“Who are you?” Larkin asks him. I hit him lightly on the arm when I hear the harshness in his voice.
“Lucas,” he says while looking at me.
“Lucas,” I nod. “I’m Ryanne, and this is Larkin. Yes, I’ve been to Dravin’s compound. Way too many times.”
“And you’re still alive?”
I give him my too stubborn for death line. Larkin looks around the field. A couple bodies are lying on the ground, but they all look like Gadramicks. I don’t think they lost any of their fighters. “Where did they all go?” he asks.
Lucas points at me. “She fought them off. She kicked ass,” he says excitedly.
“Hey, not in front of the lady,” Larkin reprimands. I playfully shove his chest. I’m ready to go back now.
“Do you guys need any more help,” I ask, “because I know my soulmate is probably creating havoc waiting for me.” Larkin scoffs. Lucas’s face falls a little at the mention of my soulmate, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Nope, we’re good. Thank you.”
I turn toward Larkin, telling him that we can go. “Oh, would you guys be willing to help me again if I needed it?”
“Most definitely. We owe you,” Lucas says. The men behind him all nod. Can they speak at all?
“Thank you!”
Larkin wraps an arm around my waist, pulls me against his chest, and transports us out of the field. I close my eyes and try to ignore the dizzy feeling that always accompanies the quick traveling. When I open my eyes again, I’m back in the hotel room. Larkin steps away right as Colton runs into me. I laugh and wrap my arms around his waist, to keep my balance and to hug him back. “I was only gone a couple minutes, Colton.”
“A couple minutes too long,” he whispers as he sets my feet back on the ground. I look over my shoulder for the girl that I had Larkin bring here earlier. She’s sitting against the edge of the bed. Her shirt has a deep red stain, but she’s no longer bleeding.
“You okay?” I ask her.
“Yeah, thank you,” her eyes scan the room. It can be pretty intimidating surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces. “So, um, where am I?”
Tom explains our location, since I really don’t know. She nods but doesn’t say anything. My gaze moves across the room to seek out my protector. He’s watching me, probably making sure I’m not hiding any injuries. I smile at him. I didn’t get hurt at all. From him, my eyes travel over to Bragden who looks like he’s experiencing some discomfort. I step away from Colton and walk toward him while Tom continues explaining everything to the girl whose name I still don’t know.
“Are you okay?” I whisper to him.
“I feel weird,” he replies. I reach out, touch his arm, and feel like I’d just stuck my hand on a stove burner. Yelping, I pull my hand back. His skin is burning up. Hearing my cry, everyone turns toward me. Bragden is looking down at my hand which is turning red.
“You’re smoking,” I say as I take a step backward. His skin is literally smoking. Smoke tendrils are pillowing out of his body and diffusing into the air.
“What’s happening to me?” he asks. Colton reaches out and wraps his arm around me from behind and pulls me away from Bragden.
“I think you’re finally coming into your powers,” Tom answers.
“Which would be what? A walking chimney?” Emma asks.
“No, I think he’s a fire affinity,” Tom says.
The girl I helped earlier jumps off the bed. “Bragden?” she asks.
He swallows and looks over at her. It’s like he’s seeing her for the first time. His eyes widen when he takes in her appearance. She is incredibly gorgeous. Her hair is particularly striking. Her roots are a deep red that gradually lightens into a bright golden orange at the ends. The color contrasts with her pale skin. Like mine, her hair falls down her back in bouncy ringlets. She’s looking up at Bragden with deep green eyes, waiting for his reply. He swallows loudly and nods. I’ve never seen him react this way.
“I’m Incendia,” she says. Fitting. “I’m a fire affinity too.” Even more fitting. “I can help you.” When Bragden grimaces, Incendia continues, “Right now, it probably feels like thousands of needles are pricking your body, am I right?” He agrees. “The heat is spreading through your arms and legs; you can feel the individual strands moving through your limbs, correct?”
His eyes are now glued to his arms, watching as smoke continues to emanate from his skin. “Take those strands and push them into your hands. Envision them coming together and forming a ball in the palm of your hand. Like this,” she demonstrates. Two balls of fire transform in the palms of her hand. I gasp as I feel the heat.