Free Born In Flames by Candace Knoebel Page A

never ruin anything for me.” He ran his thumb over my chin as the lullaby I heard the night before last spun through my head. Our eyes met. “Remember that, okay? You are perfect in your own dysfunctional way. And it’s exactly what I want.” With that, he let my face go, breaking our eye contact.
His admittance to his feelings sank in. I looked back up at him, on the verge of saying to hell with it and stealing that kiss I had been drooling over when, of course, there was a knock at the door.
Opportunity missed.
I took a quick second to gather myself and waited as Fenn answered the door. It was a UPS man.
After Fenn signed for the package, he shut the door and tossed it on the table. “It’s for you,” he said curiously.
“For me? What is it?” I asked, puzzled.
“I might be strong but I don’t have x-ray vision, Rory.” The two of us chuckled as I handed him his coffee and a roll and then took a bite of my own. Tasty, yummy, cinnamon-y goodness swarmed my taste buds.
We ate in silence as I stared down the package. It was small, only the size of a letter, and I had no clue what was inside.
“How’s your head? Let me take a look at it again,” he asked, gently moving a piece of hair that was covering it. “You got a nice bruise there. Very purple, but the knick isn’t that bad. I don’t think it’s going to leave a scar. Your head hurt?”
“I took two aspirin so ask me again in about thirty minutes,” I replied. I took a quick sip of my orange juice. “I’ll just keep Neosporin on it and maybe sizzle me some Alka-Seltzer.”
He grinned, stuffing the rest of his roll into his mouth. After swallowing he asked, “You going to open it?” He hinted to the package with his eyes.
I pulled it towards me, nervousness coating the freshly eaten cinnamon roll in my stomach. What could it possibly be? I anxiously tore it open and pulled out a folded up piece of parchment.
“My dearest Aurora,” I read out loud, running my fingers over the indented calligraphy.
I turned it over and questioned how old it must have been. The parchment was stiff, the color of creamed caramel, and sealed by wax. So strange, it was the prettiest red color—like the color of drying blood—and had intertwining dragons. They crossed at the tail and neck with mouths wide open revealing two gleaming sets of teeth. In between them was a round object, a stone maybe? My thoughts flew to my dreams and the glowing blue eyes.
I hated to break the seal, but couldn’t contain myself any longer. When I pulled the paper out, a key clanged on the table. It was gold and had a three-digit number on it.
I looked up at Fenn who took it from me and began inspecting it. As I unfolded the letter, careful not to rip the fragile parchment, I read aloud:
My dearest Aurora,
Your destiny is not as far off as you
think. After all, you were named after
the goddess of morning—a new dawn is
what you are. You will bring change to
many a life.
The key that is enclosed is for a security deposit box. In that box lie clues
to your return home. It’s the beginning
to finding out who you really are. And
what you’re capable of.
No matter what, I want you to have
a choice. Remember that you can choose your own destiny, no matter the cost. That is why I sent you to where you are now-to escape those who disagree. No one can take that from you.
My love and protection is always with you…
As my lips read the last word out loud, a tiny fire started at the corner of the paper. I reacted by letting go, but before it could hit the table, the paper singed completely, the faint ashes drifting off as if the letter never was.
Wow.
I looked up at Fenn and for once I had nothing to say. Could this be from my birth mother? Why would she wait so long to give this to me? What was I escaping? So someone else knows about my powers? My mind was racing with the possibilities of finding my birth parents. “Well, I know what’s next,” he said eagerly. “What?” I asked