Bride of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 1)

Chapter 37

"Thanks, Emily," I murmur to myself, tears falling as I watch the flames dance around my fingers.

Poor, poor, Em.

I have enough self-worth to realize that maybe she wasn't the best friend I'd wanted her to be for me, but all she'd wanted to do was go home...

I'm immune to fire.

I've never noticed this ability in the past, but why would I if I'd safely avoided it like most humans are told to do?

It makes sense. How was I supposed to know my reactions to heat in the past hadn't been normal? I remember when Mike had stared, open mouthed after I'd touched the pizza pan fresh out of the oven without burning myself.

How strange I've practically known it all along?

I'm the answer to rescuing Alvar and saving Axus if I play my cards right. Sola hadn't lied when she'd said I was the only one. Now I need to get back to Axus before any more lives are lost. Still... I can't take the key from Saul that controlled Alvar through his Fe collar. I need to come up with a plan.

"Lucy, holy crap. You're not burning," Mike states the obvious, his eyes huge. "Why are you not burning?"

"Mike, do you own a gun?" I ask, my mind working quickly. Time is of the essence.

"How are you even doing that?" Mike asks, his eyes still on my flame engulfed hand.

"It will take way too much time to explain," I snap. "Do  you have a gun?"

"My brother does," Angie says, her own eyes mesmerized by my supernatural ability. "Why are you asking?"

I'd forgotten Angie was even here. "I need one. I can stop other people from dying." I look at her.

"Lucy, what is going on with your eyes?" Mike suddenly asks.

I blink hard. What does he mean? Are they red like Alvar's? Can I really be a Cursed too?

"Did they turn red?" I ask.

"They're more like an orange," Angie says, her gaze snapping up. "I can get you the gun."

"You believe her?" Mike stops staring at me and gapes at Angie instead. "Are you serious?"

"Something is going on here, Mike," Angie shrugs, "I believe in the supernatural. You know that about me. And something supernatural is happening here. Emily already died and obviously Lucy knows who killed her and can get the bastard."

"Angie, it's illegal to take the law into your own hands," Mike objects, "Why don't you tell the authorities, Lucy, if you know who this guy is--"

"He's not of this world and our law enforcement wouldn't do anything anyway, he has a..." my voice trails. How do I explain this without sounding even more crazy? "A dragon that breathes fire and can't be killed."

"Lucy, stop!" Mike covers his ears.

"Look at my hand, Mike," I yell at him, "Does that look normal to you? I am the only one who can save the lives of a ton of people from that world. You need to trust me. Mike, if you ever really cared about me, you need to trust me on this."

Mike shakes his head and his brows furrow in a kind of pain. I care and regret that I made him suffer in mourning from my absence. That I didn't get to properly part ways with him. I do care about Mike, just in a companionship kind of way, I always have.

"Mike," I say his name quieter and I take my hand from the fire and put it against his cheek. "I'm sorry, for everything. And I know this is really hard to believe. But I promise, if I get out of this alive, I'll come back to you if that's what you want." I can't believe I'm saying it, I don't want to go back to Mike. But I'd go back to him to save Axus... and Alvar.

He closes his eyes and takes the hand that's on his cheek in his and lets it drop from him. "Angie, do you know how we can get your brother's gun?"

"He lives like half an hour from here... He may not give it to us, but maybe he will. Do you know how to fire a gun, Lucy?" Angie asks.

"Yeah," Mike and I both say in unison.

"We went to the firing range together a couple of times," I explain.

"Okay," Angie says, "let's go."

I can't believe my luck that Angie, this person I hardly know, is willing to just drop all logical thinking and help. I don't know if means she's a bit crazy herself or just a good person. I don't care and thank God whom I believe must be helping too, cause I can't think of any other explanation.

*

Angie's brother probably will never get his gun back, but I don't have time to feel guilty about stealing it. I can't just walk up to Saul and take the key away and since I'm fireproof and Alvar is his weapon of choice there's really not much he can do to me unless he is also armed with a gun. I'll just have to count on him being surprised by my reappearance and shoot him first.

"So this is it then?" Mike asks as I holster the gun. "How do you even get back to Alvar?"

That's a good question. I'm not even sure if the Bridge is still open. I'm just going to have to hope my luck keeps holding out and somehow I can get to Underlund now and that when I go over the Bridge I don't get lost.

I lift the Arlite up and close my eyes. I picture Axus and Underlund. I wish to be there. Nothing happens. Crap.