Eden

At that moment, a commotion from the crowd steals our attention from each other. I look up toward the house and release a scream.

Liam is stumbling out of the back door, coughing and covered in soot.

Gabe rushes forward to help him get further away from the burning structure, and I race over, kneeling next to him when Gabe sits him in the sand.

“Are you all right?”

“Mallory, I—”

“Where’s Saint?” I whisper, growing more and more desperate to know.

“He’s still in the fucking house,” Gabe growls before Liam can respond. “He was out here, but when he realized Liam wasn’t, he—”

“What?” I shriek, shoving to my feet. I whirl back to face the house.

“Mallory, don’t do anything stupid!” Gabe orders, but I ignore him. I’m suddenly overwhelmed by the memory of the fire back in Georgia. I couldn’t save James then, but I sure as hell can try now.

Before anyone can think to stop me, I sprint toward the house. I hear my friends screaming my name as I go, but I don’t look back.