Half of Ruby

Chapter 22

First and foremost, here's a long overdue dedication to @Pennywithaney , an amazing author and person. Thank you, Penny! Your advice and support is superb. 

"What do you mean? Ronan, tell me. Ronan—"

"I implore you to stop talking. There, my fifth polite version of 'please be quiet.' Would you like any more?" 

"Ronan!" 

Ronan sighed; Ember halted just in time to avoid crashing into him. 

"Ember, do you really not get what I meant by that? Soldiers are going to burn down your house. And you have to—"

"—save it." 

"No! You have to get your belongings! You have to run and—"

Ember glared at him. They stood in the center of a deserted alleyway, the night air whispering around them. 

"And abandon my home? I'll never let anyone burn that house down. Understand?" 

"Ember—"

"I said, understand?" 

Silence. Tears burned at the edges of Ember's eyes as she glared at Ronan. Don't let him see you cry. Don't cry. 

"Your eyes," murmured Ronan. "How are they so gold?" 

"I said—do you understand?" 

A ghost of a smile appeared upon Ronan's lips. "I understand." 

And he wasn't lying. He understood her. 

Unexpected warmth flooded through Ember as she lowered her gaze. 

"All right." 

"You're giving up?" Ronan raised an eyebrow. 

"I didn't say that." Ember looked up again, tilting her head as she regarded Ronan. "I'm still going to try. Care to join?" 

"How will you save an entire house from a mob of soldiers without being seen? They'll just come back tomorrow." 

Ember hesitated. I don't know. But as she met Ronan's eyes, confidence rushed through her, as hot and exhilarating as fire. "I'll figure something out." 

With a spurt of expectant eagerness, she started down the street. 

And then, like a curtain of a brick and stone, the crumbling alleyways drew apart, revealing a white-washed gate, a moon-washed lawn. 

There it was, quaint and trimmed with white. There it was, windows flapping with broken shutters and gardens flooded with untamable roses. There it was, her home and sanctuary for three years.

A lump threatened to choked Ember as she collapsed to her knees in the garden. She dug her fingers into the cool dirt, savoring the silky, black earth against her skin. 

A laugh bubbled out her lips, only to be swallowed by a choked sob. 

A figure knelt by her—Ronan. 

"I promise you—everything will be all right." 

Ember looked up, startled. "What?" 

"I said that everything will be fine. We'll find a way to fix everything." 

Ember snorted. You're just saying that to get me on your good side. 

...he'll get you killed. 

She jerked back from Ronan as Thomas' warning voice echoed through her head. 

"Ember?" Ronan's gaze flashed with alarm. "Ember, what's wrong?"