Pyromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 1)

Joss’s eyes widened. “Clelia, no.”

Cain followed her gaze. “Joss is right. Taking your own life would be just the same as taking another. You’ll give in to the darkness inside you.”

She shook her head. “Sacrifice isn’t the same as murder.” She knew it instinctively, grasping a natural law about her kind that had always been imbedded in her but that she’d been blind to before.

Feeling strangely calm now, she turned her face toward Lupien. “Isn’t that so, father?” From the worried look that flashed in his eyes, she saw her victory. “An eye for an eye. It’s the law of our kind, the answer to salvation. My life for my mother’s.”

“I’ll kill them all,” Lupien said. “I’ll kill everyone you love.”

Joss wasn’t acting because he didn’t want to risk her life, but if she was out of the way… “If I’m dead, so is my gift, and then Joss will be free to kill you.”

The circle of flames encroached on Joss. Lupien turned the gun on Cain. She turned, placing her stomach against the rail just as a yelp cut through the air.

A pack of dogs charged through the door, four blurry lines of motion shooting up the stairs.

Lupien cursed.

A shot went off.

She flung around. A deadly growl suspended on the moment. A white ball of fur launched through the air. Lupien went down, the wolfdogs at his throat. The gun fell from his hand, sliding just outside her reach. Before Snow could snap his jaw around Lupien’s windpipe, the dog’s fur caught fire. Snow howled. From a distant corner of her mind she was aware of Joss firing from his prison of flames, but the bullets fell on the floor inside the circle, useless to penetrate the white wall of heat.

She ran for the gun, but Lupien was faster. While Snow rolled on the floor, putting out the tendrils licking at his fur, Lupien snatched up the weapon, but the other dogs were already upon him.

“Cle,” Joss cried out.

Cain caught her arms, holding her back as she tried to get to her animals.

A trickle of blood ran down Lupien’s neck. Snow had broken the skin. Chilling human screams cut through the air as Rain, Thunder, and Cloud shook the body of the man on the floor.

Snow, recovering from his scare, locked his teeth around Lupien’s throat again. No more fires erupted, but the sound of fabric and flesh tearing mixed with growls filled the space. Weak flames licked at the animals, but they died quickly as pieces of skin came off Lupien’s flesh. The white of bones showed through tears in his shin and hip. Another scream, and the house went eerily quiet. The dogs backed off. Lupien lay motionless, his eyes open but dull.

Clelia fought Cain’s hold. Erwan sat helpless, tied up in the chair. The white flames died around Joss.

Joss unstrapped the holster, dropped it to the floor, and ripped his shirt from his body. He quickly pulled it over her head before pushing her face against his chest. “Don’t look.”

“Snow,” she said, pushing away. “My dogs.”

“Let’s get you out of here. Cain, can you get Erwan?”

The dogs huddled around Snow, Thunder licking a furless patch on his skin.

“Come.” Joss tugged at her hand, but she pulled back.

“Erwan,” she said. “I’m not leaving him.”

Joss let go of her to help Cain cut the ropes around Erwan’s arms and ankles, and to help an unstable Erwan to his feet. Joss lifted Snow into his arms and led the way. The rest of them, including the dogs, followed him down the stairs.

Outside, Clelia started trembling when Joss lowered Snow to the grass. She couldn’t think or move. She stood rooted to the spot, staring at the house. Anger bigger than any she’d felt spread through her cold body. Not having to restrain her emotions any longer, she allowed it to erupt. She wanted the fury to scorch away the shame of being her father’s daughter.

A terrifying explosion shook the house. The shutters imploded. Roof tiles were sucked into the core of the house before they projected like fireworks into the air. The inferno was visible through every crevice. Joss’s house went up in flames.

Clelia’s gaze snapped to Joss. He watched the stone walls turn to ash with wide eyes. What had she done? Would he despise her now? Would he hate her for letting out her dark side?

“I’m sorry,” she said, trembling. “I didn’t mean to.” Her teeth chattered despite the heat mounting in her body. Everything inside was on fire.

Joss let go of Erwan’s elbow and rushed over. “Look at me, Cle. Focus on me.”

Why was he looking at her like that? Her gaze moved to Erwan, who reached for her.

“Do something, Cain,” Joss said.

Erwan’s voice shook. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She blew up your house,” Cain said with wonder.