Chapter 794
Jace didn’t say it again, but the sadness in his eyes spoke louder than words. Abbot Levinsky was a bit of a mystery. A wandering monk who eventually settled at Cloudscape Monastery, he had no known family—unless you counted Jace. Their bond went way back. Jace had practically grown up under the Abbot’s wing, soaking up his wisdom, turning their relationship into something more like a friendship over the years.
“Rea, let’s focus on helping these people first,” Jace said softly, pulling me out of spiraling thoughts.
As he turned to walk away, I grabbed his arm. “Was it an accident? The fire, I mean. Were you there when it started? Did you see anything weird?”
His jaw tightened, and his eyes clouded with something heavy. “Rea, I’ll look into it. Don’t worry—and don’t get involved.”
It was a warning, no question. Jace knew something but wasn’t about to share it.
“Jace,” I pressed, swallowing hard, “I’d love to sit this one out, but what if this fire wasn’t random? What if it was aimed at me?”
That stopped him in his tracks. His expression hardened, but instead of reassuring me, he hit me with, “Hayden’s coming back soon, isn’t he?”
Yes, he was. Wayne had told me so himself.
“Do you think this fire has something to do with him?” I asked.
“If it’s about you,” he said, “it’s about him.”
Okay, fair. Hayden and I were connected now, and anyone gunning for him would see me as both a target and a tool.
“This is dangerous, Rea. You need to stay sharp. And if possible, stick with me,” Jace added.
I knew what he meant. He wanted to protect me.
“If they’re ruthless enough to torch a monastery,” I said, my voice shaky, “do you think you can stop them?”
The thought of what these people had done made my stomach twist. They’d burned down an entire monastery, dragging innocent lives into their schemes. Even Abbot Levinsky, a man of peace, hadn’t been spared. The sheer cruelty of it was hard to process. And then there was Mrs. Drago. They couldn’t have planned for her to be there; that much was clear. But she still lost her life in the flames. Maybe it was karma. But Mrs. Drago was kind. She didn’t deserve an end like this.
As my mind raced, I couldn’t help wondering if her death was part of some plan of Thorsten Drago’s. Knowing how tangled and messy his affairs with other women were, it wouldn’t have shocked me. Whatever the reason, the fact that they were willing to take innocent lives was unforgivable.
“Even if I can’t protect you completely, having me around is better than nothing,” Jace said, his voice calm but firm. “Trust me.”
How could I not? Jace had hurt me before, sure, but that was emotional damage. When it came to everything else, he’d always been there for me. And with Hayden’s return looming, I couldn’t afford to slip up. I couldn’t give anyone the chance to use me against him.
“Okay. What should I do now?” I asked, feeling lost.
Jace glanced at the victims—burned, bandaged, and broken—before shaking his head. “Forget it. I know you can’t handle seeing injuries like that. You don’t have to do anything.” That stung, but I wasn’t about to just stand there. Determined, I started talking to some of the less seriously injured victims, trying to piece together what had happened.
The stories were all eerily similar. They’d been asleep when someone shouted about the fire. By the time they opened their doors, the flames were already everywhere. Most of the burns came from running through the fire to escape. The two victims who hadn’t made it were elderly—probably unable to get out in time.
What I learned painted a clear picture: the fire had started outside and spread inward, trapping everyone inside. It wasn’t an accident. This was arson.
I kept questioning the survivors, hoping someone had seen something—or someone. But the answer was always the same: they’d all been asleep when it started.