Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Baptism

The dust clouds dissipated. Callie couldn’t look away from the pile of ashes that used to be Finnegan. It was difficult to process that he was truly gone and she could never have him back. It was a new kind of pain she hadn’t felt before. It threatened to overwhelm her.

Nicholas touched her shoulder gently and asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

She wanted to scream from the cocktail of emotions running through her. The loudest was anger. It beat like war drums in her mind, wanting to be unleashed. She felt restless.

"His death wasn’t your fault."

"Don’t lie to me," she snapped. "He wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for me."

"He made a choice and he knew the risks. We all did."

She shook her head. "I’m not worth the risks. None of you should’ve come here."

"You don’t get to decide that," he countered. "Only we can and we all decided that saving you is worth any danger."

"You really believe that? You said you only came here so I could feel your anger."