AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Staring down at my hands, I marveled at the absence of blisters. Just hours ago, these fingers had conjured an enormous fire without a single charred nail in sight. The responsibility of wielding such power sat heavy on me, uncomfortable and impossible to ignore.
“Think, Fury. What would Riker do?” I asked the walls, which weren’t exactly forthcoming with advice. But they didn’t need to be, because deep down, I knew. He’d tell me that control comes from within, that discipline is the bedrock of power.
“Discipline, right.” A snort escaped me as I recalled my less than stellar track record. I’d never been a paragon of self-control.
The flame flickered, almost as if it were laughing at my monologue. “Don’t get cheeky,” I scolded, shaking my head at the absurdity of reprimanding a fireball.
But humor aside, the truth was crystal clear: I had an obligation to master this. This fire wasn’t a party trick; it was a weapon, one that needed to be aimed with precision, not swung around willy-nilly.
“Responsibility doesn’t have to be a dirty word,” I told the flame, deciding then and there to embrace this part of me. Sure, I’d stumbled into this mess, but I was going to walk out of it with intention. This power could help me protect those I cared about, to keep the monsters at bay—and maybe even put a few of them out of commission.
“All right, you infernal little spark,” I said, confidence building as I stared at the flame. “Let’s make a deal. You play nice, and I’ll make sure you’re only used for kickin’ supernatural butt. Deal?”
The flame remained constant, as if agreeing to my terms, and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.
Who knew? Maybe Tessa Fury, the not-so-good-at-her-job supernatural bounty hunter, was about to become Tessa Fury, the halfway-decent pyrokinetic crime fighter.
“Enough pyrotechnics for one morning.” I snuffed out the flame, the scent of smoke clinging to the air, evidence of my secret practice session. “Let’s save some of that sizzle for the nasties that go bump in the night.”
The office door burst open with the kind of flair that only Helen could. Elijah followed, looking like a surfer who’d gotten lost and wound up in a supernatural bounty-hunting business by accident.
“Morning, Tessa!” Helen chirped, her voice a melody that could’ve put the Sirens out of business.
“Hey,” I returned, trying to muster more enthusiasm than I felt. “You two are chipper for an unearthly hour.”
“Only because we know you make coffee strong enough to raise the dead,” Elijah said, his slouchy posture not quite hiding the keenness in his eyes.
Helen made a beeline for the coffee maker, her heels clicking a staccato rhythm against the floor. “I expect nothing less from our pyrokinetic queen,” she called over her shoulder.
“Queen’s a bit much,” I muttered, but my lips betrayed me with a smile.
Before the caffeine had a chance to work its magic, the door opened again, this time admitting Cairo and Poppy, hand in hand, ready to embark on a new adventure—one that would reshape djinn law and how two worlds coexisted.
“Good morning, everyone,” Cairo greeted in his British accent, which somehow made everything sound more serious.
“Hey,” I echoed my earlier greeting, feeling a smidge more authentic this time. Our group was almost complete.
But as the minutes ticked by and neither Niko nor Riker showed up, sadness knotted in my chest. I realized I’d been unconsciously listening for Niko’s surefooted stride or the low rumble of Riker’s voice.
Memories flickered through my mind—Niko’s wolfish grin when he’d been vindicated, Riker’s brooding intensity. Both had ignited different kinds of heat within me, both had left their marks. And now, there was no denying it—I had to face the smoldering aftermath of my personal life.
“Earth to Tessa,” Helen’s voice cut through my thoughts, her hand waving in front of my face like a glamorous, manicured flag. “You’re brooding. And not in a sexy, mysterious way.”
“Wasn’t brooding,” I lied, plastering on a grin as faux as a three-dollar bill. “Just plotting how to use my new flare without setting the city ablaze.”
“Careful, darling,” Helen teased, pulling out a compact to check her makeup. “We wouldn’t want you to get a hot head. Literally.”
“Ha-ha,” I said flatly.
Cairo and Poppy put their coffee cups aside and stood.
“It’s time already?” Helen asked, snapping her compact shut with a click. “Well then. Okay. Tessa, ready for the tearful farewells?”
“Only if they’re crocodile tears,” I said as I pushed myself up from my chair, but underneath the joke, there was a twist of genuine sadness. Saying goodbye to Cairo and Poppy felt like closing the cover of an epic tale where we’d all been characters bound together by destiny, or at least by a shared fondness for trouble.
“Guess this is it,” I said, standing a little straighter. My voice was steady, even if my heart wasn’t. “You two better make history.”
“We will,” Cairo assured, his British accent giving the promise a regal air.
