Ignited (38 page)

Henry tugged her backward, toward the house. “How on earth did you manage to create that circle of fire?”

She blushed. “I honestly have no idea. I’m not sure I could do it again if I tried.”

“It was amazing. You’re amazing.”

Ruth felt shaky, jittery inside her own skin—but in a way she was slowly coming to associate with Henry, with the way he made her feel. She loved him. Soon, they would be each other’s by marriage. For now, she wanted to be each other’s in a completely different way.

“Take me to bed,” she said as they crossed the threshold into Henry’s home. Their home.

He took her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. “Absolutely.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Ruth

Hours later, Ruth was in her slip, curled up against Henry’s still-naked torso. He peppered kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders, and she grinned into her pillow.

“Let’s never leave this bed again,” she suggested, smiling wider when she felt his laughter against her skin.

“If only. It would be nice if we could make a career out of doing nothing but this.” His hand trailed up the length of her spine. He groaned a bit as he moved to encircle her body with his own. “I do have to go back to the clinic tomorrow. I’m surprised Mrs. McClure hasn’t beaten down the door to make sure we’re not dead.”

“You know how this town is,” Ruth replied. “News travels fast. I’m sure everyone knows about my little stunt by now.”

It didn’t bother her, to have other people know the truth. Her powers were a source of pride, not of shame. They had saved her life. They had saved Henry’s. They had brought her to the Independents. They were her gift, her little miracle.

“I need to start taking care of things for my grandfather,” Henry added, his voice low and tinged with sadness. “The legal stuff, I mean. But I also want to get to the bottom of these blood test results, figure out what the BBC does, and how it changed you. All of you.” He sighed. “I might need to go to Denver for a few days, work on this myself.”

“Could I come?”

His lips were on her neck again, soft and wonderful. “Like I could manage without you.”

Though his words were teasing, there was still an air of sadness there. The wound from his grandfather’s death was going to grieve him for a long time, she could tell.

“He was so proud of you,” Ruth said suddenly. She flipped around so they faced each other. “I know he was.”

Henry gave her a sad half-smile as he reached up to brush her hair behind her ear. “Thanks for that saying that.” A frown flitted across his face. “He was saying something strange, at the end. Made me promise not to help ‘them.’”

Ruth frowned. “‘Them’ who?”

“I don’t know. Probably just some sort of thing he was hallucinating.” Henry shrugged. “I am glad I was there with him. I’m glad he wasn’t alone.”

Ruth slipped her arms around Henry and drew him close so his head rested on her chest. “I’m sure he was glad for that, too.”

“Love you,” he mumbled into her skin, taking the comfort she was offering.

Things were not perfect, but suddenly, Ruth saw with absolute clarity that they were good,
really
good, and they always would be.

The knock at the door proved her wrong a moment later.

June stood on the porch, deathly pale. Her usually coiffed hair was a mess, and as she worried a hand through it, it was easy to see why. She couldn’t even manage a smile—and June was almost always able to manage a smile.

“Everyone’s heard,” June said as soon as the door was fully open. “About what happened with your father. Ruth—you
hurt
him.”

Henry pushed his way in front of her, glowering. “What, like he never hurt her? You know how it was, June. And she barely touched him. He was more scared than anything.”

“I’m not saying he didn’t deserve it,” June huffed. She looked to Ruth, her expression turning pleading. “But everyone is all up in arms. People are treating it like it was some kind of … declaration of war. They’re calling some big town meeting so they can decide what to
do
with us.”

Ruth’s heart beat double time in her chest. What had she started?

“If anyone declared war, it was that church,” Henry snapped. “They cornered her! Edward put a knife to my throat to manipulate her!” Henry stepped into his shoes by the front door, his words coming out in a barrage. “And they would have kidnapped her and starved her to death, if she hadn’t defended herself!”

“I’m not the one you should be trying to convince!” June snapped back. She flinched and took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. I”m just so worried about Ivan.” Her voice wavered. “So many people still think it was the Soviets, and they’ve been looking for any reason to burn the Sokolovs at the stake. I can’t stop thinking about what could happen—”

Ruth wrapped June in a hug, squeezing tightly. “I know you’re scared. We’ll figure it out, all right?” 

She pulled back to see tears glistening on June’s cheeks. She brushed them away. “Don’t cry. Most of the people who believe it
wasn’t
the Soviets think I’m a demon.” It startled a small laugh out of June, which was better than Ruth had dared to hope for. 

“There have to be some level-headed people left in this town,” Ruth said. “We’ll find them, and we’ll convince them.”

The town hall was packed with bodies. It looked like every citizen in Independence Falls had come to have their opinions heard. The overflow left most people outside the building, filling in on the steps, circling all around the square.

Ruth kept her hand firmly in Henry’s as they crossed the square, following behind after June. The crowd went silent as they passed, parting for them without anyone saying a word. Ruth could feel their stares on her, making her want to bow forward under their weight.

She refused. Henry squeezed her hand, and his support gave her the strength to walk with her head high and her back straight.

For all the crowds outside the door, the three of them made it in with ease. No one questioned them as they bypassed the queue and went straight up the stairs and into the building. They had only just entered when Ivan fought through the scrum of people to June’s side. She melted into his arms. He murmured something to her, and took her into his arms when she shook her head. Ruth looked away, giving them their privacy.

He wasn’t locked up then. That was encouraging. The flood of angry stares … less so.

The town hall was ornately built, with marble floors and columns that were supposed to mimic Greek architecture. Lady Justice, blinded and holding scales, was carved in relief on either side of the doors that led to the main court room, the largest room available.

The four of them entered, fighting their way forward. The balcony above the courtroom was packed, but it was nothing compared to the room itself. There were wooden seats in two long blocks, with a long aisle between them. Each seat was filled, and the aisle was clogged with people. At the far end, many of the Independents were gathered, talking quietly and urgently among themselves. She spotted both the Briggs brothers, Cora, Meg, Matt Harris, and Teddy Dickinson. And more, standing behind them. Worry was etched on every face.

Nearby, Galina and Abram Sokolov stood with their oldest son, Kostya. The three of them stood with their backs straight, staring out into the crowd. Ruth had never said a word to them, and now …. Were they to be harmed because of her?

Henry tugged her close to him, and when she looked up, his mouth was set in a grim line. He started to say something when a large rumble shook the room. Everyone hushed, glancing around as if they could figure out what had just happened. The moment of silence stretched until one person broke it, then another, and another, until the whole place was clamoring once again.

“This is chaos!” Henry had to shout to be heard over the sound of hundreds of voices talking in unison.

She nodded. “I’m going to go stand with the Independents.”

He studied her face for a moment before leaning in so he could press his forehead against hers. “It’s going to be fine, Ruth. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“This is all my fault,” she whispered, not even sure he could hear her above the roar of the crowd. “If Ivan and his family are punished—”

“They won’t be. You won’t be. You’ll see.”

Ruth pulled back before he could say anything else, joining the other Independents at the front before her heart beat out of her chest.

Where they angry at her for causing this?

“What’s going on?” she asked as she approached.

Clayton looked up, relief clear on his face. “Ruth, we heard what happened.” His arm was wrapped securely around Cora’s waist. “We’re all so glad you’re okay.”

Relief broke in her like a dam, and suddenly Ruth’s eyes felt wet. “I’m so sorry—”

“None of that,” Cora broke in, smiling gently. “We’ll get through this.”

There was a banging sound, everyone in the crowd hushed. Mayor Watkins-Price stood at the front of the room, hair white and, as always, neatly styled. Instead of her usual smile, though, she was grimacing.

“It has come to my attention,” she said, starting slowly and building momentum as she spoke. “That things have once again gotten out of hand with those among us who have developed certain ….” He struggled to find the word. “Abilities. Several congregants of the Lamb of God church stormed my office today, demanding action. A town meeting seemed justified.”

The clamor of hundreds of people talking at once washed over the room in drowning waves, and Mayor Watkins-Price raised her hands. She was a small woman, but her authority silenced the room.

“I want to make this clear: This is not a witch hunt. We are not here to assign blame—”

“It was the Soviets!” Someone shouted clearly from the back, and the crowd exploded. 

Ruth shot a look toward Ivan and June, who stood with the Sokolovs. They still hadn’t reacted, though Ruth could see the fear in the way Galina clutched her husband’s arm.

When the murmurs began to die, another voice rang out: “I saw her use fire. She is a
demon!
” The shouting and fighting started all over again.

Nothing productive was happening. Ruth felt anger churning inside of her. How could everyone who had stood by for years as her father abused her
now
suddenly care about what she could or could not do?

“I have to say something,” she said to Cora. “I caused this mess when I used my powers like I did, and I need to fix it.”

Cora shook her head. “That’s a bad idea, Ruth.”

“No, it’s the only way. I have to—”

There was a clatter, and a large commotion as someone let out a piercing scream. The room turned in unison to see Gail Goodman, standing in the doorway, covered head to toe in splatters of blood.

“Someone, come quick!” She screamed the words as loudly as she could. “My husband is trapped on the pass! There’s been a rock slide!”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she fainted.

The person beside Gail caught her, a look of alarm on his face. The entire hall burst into frenzy, groups of panicked people stampeding toward the doors. Someone screamed in Ruth’s ear, and she winced as she was pushed straight into Teddy’s side. He slung an arm around her shoulder to keep her upright.

“Ruth!” Henry was calling her, but she couldn’t see over the heads of the people rushing by her.

Teddy’s grip tightened. “I’ve got her! I’ll get her out!”

The doors out to the lobby were clogged with people fighting to get out, and all around her, people began pushing and shoving, trying to get back to the square. The pass was the only way out of town—if the slide was bad, if the road was destroyed …. How long would they be stuck in town, cut off from the world?

The press of everyone around her made the large room feel small, and Ruth could hardly breathe. Her lungs couldn’t expand in her chest. Everything was too close, everyone was too scared.

Teddy pulled her forward, and suddenly they were in the lobby and spilling out onto the front steps. It was pandemonium before them. Those who hadn’t made it into the hall for the meeting had seen Mrs. Goodman run by them, streaked with blood, and had already taken off for the pass on foot. The sky was rapidly darkening. They were on the wrong side of sunset for a rescue mission, but that didn’t stop anyone from going.

“How far in is the rock slide?” Someone to her right shouted.

“Near the river, south of the Sokolov farm—about a mile!”

Behind her, Ruth heard Clayton swear. “We need to go help. Maybe we can do something.”

Ruth whipped around to look at him, her head fuzzy from the mental whiplash of the past few moments. “But after what I did—”

He grabbed her shoulders. “We have to, Ruth. We might be able to help better than the average citizen.” 

Clayton straightened. He backed up, reaching out his hand for Cora, who was there without thinking. They turned and started to follow the crowd on the road out of the town, toward the pass. Teddy hesitated by her side, frowning.

“Do you see Henry?” he asked, turning in circles. “If Bill Goodman is really hurt—”

At the moment someone lurched into her, and she yelped.

“It’s me!” Henry said in her ear, urging her toward the mass of moving people. “I checked on Gail before I came outside. She said Bill’s unconscious and his car is trapped under a rock. We need to go!”

Off to the right, a truck blared its horn. Ivan yelled for them, and Henry and Ruth jumped into the cab with June. Teddy, Clayton, and Cora scrambled into the bed. Leaning on the horn, Ivan picked his way through the crowd and then put his foot down.

The crowd only thinned a little as they made their way down the road. Headlights caught each twist and curve of the road. Ruth turned in her seat to look behind—a stream of cars and trucks followed them up the pass. Nothing seemed out of place or odd until they cut around the corner, where the pass began to wind through the mountains, the river rushing hundreds of feet below.