Ink & Dagger (Sins of Eden #1)

Prologue

Emily

October, twenty years ago. Age 10

S peckles of ash and thick smoke filled my lungs as the fire raged all around us, spreading across the small living room and up the ivory curtains. A shiver spread throughout my body and I coughed as I choked on the air. The heat surrounding us was hot enough to blister and burn the flesh from our bones, but instead, all I felt was cold.

The light of the flames flickered and danced around the room like the bonfires that lit the night during our Litha celebration last night, but there was no joy or thanks to be given now.

Clutching Charlie closer to me, I wrapped her in my arms and squeezed my eyes shut, rocking us back and forth in a soothing motion and praying to the Triple Goddess that we would be okay. Loud sirens blared from afar, but all I could focus on were Charlie’s soft hiccups and the tears streaming down her cheeks as my mommy’s screams went silent.

I didn’t know where she was. She told me to take Charlie and hide in our favorite spot. That was the last I saw of her before the flames blocked our view. I wanted her to come find us. This wasn’t like the other games of hide-and-seek we played and it wasn’t fun anymore.

I tried to pull away from Charlie to climb out of the wardrobe, but she tightened her hold around my arm and dug her sharp fingernails into my skin. As she burrowed her face into my side, I relented and cradled her tighter.

There was no way out for us, but at least we were together.