Free In Embers (The Ember Series Book 3) by Madison Daniel

knew.
    “Yes. What do I do?” I asked, and let out a huge gasp of air.
    Uncle Frank walked up to me and sat down, shoulder to shoulder. “Trust the pain.”
    “Huh?”
    “Trust her.”
    “You mean my mother?”
    “Yes.”
    “But, I can’t…”
    “Sure you can. I did.”
    “What does that mean?” I asked, blankly.
    “You’ll see, my boy. But for now, remember your light. It is only dark because you let it be.”
    “Uncle, stop talking like a fortune cookie and tell me what to do. I need you.”
    “You need…her…”
    “Who? Her who? My mom? Asia? Sam? Who?” I begged him, but it was too late. His smoky shadow faded back to nothing, leaving me grimacing in front of my confused mother. “Uncle, please…who are you talking about?”
    From the back of my mind I heard only four more words.
    “She needs you too.”
    Just then, my mother’s hand fell on mine. “Max, are you all right?”
    “Huh,” I said, dazed.
    “Please don’t shut me out. I am trying here. Please don’t ignore me.”
    I realized I had been sitting here talking with my uncle’s ghost , but she didn’t see that. To her I must have looked like a crazy person, staring off into the window.
    “Max?” she asked, shaking my hand, slightly.
    “Mom…” I spoke easily.
    “Yes,” she said.
    “Take me to Asia…please.” I waited for her to fight my request. I thought for sure she’d want to discuss every painful detail of our lost relationship.
    But ins tead, she nodded to me and said, “Okay.”
     
    Fifteen minutes later we were both rounding the corner of the road, heading directly for the last place I wanted to go…the hospital. My mother had spent those fleeting minutes telling me all about the journey she and Asia had been on. She explained how Asia had tracked her down one fateful afternoon with little Madison in tow. Asia knew that my mother would never believe her story without proof, without Madison. Once my mom had seen Madi’s face she knew everything Asia had told her was real. My uncontrollable powers, the love triangle between her, Sam, and I. The newborn baby that was her granddaughter. The help that Asia needed. Asia told her all my adventures since she had been gone. As I digested all of this info, my heart sunk as we pulled into the guest parking lot of the hospital.
    “Is Asia okay?” I asked, winded from her speech.
    “That depends.”
    “On what?”
    “Asia loves you, Son. Completely. I’ve seen it. She would go to the ends of the Earth for you. She would die for you.” My mother seemed to really have a kindred spirit with Asia. It unnerved me a little.
    “And?” I asked, impatiently.
    “How far would you go for her?” she asked.
    “What are you asking me?” I blurted out offended.
    “You asked me if she was okay, well, that depends on you. Room 214, second floor.” She pointed for me to get out of the vehicle. I resisted at first, absorbing her words for another painful moment. “Go, Max. She needs you.”
    Her words vibrated inside my chest. Almost the exact same words that Frank had said earlier. I took a deep breath and exited the car.
    Looking back at my mother, I said, “I would die for her too.”
    Wit hout missing a beat, she smiled. “Tell her that.”
    And with that, it was clear how strongly my mother felt about Asia. My elemental partner-in-crime. My other half. My burning heart. That realization humbled me. I walked into the hospital and made my way to her room.
    Standing at the door of her room, I froze. Literally. Not from fear, not from the spinning nerves in my belly, but from actual cold. It was freezing outside her door. That didn’t make sense, it was over 90 degrees on the island today. I opened the door and stepped in quietly.
    “Asia…” I whispered, and a small trail of chilly smoke tickled from my lips into the air in front of my face. It was like an icebox in her room. I stepped in , but was stopped immediately by a small girl with determined eyes as cold as