Together we fall

17 | Ember

Ember stared at Ro, examining the sharp and lethal looking knives in her sheath with wide eyes. Despite the bright pink hair and snark, Ro looked like she could easily flatten any elf or troll into a pancake—which was a human delicacy her mother had made for her once.

An elfcake.

She couldn't believe she was being forced to have a bodyguard.

That was just pure cruelty.

"You know my dad?" Ember asked her, slipping her hand into Emerson's.

Ro muttered under her breath. "He used to be my charge."

Ember's face scrunched. "My dad had a bodyguard?" She asked Magnate Leto, confused.

She was aware that her mother had had one, and then later five, but she didn't know that her father had needed one too.

Not that she was exactly surprised, considering all the trouble he'd gotten himself into . . .

Magnate Leto sighed. "Yes. They were quite the pair."

Ro turned to Mr. Forkle. "Who's our pretty blond girl more like?"

"Sophie," Mr. Forkle decided with a sigh, waving goodbye as he headed inside the glass pyramid, returning to his principal duties. "Have fun!" He called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the atrium.

Ember glowered.

She couldn't believe her principal was leaving her with this idiot bodyguard that only had two letters for a name.

"I don't want a bodyguard," Ember grumbled under her breath, reaching up to pull out an itchy eyelash.

"Ohhhh," Ro said with a laugh. "You do it too!"

"I do what too?" Ember asked the ogre.

"You rip out your eyelashes—you're your mother's daughter."

"You know my mom?"

Ro smirked. "Yep. She's fun to tease. Which means that you will be too."

Ember groaned. "I'm not sure I like you, Ro."

"Eh, that's what they all say. Pretty sure your dad hated me."

"Did my mom hate you too?" Ember mumbled.

Ro shrugged. "Probably. But I did convince your dad to confess his feelings to your mom—so you should thank me."

Ember shook her head. "I don't think I'm going to be thanking you for anything."

Ro just snorted, finally looked over at Emerson, who was watching their exchange with confusion plastered over his face.

"Who might you be?" Ro said, sounding bored as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Emerson," he said with a small nod.

"I mean, who are your parents?"

"Um, Biana and Dex?" He said cautiously.

Ro squealed. "I love the Dexinator! He's a genius!" Ro leaned closer to them like she was about to tell a secret. "He even scored a Foster kiss before Ember's daddio did."

"Hold up." Emerson stared at her. "My dad kissed Ember's mom?"

Ro waved her hand in dismissal. "That was years ago, before she realized she loved Lord Hunkyhair."

Ember rubbed her temples. "Why do you call my dad that?"

Ro clicked her tongue. "I lost a bet."

Ember suddenly felt woozy, disoriented from all this information being dumped on her at once. Her knees buckled and Emerson caught her, his strong arms wrapped protectively around her.

She blushed. "Thanks."

Before Emerson could reply, Ro squealed, "She blushes too!"

Ember was about to retort, but Ace came running up beside them before she had the chance. "There you guys are! Hey, why are you so pale, Em?"

"Another one!" Ro nearly shrieked. "And he has brown eyes!"

Ace stared open-mouthed at her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ro! And you're Lord Hunkyhair's son, aren't you?"

Ember slid out from Emerson's arms, finally feeling like she could stand on her own. "Don't listen to her, Ace. She's a weirdo."

"Indeed I am, Blondie," Ro said with a smirk. "But I'm also your bodyguard—so let's go! I hear you have a lesson with Councilor Grumpy Pants."

"Wha—" Ace started.

Ember cut her brother off. "Don't ask."

Ace nodded just once before he trudged off, shooting her bewildered looks over his shoulder.

Ember turned back to Emerson. "I better go."

"Yeah," he replied with a smile. As Ro and Ember headed toward the Silver Tower in the distance he added, "Ember?"

She turned back. "Yeah?"

His expression softened. "Don't let Nova get into your head. You're not a failure—you're perfect just how you are."

Ember felt tears spring to her eyes.

She ran back to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear.

Emerson's grin belonged on a movie screen, stunning and perfectly white, sparkling in the sunlight. "Anytime."

He waved as he turned around and headed toward the level five wing.

As Ember whirled back around, Ro was shaking her head in distain. She could've sworn Ro muttered, "Here we go again" under her breath.