Ashes in Winter by K.M. Cannon

Author:K.M. Cannon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Studio 465
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

The ringing in Daniel’s ears was driving him crazy, as was the low buzzing. Light was the last thing to penetrate the dark haze he floated in. Finally, he took in a breath. His eyes widened as pain lanced through him.

His eyes widened, and then he stared in confusion at the ceiling.

The Provincial building’s ceiling had a similar pattern to the floor. This ceiling was basic drop ceiling, although the fluorescent lighting was off. Not that they had been on since the world went crazy.

He looked to one side, watching it snow outside the window.

The apartment building, built half into a rock, was visible outside.

Daniel looked around.

I’m in the Mayor’s office, he realized, and he tried to sit up.

“No, no, no,” said Victoria, as she moved into his range of vision from somewhere behind… above?… his head. “You’re still too injured to move around.”

“The others?” he asked, his voice rough.

“We lost five—one of them staff—the other four all good officers,” she answered, and he clenched his eyes closed. “Hey, no, there was no way any of us could have known. You were prudent. If you hadn’t thought to check, it could have been another place we would fight over floor by floor.”

“If not for Fitz’s warning…” his eyes opened again. “Fitz! She was there! She warned us! They took her somewhere.”

“If she’s been surviving between here and wherever Harnet has hidden himself without being captured before now,” said Victoria. “Then she is everything you said she is. Unfortunate they took her captive. Curious they did instead of killing her…”

A thread of worry wormed its way into the back of his mind. He wasn’t so naïve to think about what a group of men, if not perfect gentlemen, could do with a lone woman—even if Fitz was likely to fight tooth and nail to prevent it. She’ll probably kill a few before they finally take her down, he thought.

Small consolation.

“I have to get her out of there.”

“Daniel, you’re still too wounded to stand up, let alone walk into wherever it is Harnet has used as his stronghold to for a rescue,” insisted Victoria, and, at his look, she sighed. “Look, if what I think has crossed your mind, I can definitely tell you it’s crossed all our minds.”

“Then you know why—”

She held up a hand. “What good would it do for you to storm into wherever he is—and we don’t even know that yet—in the shape you’re in? You can’t even stand up.”

Daniel lay back. The hard surface, padded as it was, was still on the top of her desk. Considering the alternative, he was glad it for her desk. He had never noticed how plain it was compared to the rest of the room.

With a sigh, Daniel closed his eyes.

I hate this, he thought. This is not why I changed careers to do this instead of welding.

An old memory, one dredged up from the very depths of his mind, pushed its way forward.

Victoria patted his arm and tiptoed from the room.

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