Right this very moment, Ashton realized that he has nothing more to lose if Cara finds out the truth. “I won’t leave you, my love, even if it means losing my life.” He said and kissed Cara on the lips.
“Ashton! Cara! Watch out!” Theo warned the two and shot at the phantoms who were about to attack them. Ashton crouched and covered Cara.
Theo stood in line while the two were recovering from their position. “I’ve got a plan, Theo. Cover Cara whatever it takes.” Ashton requested to Theo. He readily agreed to him not even knowing the details in his plan.
Ashton ran out to the back where Cara made a tall wall of endless fire. It was too hot over there that it is starting to melt the metal fence near it. He kicked one down and cowered behind the bushes. Ashton found his way to the vehicles of the phantoms. Assessing the situation, he realized that there are not enough phantoms to succumb to Percy’s territory. He went to the fire truck to disconnect the water hose.
“We finally got you.” Chuck said as he pointed a gun to Ashton’s head. Ashton raised both his hands in the air. He knew there was a big chance that he would die right here, right now, but Ashton’s greatest fear was to be seen by Cara in this situation.
“Take me, kill me elsewhere.” Ashton begged chuck.
Chuck laughed mirthlessly, looking at the great Ashton begging him. Other men of Chuck shove him to a getaway vehicle. It dawned on Ashton that the phantoms actually planned to take him away. Now they have a way to lure Cara easily. Chuck’s men backed away from the ongoing fight as soon as they secured Ashton.
Cara and Percy looked at each other, bewildered. The phantoms just backed off just like that after they lost almost half of their people. “Dad! What happened?” Theo asked Thomas when they realized what had just happened.
“They fooled us. Celeste must have told them about us.” Thomas gritted his teeth in anger.  
“Ashton! Where is Ashton?” Cara shouted as her eyes wandered around the area.
Theo held Cara. “They must have taken him. They clearly know they can’t attack you with so many people around you. “Theo explained it to Cara. “We need to go.” He grabbed Cara towards the car.
Cara could not get the scene out of her mind. “Ashton is away for more than thirty minutes now.” Her tears kept falling from her eyes. 
Theo saw how worried Cara was. “I’m sure Ashton is alright.” He squeezed Cara’s hand. He was a little hesitant to tell Cara more, but he could not let Cara suffer more.
“How can he be alright when we are not together?” Cara was feeling desperate by the minute.
“Cara…. The- the truth is…” Theo was stuttering, thinking of a better way to explain it to Cara. “He is not under the curse anymore, for quite some time now.” He recalled the first time he knew about it.
Cara was out for words. She is eternally grateful that Ashton would be okay without her by his side but the thought that he kept this from her is killing her too. She shook her head, thinking Ashton’s safety should be the priority. “They will call us, right?” Cara asked Theo.
Theo nodded and glanced in the direction of his father. Theo noticed Tomas’s hands were visibly shaking. He is sure that they are in deeper trouble than they ought to. The silence was broken when his phone started ringing. Thomas parked his car on the side of the road to get the call. They can’t miss it, Ashton’s life is at stake.
“Thomas. I can’t tell you in words how utterly disappointed I am with you. But actually, I can’t say that it was not in our hindsight. I know you are with the Sakalam. I will send you the address. Bring her there. Maybe we can come up with a formidable agreement.” One of the big bosses in the brotherhood called Thomas.
***
Ashton was laughing while Chuck’s men bounded him with a rope in one of the metal post in the warehouse.
“I’m surprised that you can still laugh in this situation. We clearly have the last laugh and you are trying to get yours too?” He provoked Ashton.
“I’m laughing because you guys are so dumb. You all fell for it.” Ashton bit his lips as if he was preventing himself from saying more.
Chuck landed a punch in Ashton’s face. “Go talk. I want to hear it.” He pulled back Ashton’s head while grabbing his head. He wanted to appear as the alpha in this situation.
“Cara is not the Sakalam.” Ashton said while looking directly at Chuck’s eyes. “You know very well that I am the last of my kind. What would happen to me if I was away from her for too long? You are not dumb, right?” He asked Chuck with a grin on his face.
Chuck was caught off guard. He did not want to strike a conversation with Ashton. Chuck is a witch hunter and killing a servant is not in his plan. In fact, servants and witch hunters were supposedly the partners in their quest to finish the witches. Talking more with Ashton is humanizing him more and more. He shook his head and cleared his throat. “No, Mr. Crafter! I think you are the dumb one here. Do you actually think that we did not know the truth?” Chuck mocked Ashton’s attempt to discredit their plan.
“Look who we have here.” The mayor said as he walked towards Ashton. “This is the motherf*cker who killed my son.” He said, took out his gun.
Chuck went between them and pushed down the Mayor’s hand with the gun. “Not yet sir, we need him to get the Sakalam.” He said in a low voice.
Mayor Frank exhaled heavily. “You are extremely lucky, Crafter. We need you for now.”
“Boss, they are here.” One of Chuck’s men whispered to him.
Theo and Thomas barged in with Cara. Both of them are holding their guns ready to fire. Cara immediately noticed Ashton her vision zoomed in before Chuck’s group could ever block her. “Silab,” she muttered, and it burned the rope that was used to bind Ashton.
It surprised mayor Frank and Chuck on how quickly Cara’s fire was able to free Ashton. Mayor Frank was quick to point the gun at Ashton’s head. “Not so fast, witch.” Frank warned Cara. And just like that, what he saw in Cara’s eyes elated him. He placed his finger on the trigger.
“Let him go. It is me you want, right?” Cara dared Frank. They all know that they are no match for her powers, but they have her weakness; Ashton.
Mayor Frank laughed at Cara. “I don’t think so, witch! You don’t get a sweet pass just like that.” He clenched his jaw in anger. He wants Cara to experience the pain he felt when his son died. Frank cocked his gun and “Bang”
“No!” Cara ran too fast towards Ashton as if she flew. She held Ashton’s bloody, lifeless body.
Cara felt like her world had just crumbled down to ashes. “Love, please wake up, wake up… Don’t do this to me.. wake up.” Cara was begging Ashton as she cried her heart out.