“I can hear them sometimes,” he said quietly. “They come and go. They… whisper things. When something’s wrong.”
My chest tightened.
Of course they would whisper about me — my power always woke in chaos.
“I’m okay,” I said softly. “I was there, but I’m fine.”
He breathed out shakily, relief washing over him so hard his knees almost seemed to go weak.
But beneath the relief…
his aura crackled.
Uneasy. Searching.
“I was scared for you.”
“I know. Do you want to come in?” I asked him.
He nodded, his smile immediate. He bounded on to my couch.
I took a breath and moved slowly.
“Where’s the firebug?” he asked, looking around.
I frowned. “She’s in the hospital. She was there last night. And don’t call her that.”
His eyes went big, real fast.
“I’m sorry. Is she hurt?”
“I don’t know what happened. All I know is that I saw the fire take and I found her.”
“Did she light the fire?” he asked.
I frowned again. “Everyone is going to think so. But I don’t think she did it.”
“She’s a pyro,” he said bluntly.
“That doesn’t make her automatically guilty,” I snapped.
Ash whimpered.
Actually whimpered.
I stared at him. “Gods, aren’t you supposed to be the scariest mage in this entire place? And here you are giving me puppy-dog eyes.”
“Is it working?” he asked hopefully.
Despite myself, I snorted. “A little. Not gonna lie.”
He lit up, grin bright and boyish. “You have the prettiest smile I’ve ever seen.”
Heat flared across my face, and I ducked my head, letting my hair fall forward like a curtain.
“Ash…”
“I know you said no touching,” he murmured. “That’s okay. I won’t touch if you don’t want me to.”
