The Incorruptible Bond

Chapter 8

The day started like any other for Ember, lest the tiny factor of her dad being less cheery and talkative be included. She was woken up and a large breakfast was prepared by her and her father, the main ingredient being sausage links. Although he stayed silent, Ember and her dad performed a dance of sorts, moving around each other to perform the tasks of cooking the meat, frying the eggs and adding butter and jam to the toasted bread.

After clearing the plates from the countertop, Ember made her way back to her room to bundle up. She hated the cold, despised it with her entire being. She dressed herself in jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, both a thin and thicker jacket, fuzzy socks and brought along a scarf and wool hat just in case. Before she left her room, Em made sure she pulled the charm of her necklace out of the layers, so that it was visible on top.

Arriving at school she was contemplating staying in the car forever. With the heater turned up and the seat warmers on, Ember was content where she was. Her dad's phone ringing pulled her out of her warm haze and he took one glance at the phone before sternly throwing a, "Get out," her way and answering the call.

Ember scrambled out of the car. She didn't know how to take this new side of her father, he had always been so fun. That was, until she mentioned meeting Aurora. It's all her fault dad doesn't like me anymore. she thought with a curled lip. Then she caught sight of her friends and scampered towards them.

With her whole life spent smiling, it was easy to cover this one day of unhappiness up. "Hey Ember!" Her friend Leven said when she came over to the group. "Have you heard about the break-ins?"

Ember was perplexed. "What? No, what break-ins?" She could count on her group to give the latest news and drama. However, they all started talking over each other, making it difficult to understand.

"All over the country-"

"Even on different continents-"

"A mysterious Bounty Hunter-"

"Hundreds of break-ins-"

"Nothing taken or broken-"

"Whoa!" She exclaimed, throwing both hands up. Ember winced when pain throbbed through one wrist. "Is it a threat to us?"

"Shouldn't be," Devon, Leven's brother, replied. "Although they haven't had a break-in in a whole week, which is uncommon for The Hunter."

"Just be on the lookout," Leven said as she hooked her arm through Ember's when the bell rang. Making it to class on time, Ember heaved a mental sigh remembering that she had to sit next to Aurora. This'll be fun, she thought sarcastically.

The rest of the day passed unenthusiastically. Ember continued to sneak looks at Aurora, quickly looking away when she thought she had been spotted. There was something about the white haired girl that made a mess of her brain. Like they should be friends, or have been for a while, yet just needed to catch up on the latest news. It was preposterous!

The next day was no better. Her father had an angry cloud blocking his whole thought process and he kept mumbling things in a heated self argument. Her friends were even more chatty about the break-ins and only now did a sudden fear strike through her as one student's comment posed the idea of The Bounty Hunter in the nearby area. Ember was deep in thought and she barely had time to react before someone in the hallways came to a dead stop and she fell over with them.

"Argh!" Em slipped out. The fall had quite taken her by surprise and she focused her unamused eyes on her unwanted company.

While arguing over who hit who, Aurora attempted to push off the ground, resulting in hiss of pain. Though the "Ow!" didn't come from the girl with bruises on her wrists.

It came from Ember.

Which made Ember that much more ablaze in hatred. "Why does my wrist hurt when it's not damaged?"

"I have no idea," Aurora replied and helped Ember to her feet. The hand-to-hand contact sent an unnerving heat flaming across her body. Ember pulled away an looked down, her eyes caught on a dark circle around Aurora's wrist.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Aurora answered quickly. Too quickly.

Ember narrowed her eyes. "Yes it was! Let me see."

Aurora tried to protest, but Ember wouldn't have it. She wanted, even felt that she needed, to see what she was hiding. Maybe she could help.

But as Aurora tore her arm away and refused to recount what had happened, Ember tried to put up another straight-faced guard. What had she been thinking? There was no way to help when help wouldn't be received.

She kept it until she got home, where she sat in her room until it was dark and the moon shone into her room through the window. I need to take a walk. She thought as she began her quiet escape. She rushed into the nearby woods, her only guide the bright light of the night.

Ember was feeling fine, relaxing in her quaint alone time until she heard the snap. Then one turned into a few. She froze, terror evident on her face. She risked a look back and saw dozens of glowing eyes staring. A low growl was all it took for Em to take off, in attempt to flee the wolves as black as ashes. She ran through the forest, twigs scraping her from head to toe.

She knew she was done, that she would need help if she were to survive. Ember sent a desperate plea to anyone listening, and her mind slowly drifted to a picture of Auri's face. What? No. She wouldn't help me.

That was her last thought before she felt herself falling, a thud racking through her bones and knocking her breathless. Ember squeezed her eyes shut tightly and prayed the growls from above would cease before it was too late.