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Scalding water reddens his cheeks. I blink down at him.

Then something – someone – pummels into me and I’m knocked to the ground. The water becomes cold again. The flames are extinguished.

I’m grabbed by the ankles.

Zephyra’s voice spins in my head. “Do not drink from her. I don’t care how good she smells or how bad you want it. The Fire Bird is mine. Touch her and I’ll end you all.”

I’m dragged outside and thrown down the steps into the darkness.

My bare skin meets the muddy floor, and I roll onto my side anticipating a kick.

Instead, a more gentle hand helps me up.

Miranda.

She meets my eyes. Her gaze flickers to the cuff on my wrist. And in that second, I know this is exactly what she intended.

She knew what she was doing. All along.

She knew the cuff would allow me to control my magick.

Now we both just need to play the game.

She offers me a blanket and helps me to my feet.

I rise slowly, allowing her to put her arm around me. She doesn’t speak, just helps me hold the blanket in front of myself and guides me slowly away from the smoldering wreck behind us.

“Where did the water come from?” I ask quietly.

“Water witch,” she replies.

Her voice reminds me of Rev’s – there is a note of assurance in it. A power. An energy that feels different from other witches.

“Are you all right?” she asks, stopping outside the door to the rollercoaster tunnels. She looks down at my exposed arms, noticing there are no burns.

“I’m fine. My own flames don’t burn me,” I tell her.

“Are you sure?” she asks, her eyebrow tweaking upward.

Understanding blooms in my chest. Without letting it show on my face, I send a flurry of heat to my thigh then make a deliberate show of looking down and saying, “Or at least… they haven’t before.”

The burn I’ve given myself is angry and red, and I stare as it singes Johnny’s name from my skin. I should have gotten rid of his wretched signature months ago. I was waiting for Kole to tattoo over it but, somehow, this feels more appropriate.

Miranda nods slowly. “I will ask them to send some medical care,” she says, opening her arm to gesture to the tunnel.

We cross the old rollercoaster tracks in silence. The cold metal feels harsh on the soles of my feet. My toes curl at the contact.

Down the stairs, into the gloom, I’m barely able to arrange my thoughts they are racing so quickly.

Then Kole is there. I feel him. Little Star…

He’s back in the cell.

At the door, two vamps stand aside, their tongues darting out to moisten their lips as they notice the blood trickling down my throat.

Miranda nods at them to open the door.

They do, wary of her even though she’s collared.