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“Never get on his bad side,” Riker said as he watched a minion crumble under Niko’s power.
“Good thing to remember, dude,” Elijah said.
Riker shot a look at him.
“I’m up,” I said, stepping forward, my flames dancing in tandem with Niko’s fury. Together, we were a storm of fire and fang, pushing back against Zayn’s minions with everything we had.
A fiery tail of a whip cracked inches from my face, snapping with a sound that rivaled the pop of my fireballs. I spun around, not even remotely surprised to find Helen in her element, her whip singing through the air.
“Darling, do try to keep up,” she cooed, her voice somehow both syrupy sweet and laced with venom. With another flick of her wrist, the whip coiled around a minion’s arm, yanking it forward into a stumbling dance of defeat. The creature’s weapon clattered to the ground, its hands now too busy grappling with the leather that bound it.
“Show-off,” I muttered under my breath, but there was no denying the effectiveness of her attack—or the flair with which she executed it. Helen’s movements were a blend of grace and brutality, each lash of her whip providing just the opening we needed.
The thrum of power surged within me. My palms sparked to life, fingers curling as I summoned the flames, their warmth spreading up my arms.
The air rippled with the intensity of my intention; a wave of fire surged forward at my command. It rolled over the enemy, a tidal wave of destruction that left nothing but scorched earth in its wake. Each pulse of flame that I sent forth felt like an extension of my own rage, fueled by the desperate need to save Poppy and Cairo from whatever hell Zayn had cooked up.
“Is it getting hot in here, or is it just Tessa?” Riker said from somewhere behind me, his voice carrying over the roar of the inferno.
“Feel free to stop, drop, and roll if you can’t handle it,” I shot back, only half-joking.
There was something almost primal about wielding fire. It danced to my tune, leapt at my command, and consumed everything with a ravenous hunger that echoed the urgency pounding in my chest. Every burst of flame that erupted from my hands was a promise, a vow that I would blaze through any obstacle to rescue Cairo and Poppy.
“Keep it coming, Tessa—you’re roasting them like marshmallows!” Helen cheered, snapping her whip with renewed vigor. Her laughter rang out, melodious and mocking, as she tangled another minion in her leather trap, rendering it helpless before sending it stumbling into my onslaught.
“Marshmallows wish they could look this good aflame.” My fire magic swirled around us, a protective barrier that seared the opposition and warmed my allies.
Within moments, all the djinn who’d attacked us were gone, reduced to ash.
The air crackled, charged with the remnants of my fiery onslaught. My muscles hummed—the power within me a live wire waiting to be channeled into the next wave of destruction. But first, we had to draw out the stragglers skulking in the shadows.
“You’re up, Elijah,” I called out, eyes scanning for movement in the dim light.
“Already ahead of you,” he replied, that stoned expression slipping into something sharp and focused. With the grace of a street performer, Elijah stepped forward, his movements exaggerated and loud. “Hey, ugly! Bet you can’t catch me!”
His voice ricocheted off the walls, pulling the minions from their hiding spots. They swarmed toward him, drawn by the promise of an easy target.
“Riker,” I shouted, nodding toward the advancing horde.
Without missing a beat, Riker moved—a shadow among shadows. His hands were a blur, each motion precise, each weapon from his arsenal finding its mark. Throwing knives spun through the air, silver flashes that found their way into ghastly flesh with sickening thuds.
“Talk about bringing a knife to a monster fight,” I said, unable to help myself even as the tension coiled tighter in my gut.
“More than one way to skin a monster,” Riker grunted back, not taking his gaze off the dwindling numbers of our enemies.
“Or barbecue them,” I added under my breath.
Elijah’s distraction worked beautifully, and soon enough, it was just us standing in the embers of victory.
The soot from incinerated minions clung to my boots as we continued moving through the labyrinthine tunnels.
As we delved deeper, the passageways seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy that made my skin tingle with anticipation. Despite Cairo being on our side, djinn magic felt like trying to read a book with the pages on fire—beautiful but dangerous.
“Anyone else feel like they’re walking through a dragon’s burp?” Niko, back in his human form, asked from behind me.
Elijah snorted—but Riker, walking next to me, rolled his eyes.
Finally, the narrow tunnel gave way to a vast expanse—the gloomy underground parking garage, devoid of life. Or so it seemed. Long shadows stretched from the concrete pillars, looking like they could hide just about anything—or anyone. I raised my hand, signaling everyone to halt.
