I smile and rea.s.sure him, "I do that for all my Facebook friends."

As we make our way through Pyron, the sounds that surround us get more and more threatening. The menacing gray skies give way to night and what was difficult to see in daylight is now impossible to make out.

"We need to stop Marcus," Ameana says.

"No, we should keep going."

"We can't see anything."

"She's right. Even Wolf's Para powers are no match for this kind of night," Rio says.

"That's because it's a devil's night. That means it's a night made by Lucy herself. Well, at least that's what I read," Isabelle says.

"Thank you, Library," Jay snaps.

I whisper to Marcus that the team looks like they need to recharge. He reluctantly agrees.

"We need to find a spot where we can hide. I don't want to think about what kind of creatures are lurking around here," he says.

"I can help you with shelter," Tony responds. He goes into his knapsack and takes out a small liquid vial.

"This black liquid is called a Cob. It's a pop-up hideaway. Just drip a few drops on the ground and a camouflaged cave springs up. It holds up to ten beings. This is one of my best sellers. Demons use it to hid from well...you guys."

Tony drops a few drops on the ground and instantly a large cave pops ups. I am a.s.sured that just like the map in my eyes, the only reason I can see the tent is because I know it's there. We enter and are surprised to find how vast it is.

Tony tells us it can also block sound from reaching the outside. He says we can stay here for a few hours. But he warns us to be careful and remember that we can be seen once we leave the confines of the Cob.

"Us food-dependent beings have to stick together," Tony says, handing me a granola bar. Like humans, Sellers do in fact need to eat in order to live. I thank him and unwrap it.

Looking around the cave, everyone looks worried and tired. It then occurs to me that even with Wolf here, the Angels are exposed to an unusual amount of darkness. It does make them weaker much faster.

A few feet away from me I can hear Jay swearing to Isabelle that he will do whatever it takes to find out how she "rigged" the Truth stones. She replies that he may need to join some kind of twelve-step program so he can gain control over his flirting "addiction."

Across the cave from Isabelle and Jay are Ameana and Wolf. I can't hear what he has said to her but she laughs. It was so spontaneous, it even surprised her. She looks up at him but breaks the connection abruptly. At the end of the cave, the Twins look still and peaceful laying down on the floor recharging.

It takes a few minutes but finally everyone in the cave is resting. Well, that is of course except for Marcus. Since I confessed to wanting to kill myself a few hours ago, Marcus has been trying to find every possible way to avoid talking to me.

"You okay?" I ask quietly.

"Fine. Sleep," he says in his First Guardian voice. I hate when he takes that tone with me. It means I've really p.i.s.sed him off.

"You don't seem okay," I say gently.

"Well, I am," he snaps. He heads out of the Cob. I follow.

"What are you doing? Get back in there," he whispers, careful not to wake the others.

"I came because you're mad and I thought we should talk."

"Talk about what?"

"You know what."

"Oh, you mean about how you were planning on ending your life?"

"Yes."

"Why? It's no big deal. In fact, that sounds like a great idea."

"Don't be like that Marcus?"

"Tell me, how were you planning on doing it?"

"I don't want to do this with you."

"Tell me, how you were planning to do it?"

"What does it matter now? I changed my mind."

"The point is you were going to do it."

"Yes, okay? I was. My mother was brutally murdered in our own home. She was everything I had. So, yes, I was going to take my life. I'm sorry if I'm not as strong as Marcus Cane."

"You really don't understand what is it you have, do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're alive. Do you know how many of us Guardians would give up our wings if it meant that we get to live again?"

"Look I-"

"How dare you even think about taking your life? What kind of heartless little girl are you?"

"I am not a little girl and you need to watch how you talk to me!"

"Oh, so I can't raise my voice to you but you can end your life?"

"I am not gonna do it anymore, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is you're selfish. You have everyone's love: the team, The Sage, Ben, your uncle and me. And you were just going to leave us? You were going to leave me?

His tone is so wounded, it cuts through me. I lean in close and brush the side of his face with my fingers.

"I'm sorry."

"You have only one job as a human: Hold on. That's it. When life gets terrifying, cruel and unbearable, hold on. Death will come soon enough."

"I know."

"NO, Emmy. You don't know. I died. I died

. And what no one tells you when you're human is this: So long as there is breath in your body, nothing is that bad. Nothing. You must remember that."

"Okay."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

Marcus pulls me in to kiss me but instead he throws me to the ground. Confused, I look up and see a ma.s.sive fire spring up where I stood just moments ago.

The air is filled with Fire Swans. The only way to make them out is by the stream of fire they are hurling at us from above. Marcus calls on the team and everyone rushes out to us.

The Fire Swans take off furiously after us. We run through the woods as fast as we can. Jay manages to confuse some of them by Gliding in circles. But the rest can't seem to be distracted. They cut through the trees like skilled creatures of the sky. The sea of fire rages on behind us as we run for our lives.

No longer having a choice in the matter, the team takes to the air to battle the Fire Swans. Marcus grabs one by the neck. It furiously struggles against Marcus's hold. The Swan is able to break away and send an inferno of flames after Marcus. The blast hits Marcus in the face and he goes flying uncontrollably into the night sky.

Seeing that Marcus's end is near, the Fire Swan swoops down to finish the job. Wolf skillfully harnesses a white surge of power between his hands and hurls it at the Fire Swan. The Swan is able to dodge it in time, but Marcus uses that window to get up from the ground and take to the air.

The Fire Swan seems really angry about having lost its chance to kill Marcus. It takes to the air more determined than ever to kill its prey. But this time, Marcus is able to overpower the creature. The First Guardian pulls it apart. It cries out and then disappears in a ball of flames.

Meanwhile, a Fire Swan narrowly misses deep frying Isabelle. Jay spots her and tackles the swan out to get her. Ameana comes to their rescue as more and more Swans invade the area. The Twins coordinate an attack by luring one the Swans away and having Wolf blitz them from behind.

Many of the morbid trees are now engulfed in flames. I try to run to safety but before I can move, I hear the ma.s.sive tree beside me giving way. I know it's gonna come straight down on me. I squeeze my eyes shut like a two-year-old wishing away monsters from under the bed.

But there's no heat rising from my flesh. There's no sound of bones breaking under ma.s.sive weight. I look up and there he is, securing me in his arms as we soar into the sky. I exhale, nearly dizzy from relief.

"Cutting it kind of close, First Guardian."

"I had time," he smiles and sets me down away from the battle.

My relief is short-lived as I realize that Tony is nowhere around. I call out his name over and over again. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot him being dragged off by one of the Fire Swans.

I look around for something to hit the Swan with but I find nothing. Then I spot the knapsack that Tony brought with him. I run over to it but I don't know what any of the vials are for. I'm worried I could end up doing more harm than good by using them.

Then I find the plant that Isabelle said was a paralyzing agent at the bottom of the knapsack. I grab the rock with the sharpest edge, pound the plant until the liquid seeps out, and dig it into the Swan's wings before he can take to the air again.

He drops Tony and turns to me. The bird lashes out and hurls a lake of fire at me. Thankfully the liquid from the plant takes effect immediately; the Fire Swan is paralyzed mid-fire.

I go over and check on Tony. He tells me he's okay. When I look back, all the Fire Swans are either dead or fleeing. Exhausted, I lay down on the ground and try and catch my breath.

"Fire Swans don't come into the Pyron. They normally live in the castle," Isabelle informs us.

"What does that mean?" Tony asks.

"It means Kairo knows we're here."

CHAPTER TEN: INTO THE WOODS.

Off in the distance we can make out the castle overhead. But Isabelle tells us that it's still at least half a day away. The team discussed taking to the sky since Kairo already knew we were here, but they decided to stay on the ground since it provided more cover. This news doesn't sit well with Marcus. He asks if there is a faster route. She tells him no matter what, this is the only path to get to Kairo.

Just before night falls once again, I decide to take a walk. Actually Marcus insists I stay no more than two yards away, so it not really a walk. It's more like take a step outside, then hear him scold me for taking that step.

As I head back from my "long stroll" I notice the most bizarre flower blooming between the cracks of a rock. This amazes me because it's the first pretty thing I've encountered since we came to Pyron. It's a flower with black and white polka dot petals. I pluck it out of the ground and inhale its scent; it smells like orange blossoms with a hint of spice.

Finding the only thing of beauty in this awful place makes me smile. And suddenly it occurs to me to try and make the best of this situation. After all, I'm with my boyfriend, I'm still alive and sooner or later, Marcus and I will be together. Yes, there will actually come a time somewhere in the week and a half that we have left, where I will be alone with this hottie and no one will stop that from happening.

As I near the cave, I find Jay and Isabelle on guard duty. I think the two of them would make a great couple. Finally, Jay meets a girl who calls him on his issues. Jay's such a sweet guy and Isabelle is awesome. More importantly, Jay needs someone who won't be putty in his hands, like I am when he calls me "baby girl."

"I never got the chance to say thank you for...ya know," I hear Isabelle confess.

"Thank me for what?" Jay asks.

"For saving me from the Fire Swan. That was...maybe you're not too bad."

"Wow, you suck at apologies."

"You're not making it easy."

"Why should I? You've been judging me since we met."