Page 10 of Axis of Fire

“I don’t know how to stop it!”

One wrong move—

and the fire turned on me.

Onto my jacket.

Onto me.

The heat darkened my vision.

A raw cry ripped from my chest.

I tried to tear the jacket off as fast as I could—

tried to push through the pain.

“You need to pull yourself together and calm down!”

A second voice—

sharper, stronger, commanding.

“How the hell am I supposed to calm down right now?!”

Another surge of power ripped through me.

“Damn it!”

I cried out.

Ignoring the burns, I crossed my arms—

trying to hold them still.

Trying to stop it.

I didn’t notice right away.

The screaming suddenly stopped.

My heart nearly stopped with it.

They didn’t burn… did they?

No. No. No.

I don’t want that.

I don’t want that to happen.

“Illariana, help is on the way. Just calm down—you’re only making this worse.”

This time, the voice was softer.

Like Santa’s.

That old man with the beard.