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

winter. She studied me from behind a shiny mop of black hair with her hands held out in front of her. The air before me was cold enough to cause instant frostbite. My skin erupted in the largest goose bumps I had ever seen.
    “Stop!” she warned, in a breaking voice. She looked to be only six or seven years old, give or take.
    “Hello, I’m Max,” I said, with my teeth already chattering. She stepped into me and her balled hands dug into the pit of my belly. My thin shirt offered no protection as my stomach muscles twisted in agony.
    “Max?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at Asia lying in her bed. Asia slowly nodded toward her, and the icy bodyguard stepped backwards, lowering her hands. The cold faded away just enough to feel almost normal again.
    “Neat trick,” I smiled down at the mysterious girl. She wrinkled her nose and stood next to Asia who was now trying to sit up in her bed. She was hurt. Badly it seemed, by the way she was moving.
    “I thought you said he’d be burning. I felt no fires. I felt no heat at all!” the little girl pouted with her arms crossed.
    “Settle yourself, King. He’s like me right now…broken,” Asia whispered, in pain. I stepped closer to her and the softest of thunder rumbled outside her hospital window. “But trust me, you’ll see his fires…they’re still in there.”
    “Asia,” I said, beginning to reach for her. King interrupted me though.
    “You were right. He did come.” She forced a crooked smile up at me.
    I stole a glance back at Asia and she looked at me with her piercing blue eyes. They looked weak , but beautiful. Still, they were my salvation.
    “Are you okay? What’s going on?” I asked, leaning down toward her face.
    “Max…” she sighed.
    I reached down and found her hands. They were covering her stomach and side. Under them lay tight bandages that wrapped around her haunting hourglass frame.
    “I’ll be fine,” she grimaced.
    Worried, I asked, “What happened?”
    “There was a bit of a hiccup in Dubai.”
    “Is that where you found Sam?”
    “Yes, that’s where Avery took her. That’s where I rescued her.” She looked down at King and smiled. “Among others.” The girl smiled back her way. I didn’t understand, but I figured I’d worry about that later. I stepped past the miniature bodyguard and carefully slid into the bed next to Asia. She resisted at first, but with a painful wince she gave in. I knew she still cared about me. Lightning flickered at the window and the young girl fidgeted with excitement.
    “I’ve missed you,” she barely said out loud. She was scared to say it. She was scared of me. I had never seen her so open, so soft. My hand instinctively found its way along her cheek and for a split second I was embarrassed that there was no fiery heat coming from my touch, but quickly that faded. She didn’t seem to mind and leaned against my touch. I pulled her head up and let myself fall into her stare.
    “I’m here,” I said.
    Her eyes teased mine, and she whispered, “Good.”
     
    My forehead gently came to rest against hers, and I said, “Tell me everything.”

     
    ELEVEN: STITCHES
     
     
    ~ The Only Exception: Paramore ~
     
    Hours passed and Asia explained everything that had happened since she had been on the road. Finding and enlisting the help of my mother, the search for Sam, and the deadly escape. She only glanced over the young girls she had freed and I wasn’t sure why she was being so protective of them with me, but I didn’t push the subject. She had her reasons, I would respect them.
    All her talking had weakened her so much I thought she may fall asleep from exhaustion. With a kiss to her forehead I excused myself from her room. She fought me at first , but I promised I would be right back with something to eat.
    “Don’t be too long,” Asia barely said, with her eyes almost completely closed.
    “No worries.” I popped out the hospital door and quickly found the cafeteria. There