AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Easy for you to say,” I snapped, but took a deep breath, picturing the flames licking at the edge of my consciousness. This time, when I flicked my wrists, a small tongue of flame sputtered to life, casting dancing shadows against the stone walls. A laugh bubbled out of me, half relief, half disbelief.
“Good!” Niko encouraged. “Now, try to sustain it.”
“Right, sustain.” I focused harder, but the fire had a mind of its own, flaring wildly before sputtering out. “Damn it.”
“Control comes with practice,” Niko soothed. “Again.”
I glared at the spot where my flame had died, summoning every ounce of determination. Flames erupted, larger this time, a bright flare that illuminated the foundry. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving me gasping.
“Progress,” Niko said, stepping closer, but I could see the concern etched on his face.
“Feels more like a one-step-forward-two-steps-back kind of deal,” I grumbled, shaking out my singed fingertips.
“Nah. It’s a Texas two-step—two steps forward, one back. It’s still progress. Besides, learning to walk came with a few tumbles,” he pointed out. “Fire-wielding will be no different.”
“Great analogy,” I said dryly. “Except when I fell as a toddler, I didn’t risk setting the house on fire.”
“Semantics,” Niko replied with a wry smile.
I managed a chuckle, though it was edged with nerves. I might not have mastered my new fiery talents yet, but with Niko by my side, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was on the cusp of something scorching.
CHAPTER 18
“Welcome to the war room, folks,” I announced a few hours later with as much gravitas as I could muster. Our office—although I was glad to have it—was hardly the Pentagon.
Elijah plopped down, his long legs sprawling in every direction like he was trying to claim the place as his own. Helen sashayed in, whipping off her sunglasses dramatically as if she were about to deliver earth-shattering news rather than discuss our upcoming suicidal mission.
Niko leaned against the wall with that casual grace only a werewolf billionaire seemed to possess. “We’ve got a fire djinn to fry.”
“Or get fried by,” Riker grumbled from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. As his gaze flicked between me and Niko, the room temperature seemed to drop a few degrees despite the talk of fire and burning.
“Come on, Riker. Don’t be such a downer,” I said, forcing cheer into my voice. “We’re just planning a little trip to dethrone a tyrannical fire-breathing overlord.”
“Your optimism is misplaced.” His voice was even lower than usual, rumbling through his chest. “Zayn isn’t just another mark. He’s a danger to this entire city.”
“Which is exactly why we can’t just sit back and hope he decides to play nice.” I met his narrow gaze with my own hard stare. “We need to hit him where it hurts.”
“You have no idea what we’re up against.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve been there, too. I’ve seen what he can do.”
“Riker’s right,” Niko said, pushing off the wall to stand beside me. “This isn’t going to be easy. But Tessa’s got fire in her veins.”
Riker froze, as if Niko’s words had been a punch in his gut.
The room simmered with tension, and I could practically see the worry lines etching themselves deeper into my team’s faces. That’s when Helen stepped in, sashaying to the center of the group.
“Darlings,” she began, waving a perfectly manicured hand through the air, “I know we’re about to storm the castle of a certifiably hot-headed djinn king, but let’s not forget, we bring our own sizzle to the barbecue.” Her voice rang out, confident and cheeky, the familiar lilt of her humor music in the drab confines of the office.
“Besides,” she winked, punctuating her words with a dramatic snap of her fingers that made her bracelets jangle, “I’ve been dying to try out my new fire-retardant lashes. They say a girl’s got to be ready for anything, and honey, if Zayn so much as singes my wingtips, he’ll have a whole new definition of drag race.”
A collective snicker rippled through the room, lightening the load on all our shoulders. Trust Helen to find the funny in the face of our latest armageddon.
“Thanks, Helen,” I chuckled, the ice that had begun forming around my heart at Riker’s comments melting a little. “Now, let’s get down to business before your lashes steal the whole show.” I paused. “Look, I’m not saying this is going to be a walk in the park. But we can’t let fear dictate our actions. We’ve got the element of surprise, and now... well, I’ve got a little extra firepower, thanks to Zayn himself.”
Riker let out a growl worthy of Niko’s inner wolf, and my gaze snapped to him as he glared at the werewolf, and I swallowed hard.
“Okay, Tessa,” Niko said, his voice cutting through the tension. “I think it’s time you gave everyone a little demo of your new party trick.”
