An Ember's Tale

Chapter Thirty-One

"Here," she gently handed Blaise to a group of women who could take him to a healer. "Just be careful with him."

"We will," they smiled reassuringly at her, but before they could take him, Blaise gently embraced her as she breathed deeply. His arms wrapped tightly around her as a comforting scent flooded her senses... the sea and ink intertwined.

"I would kiss you..." he whispered in her ear as she clutched him. "But I don't wanna give him another reason to electrocute me. I've already died once today, and I would prefer not to do it again."

He pulled away as he smiled softly at her before the women gently ushered him away. He looked back at her with a small smile before he turned back around and joked with the women in the faint moonlight and their laughter echoed throughout the night.

"Goodbye, Blaise..."

Ember's heart ached when he left her as she stood there in the cool night, watching many of the villagers trying to pick up remains or trying to find loved ones. She then turned around to see Mark behind her with a giant scowl as his jaw ticked. He looked down at her before he turned around sharply and gestured for them to go.

Blaise had told her they could have any ship they wanted at the docks, though she did feel guilty about taking something from them. She had already cost them so much from that night...

"Here," Mark handed her the small box she had forgotten about. "You dropped this."

"Thank you," she muttered before sticking it in her pocket. She turned back to him to see he was walking straight ahead, his gaze fixed on the stars that were just as distant as he was. "I'm sorry. For knocking you over."

Mark turned to look at her with furrowed brows. "What are you apologizing for? You obviously aren't sorry."

"Okay," Ember scoffed as she folded her arms across her chest. "We are doing this..."

"Doing what, exactly?" he asked her. "We haven't been doing anything, yet the moment some sorry sap bleeds before you from your past, you-"

"He was dying!" Ember protested as she looked up at him with narrowed eyes.

"Then why is he alive?" Mark asked her with flashing eyes.

"I-" but Ember wasn't sure what to say. "I don't know. But I felt him, Mark. I felt him die. I saw the life drain from him. You can't fault me for trying to make his last moments more peaceful."

"So it was an obligation kiss?"

"It was a heartbroken one," she turned from him as she looked out at the distant sky. "He told me he loved me... I just couldn't leave him like that. I don't know exactly why I did it, but I don't regret it because there was a small smile on his face before he died. He was happy and content, and at the very least, he deserved that."

A dooming silence settled over them, but Ember didn't mind as a silent tear rolled down her cheek in the faint moonlight. She gripped the box in her pocket as she took several shallow breaths in and out. Her body was still trembling from the aftermath of everything that had taken place that day. All she wanted to do was to lay down under a thick comforter and drift off into a peaceful sleep, but she dreaded what she would find once she closed her eyes. Maybe her guilt would finally show and consume her, but she knew her body and mind couldn't take much more. She was one more hit from her breaking point, and she could feel it throughout her shaking body.

"I'm not mad at you," Mark finally spoke.

"You're not?" she turned to him.

"No," he shook his head while he ran his fingers through his messy hair. "I guess I'm just-"