Catalyst (Book 1) Read Free Page B

like a hawk, trying to put out the fire with his hands as he ran to the pond. He didn’t make it. His hair incinerated, and his skin peeled off. The charred corpse collapsed on the ground, steps away from the cool water. The fire died out.
    I turned my gaze on Rowe. He stood for a moment, unsure of what to do. He stared from me to his former partner’s blackened body. Then he sprinted away as fast as his legs could carry him. He stumbled and tripped in his panic, but kept going, never looking back.
    The girl rose and came over to me. “Thank you.”
    “I’m…I’m…” I couldn't get the words out. My legs gave out, and I collapsed on the ground. Before I blacked out, I used the rest of my strength to smile at her.

CHAPTER 2

    I’m trapped in the heart of the flame, white-hot and eternal. There’s no escape, nowhere to run, no place to go where it isn’t there before me. When I step, it’s there. When I sway or turn, it’s there. When I move my hand, it’s there. It pulsates with each breath I take. I hold my breath. The flames move with a life of their own, twining around me. They bend inward, as if to whisper a secret. I strain to hear, but the roaring fills my ears and I can’t understand.
      The flame dances, pulling me into its rhythm. We move together, closer, closer. I am not afraid.
    Without warning, it leaps at me.
    The fire fills my mouth and pours into my soul, filling my essence with its own. I fall to the floor, feeling my body burning to ash, consumed. And yet I’m still whole, stronger than before. The flame is in me. It is both power and comfort. It speaks, and now I understand.
    I am no longer alone.
    I opened my eyes to the night sky. There was a small fire burning nearby; its warmth reminded me of my dream. The pain in my head and my belly reminded me of the fight in the forest. And what I had done.
    The girl placed more branches on the fire. Her once fine clothing hung awkwardly on her, exposing the curves of her body. She was beautiful, even with her tattered clothes and the streaks of dirt on her face. The soft glow of the fire accentuated her high cheekbones, and she seemed to shine faintly in the moonlight. She was like no girl I had ever seen. I forced myself to remember to breathe again. I had no idea what to say to her. I shook my head and struggled to sit upright.
    She turned when she heard me move. “You're awake,” she said. “Are you all right?”
    “I am now.” I couldn’t draw my gaze away from her.
    “Why do you continue to stare at me?” Her voice and face hardened.
    I turned my head away. “I'm sorry.”
    There was a brief silence. “It's quite all right. Just don't let it happen again.”
    Who was this girl? She had to be of high rank if I wasn’t even allowed to look at her. I bowed my head. “I won't.”
    She crouched down by the fire and warmed her hands.
    I remembered the man I had knocked out with the branch. I nearly jumped up then fell back and grunted from the pain. “The third man! He's still out there. He might—”
    “I took care of it.”
    “What do you mean?” Just then I saw Bruno's sword lying next to her. I strained to see if there was blood on it, but couldn't make it out. “Oh.”
    I tried not to gaze at her, but it was hard. I wanted to know more about her. She looked angry as she stared into the fire, and the anger grew as the silence stretched out. She was one of those rare women who grew more beautiful the angrier she became.
    “How's your ankle?” I asked, trying to break the silence.
    “Fine.”
    I had no idea how to treat this stranger. There were so many questions I wanted to ask. I was more nervous now than I had been when facing those men. I moved closer to her and squatted in front of the fire. She didn't look at me, seemingly lost in her angry thoughts. I blew on my hands before holding them out to the flames.
    I tried to get lost in the fire like she seemed to be, but I couldn't do it. While her mind appeared focused, mine