Page 103 of Magic's Rise

“Yes.” I stare at the raging blaze in front of us and pull up the hood on my sweatshirt. “But not today. Now, make with the magic so we can get out of here.”

The muscle in Aspen’s jaw clenches as he flicks my wand, drawing a pattern in the air over and over again. Slowly, the fire shifts to one side of the hall, leaving a narrow aisle of black floorboards glowing red.

Without hesitation, I drag Aspen toward the opening while he continues to hold off the flames. The heat worsens as we near, making my skin tight and tingly, and I try not to think about roasting alive as we step through the flaming tunnel.

Tears stream down my face and burn away, but through their haze, I can see the front door. See as it bursts open and Haut races inside, his feral gaze finding us in an instant.

“Rowe!” His roar shakes the building, and he lunges toward us.

As he nears, Aspen’s foot catches on a hole in the burnt floor, and he stumbles, the flicking of my wand stuttering.

Heart in my throat, I shove him at Haut as the flames rush back in.

SMOKE & CHAOS

Flames crash down on me as I drop into a crouch, throwing up my hands to shield my face.

“Rowe!” Haut’s shout cuts through the roar of the fire.

Tris’s voice joins the shouts, filled with terror.

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the pain of being burned alive. But instead of agony, a prickly heat coats my body, reminding me of limbs waking up from sleep. Painful, but not skin charring.

I crack open one eye, and to my astonishment, the flames hover before me like a tidal wave, waiting for the perfect moment to crash down and consume everything in their path.

Heart pounding, I reach out a hand in the direction that I pushed Aspen, and Tris seizes my outstretched fingers, blue sparks swarming into my protective bubble that keeps the flames and the worst of the heat at bay.

His grip tightens, and he yanks me out of the inferno. We tumble to the floor together as the fiery tidal wave crashes down to fill the pocket of safety where I had cowered.

“Move your asses!” Haut barks, dragging us toward the exit by the backs of our shirts and out into the center of the compound.

We land on the dirt in a tangled heap next to Aspen, who still clutches my wand as he bends over, coughing up smoke. Soot mars his face, tears leaving streaks of pale skin in their wake. The slender grimoire lies beside him, spread open and the pages bent, but still intact.

Rising onto my hands and knees, I look back at the meeting hall. Black clouds billow out from every window and door, and flames dance toward the sky.

Around us, werewolves burst from the woods, Griffen at their lead, their eyes wide with panic.

“Call the fire department!” Griffen runs for the nearest hose. “Contain the blaze!”

“Wait!” I wrench myself free from Haut’s grip. “The Rothaven grimoire! It’s still in the turret!”

“Rowe, no!” Haut shouts as I make a move to sprint back into the burning building.

But he’s too fast, his wolf shifter reflexes grabbing me before I take a single step, tackling me back to the ground.

“The moon madness charm!” I claw against his hold. “I found the spell! We need it for Owen!”

“Rowe, listen to me!” Haut wraps his arms and legs around my body, containing my struggles. “It’s not worth your life. Owen wouldn’t want it if it meant putting yourself in danger.”

Tears flow down my cheeks as I sag in defeat.

More werewolves grab hoses to put out the flames. They work together, a well-oiled machine, but the flames won’t be quelled.

“Dammit.” Hopelessness sweeps over me as Griffen gives up on stopping the meeting hall from burning.

Instead, they direct their spray to the nearby rooftops, dousing them with water to prevent any floating embers from catching and extinguishing the small fires that start.

In the distance, the wail of sirens fills the air, but the fire truck won’t arrive fast enough.

---