, caught up in it.

  His heart snagged in his chest as he looked at her, dressed in those old-fashioned clothes that might’ve come from a movie set. She actually looked pretty cute. She was trying to be brave, and she’d done a good job so far of being both brave and resourceful. She’d brought him back from the brink. She’d brought them both this far. Now it was his turn to pick up the slack and help her out. Worries about the strange, prophetic sounding words and title aside, his first aim was the mandate laid on the Talos long ago: protect her.

  “So, you think we should head for the city?”

  Realizing his thoughts had lagged, Carter reined them back in at Ellie’s question, blowing out a breath of air to center his focus.

  “Probably,” he answered, glancing over both shoulders for any other options. “I guess it’s either that or the woods. I’m not much of an outdoorsman, and if I’m in a strange place I’d rather have a wall I can put my back against.”

  “A tree won’t work?”

  Her lips twitched with a grin. She was making another joke, whether to lighten his mood or downplay the danger of the situation he couldn’t tell. Carter also couldn’t tell whether to laugh or be aggravated.

  “It’s easy to slip around a tree.”

  She let it go.

  “Can you find the city again?” he asked.

  “Pretty sure. It’s right through those trees,” she said, pointing.

  “Lead the way, Girl Scout.”

  “Hey, I’m a good explorer,” she quipped, starting off with him following behind. “You might not think it to look at me, but I bet I could have been a topnotch Girl Scout.”

  “Uh huh. Face it, Ellie. Neither one of us is exactly used to the outdoors. I can track a shifter through the streets, dig him or her out of a city full of people, and watch my six in back alleys or parties, but I’m not the guy who can build a lean-to out of splinters and a shoelace.”

  She laughed at his description. They were in the trees now, and the falling darkness had deepened by several degrees, heightening his uneasy feeling.

  “I can’t either. I doubt I’d last long on one of those survival TV shows. Guess we’re both more used to city. Which is where we’re headed. It may be different, but it is a city.”

  It was a city alright, which Carter saw when they exited the trees. A walled, stone city, again looking like something from a movie. Nothing like what he was used to. The fading twilight revealed the open gates. He didn’t see or smell any smoke from fires, which would’ve been a telltale sign of life. Didn’t hear any hustle or bustle. Nothing. Even from down here, if this city had been filled with people, they should’ve been able to hear something. The silence was deafening.

  Ellie glanced back at him.

  “There it is,” she said. “Weird, huh?”

  “You got that right.”

  “For what it’s worth,” she said, beginning the upward hike toward the towering walls, “I didn’t see or sense anything dangerous in there. Like I told you, it seemed completely empty.”

  The city was empty. Carter could tell that as soon as he stepped through the gates. If there were any inhabitants, they were staying hidden and silent. He didn’t think there were any. It would be hard to hide the amount of people that would fill up a city like this. He stood there briefly, glancing around through the gloom, trying to take stock of the situation, assess what their best bet would be.

  “I say we find a house and hole up for the night,” suggested Ellie. Her voice was quiet, as if she also sensed the pall hanging over the city that seemed to forbid loud noises.


  “I’m not against it.” He was against it, but there wasn’t any choice. Either an empty city or a forest full of potential hazards. He disliked either option, but, like he’d said earlier, he wanted a wall against his back.

  They chose a house near the gates in case something came up and they needed to get out quickly. That was his idea. Ellie simply didn’t seem as concerned as he’d felt. Possibly because she’d apparently trekked all over today, led by supposed angels and owls and talking water fountains…

  And she’d once called the idea of shapeshifters crazy.

  Whatever was bolstering her, it continued to give her energy. Once they selected a house with a door that he locked and barricaded shut, and with one window in the front that he could easily guard, she set about rifling through baskets and shelves in the darkness, discovering resources they could use. After a few minutes, she said,

  “Look, here’s a lamp.”

  The clunk of her setting it on the table drew his attention.

  “I think this is the stuff you use to light it.”

  The instruments looked vaguely familiar. He’d probably seen them in a movie or documentary or possibly even a video game at some point.

  “Do you know how they work?” She looked up questioningly.

  “Do I look like somebody from the Stone Age?”

  She didn’t take offense at his sarcasm. “Not any more than I do, but you never know. We can either sit here in the dark or try to figure this out.”

  She was right and he was being a jackass. Tearing himself away from the window, where he’d been keeping watch, scanning the night outside, he moved over to the table where Ellie had placed the lamp and lighting tools. Probably some sort of flint and iron along with tinder, he assumed, picking them up and turning them over in his hands. It didn’t look too bad. The ancients had used it. How complicated could it be?

  Turned out a bit more than he’d assumed. After several minutes of trying, failing, and swearing that had Ellie shooting him dark looks, he managed to get the lamp sputtering to life. It cast dancing shadows about the small, cramped stone house. Eerie in a way, but certainly better than the previous gloom.