Free From Burning Ashes (Collector Series #4) by Stacey Marie Brown Page A

before coolly sliding back to me. “You don’t just
stop working for Vadik, Zoey. I did what I had to do in the
circumstances given to me, but I got us out. I saved Ryker.
So don’t look at me like a righteous bitch. You have no idea what
I’ve had to do to survive.”
    I didn’t know what she had gone through in
her life, but I still didn’t think she stayed here because she
suddenly had a change of heart.
    “So what do you want?” My scuffed boots
nudged the tips of her stylish low-heeled booties. She was awful
for the ego. My scrubs and shoes fell flat at being intimidating,
especially compared to her black skinny jeans, chic shoes, tight
black tank top, and leather jacket. Her long hair was pulled up in
a perfect messy ponytail. She looked like the epitome of sexy
badass. I, on the other hand, was just an ass. “Let me guess. The
stone? Is that why you are here? You think Ryker will tell you
where—”
    “We all know you have it.” She cut me off.
“Let’s not insult anyone’s intelligence and pretend otherwise.”
    “That’s it then. You came for the stone.”
    She sighed, and her lids closed briefly over
her dark eyes. “Against everything you believe, Zoey, I’m not
completely evil. Ask the two men behind me. Both seemed to be fine
with me for decades… until you .”
    I tried to respond, but she continued
speaking.
    “You want the real truth?” She paused,
nibbling on her bottom lip. “I have nowhere to go.”
    My head jerked at her claim. I wasn’t ready
for her to show me anything but attitude.
    “I lost Regnus, the man who was like a father
to me. He was the only one who treated me with kindness growing up.
I’m running from Vadik as you all are. All I have is Ryker.
I’ve been with him far longer than you have. He has been my family.
Someone who actually cares about me.”
    “Seriously?” Croygen scoffed, throwing his
arms out, and stared up at the ceiling in bewilderment. “I only
endangered my life, my men’s lives, rescued you from Vadik, all
because I didn’t care about you?”
    “And Croygen,” she added.
    “Turning against the two people who, I have
no idea why, actually care about you, is the way you thank them?” I
demanded.
    Her lids narrowed on me. “I’m not going to
explain myself to you. I don’t care if you like me or not, but I’m
not leaving. You are just going to have to deal with it.”
    My neck craned over to Ryker. “You are going
to let her stay? After what she’s done?”
    “This is not going to be Ryker’s decision.”
Amara’s face lightened with a smug smile. “ You are going to want me to stay.”
    Laughter shot from my lips. “Are you kidding
me?”
    “No,” she said. “You got this all wrong. It’s
not what I want from you, it’s what you’ll need from me.” Amara
peered down at me with superiority.
    My lips hitched up in a snarl. “What could I
possibly want from you?”
    Her eyes glinted like she knew she had me. “I
know where Vadik is keeping those girls.”
    “What girls?”
    Ryker groaned, reaching for his head.
    Amara glanced back and forth between the two
of us, her expression elated. “He hasn’t told you.”
    “Hasn’t told me what?” I directed my question
over to Ryker. He hadn’t revealed much yet. And the fact Amara knew
information I was not privy to came with a gut punch.
    “That girl, Annabeth, you got all upset
about…let’s say Vadik is enjoying her profits at night along with
the rest of the girls who are either fighting or charming the men,
both human and fae.”
    My stomach sank, twisting into a pile of
sludge. “What is she talking about?” I searched Ryker’s face,
hoping she was making stuff up. But his frown gave him away.
    “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you.” Ryker
scratched his beard uneasily.
    “Tell me what exactly?”
    Ryker glanced at me warily. “Vadik may have
lost you the night of the fight when you jumped back to Peru, but
he came across something else instead. He realized