It was Maddy’s nose that tipped him off something was wrong. Smoke and something Strange burned his nostrils and roused him from sleep.

  “Dee…” He spoke softly, not yet awake enough to realize the danger he was in. “Did you leave something on the stove?”

  “Dee?” He sat up and sucked in a breath of smoke. Heat clawed at the walls of his lungs, forcing his eyes open and making him cough uncontrollably.

  She moaned curling into the blanket. “No, don’t blame me for something you most definitely burned.”

  He was about to scold her when the snapping of wood and something large crashing onto the first floor made his entire body seize.

  She popped her head up from the blanket, eyes wide she said, “What the hell was that?”

  Blood pounded in his ears as he scrambled to the bedroom door and found smoke seeping through the crack, filling the room in a thick haze. He kicked the door open and smacked his hand over his mouth to stop himself from sucking in another gulp of smoky air. His eyes widened and watered as the sudden onslaught of heat burned his face.

  Flames licked the walls and ceiling of the hallway, the carpet melted into the wood beneath it, and the scent of burning furniture made his head swim. All of the artifacts Mrs. And Dr. Tarkirk ever collected was either reduced to ash or cracked and melted.

  Dee screamed from beside him, “Daddy! Help us!”

  “Help!” He cried out but the raging flames stifled his voice. “Help!” He repeated as the fire crawled across the ceiling like it was soaked in gasoline.

  What answered the call was neither Dee’s father nor mother. Smoke blurred his vision, but he was able to make out the outline of a man and then, a small ball of flame forming in his hand. He squinted unsure if all the monoxide he was inhaling was making him hallucinate.

  Realization dawned on him, just as the flame was released, heading straight for Dee. He gritted his teeth, pushing her away from the door, and grabbing the door handle. Just as he shut it, there was a terrifying crack, and the wood split inches away from his face.

  Pain radiated from his hand as he grabbed her desk chair and shoved it under the handle to lock the door and buy them some time. He just healed it.

  “A little gentler next time, will you?” Dee scowled taking his hand and rubbing her temple at the same time.

  “Sorry, I didn’t want your face to melt off.” He coughed out. “We need to get out of here.”

  She looked up at him with fear filling her eyes, “Wait my parents.”

  The door jiggled and then creaked.

  “What time is it?” He glanced out the window. The sun was barely above the horizon and gave the illusion of a hopeful bright day. “They probably went to work.” They were always out the door before the sun came up. She didn’t move and he pushed her aside once more heading for the window and their only escape, but before he could slide open it opened, the glass shattered.

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  He used his body to shield Dee from the flying shards, small fragments of glass slicing his skin. The sudden gust of air encouraged the fire to swell through the bedroom door. He opened his eyes to see Dee still had hers closed.

  He shook her, “Dee? Are you alright? Dee?”

  The handle began to melt and it was only a matter of seconds before it would fall to the floor and they’d be exposed to whoever was on the other side.

  Maddy’s stomach dropped. It was the hunter. They must have followed him and Dee to her house. Greyson said he would do this, but he didn’t listen. He didn’t listen and now Dee was in danger because of him. He squeezed Dee tight enough that it should’ve woken her and tried to reach for the noose around his heart like he had when he was attacked in the park, but he couldn’t feel anything there now.

  “Dee, please wake up,” He buried his face into the top of her hair. He was all out of ideas. What else was he supposed to do? Tears streaked down his face. He needed her to tell him what to do. He rocked her body back and forth “Please, please.”

  The door busted open, breaking from its hinges, smacking to the ground, blowing ash and smoke into their faces.

  Standing in front of him, covered in soot, was a creature that looked like he was born from the ashes of stardust. His piercing silver eyes lacked their usual mirth replaced with by a controlled anger.

  “Greyson!” He called out, “Dee’s not waking up! And the hunter’s here!“

  “I didn’t see anyone else.” Greyson plucked Dee from his arms, like a bee off a rose, and placed her gently on the bed. “If he was here, he left.” Grabbing a sheet from the makeshift bed in the closet, he wrapped it around Maddy, blood seeped through the fabric.

  “What are you doing?” He asked as Greyson scooped him into his arms. “I’m fine. I’ll follow you out. Just get Dee.”

  “The stairs are fucked,” He said looking at the window and smashing it further to fit them. “We’re going have to jump out.”

  “Not me! Get Dee! Get Dee!” Maddy repeated over and over as Greyson pressed him against his hard chest and jumped out into the night.

  When Greyson’s feet hit the ground, Maddy immediately elbowed him in the chest. The impact sent vibrations up his arm, but he bit back the pain and continued to fight until he wrestled himself free from the sheet and Greyson.

  The grass beneath his feet was wet with early morning dew and magic swirled around his ankles. It had been years since the earth responded to him like this, but he barely acknowledged it, his mind and body solely focused on getting Dee out of the house.

  He shouldered the front door, bursting it open and burning his skin in the process. Just as Greyson said, the fire had roared through the first floor, destroying the staircase. He spotted the couch, dodged the flames that licked at his feet, and jumped on the arm of the fragile piece of furniture, His nails, now sharp claws dug into the melted carpet and wood, etching deep grooves into the floor.

  “Dee!” He choked out trying to kick his feet up and push his body up against the hot surface. “Dee! You have to wake up!”

  Blackness clouded his vision. But he refused to stop trying to reach her, even as Greyson grabbed his leg and pulled him back down. He refused to believe that this was how things were going to end. That he led the hunter straight to her.

  “We have to go!” Greyson called out over the fire. “Before that hunter comes back. It’s not her he’s after. It’s you.”

  “Greyson, please!” Maddy begged as he carried him out of the house. The sounds of sirens echoed down the street. The fire department would be here in minutes, but at the rate the fire was roaring through the house, they could arrive too late.

  A new batch of tears streaked down his face, they were cooler than his face and felt like tiny shards of glass scraping against his hot skin. His voice was barely audible burned from smoke, “Save… Save her.”

  But he didn’t listen to him. Instead, Greyson pressed him close to his chest as he ran hard against the pavement, carrying him farther and farther from the only person he called family.

  Every part of him burned and ached, and as he closed his eyes he thought of moths their paper-thin wings and blinding devotion to fire.