Page 66 of Fading Sun

“Ready when you are!” she says to Damien.

“Go!” he says, and when Morgan throws out a blast of fire, his air is right behind it, fueling her flames and turning them into a raging inferno that rushes toward the Yeti and consumes it in a giant, explosive bonfire.

Amber

The Yeti thrashes, trying to put out Morgan’s flames with its icy breath.

But Damien’s wind keeps the fire burning strong, wrapping the Yeti in a searing cocoon of heat. The snow beneath the monster’s feet melts rapidly, turning to steam, and the fire expands so much that it’s consuming the surrounding trees.

Including the tree holding Blaze’s dagger.

Even so, the Yeti remains standing. It’s like the flames are hurting it, but not penetrating its skin enough to burn.

“Amber, pull back your magic,” Damien says, and I’m so startled by the command that I do.

His expression is intense as he continues directing his air in a perfectly controlled way to keep Morgan’s flames burning hotter than ever. He’s focusing so hard, and it’s getting so hot from the fire that beads of sweat are forming along his brow.

“Blaze, now!” he shouts over the roaring flames.

Of course.

Since Blaze is a witch, he’s fireproof. And while he won’t be affected by the bonfire trapping the Yeti, he would be affected by my sunlight.

With my magic no longer in his path, he hurries forward, into the fire.

I hold my breath, staring at the space where he disappeared.

This is a huge fire, burning hotter than ever thanks to Damien’s air magic. What if it overpowers Blaze? What if he ran straight into his own death, and the dagger he so confidently created ends up killing him instead of saving him?

The Yeti continues to thrash inside the inferno.

I can barely see through the heat waves, my heart racing as I wait for Blaze to reappear.

Morgan’s keeping the fire burning strong, even though the man she’s in a situationship with is somewhere inside there.

Come on, Blaze, I think, hating that there’s nothing I can do other than wait.

Just when I’m about to lose hope, he emerges from the wall of flames, his face set with fierce determination. The enspelled dagger glints in his hand. He’s covered in soot, but otherwise, he seems unharmed.

“Everyone, pull back!” he shouts, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Morgan and Damien cease their attacks.

The Yeti stumbles forward, flames burning its fur, its massive jaws opening in a guttural roar.

With a swift, precise motion, Blaze hurls his dagger at the beast.

It slices through the air, spinning end over end, plunging into the Yeti’s open mouth.

The Yeti’s roar is cut short, its mouth open, its eyes widening as its body convulses in an attempt to expel the weapon. Its wails are so chilling that they buzz through my bones.

Then, with a final, pained groan, the monster collapses.

The ground shakes with the impact. Snow and burned tree branches fly all around. The air is thick with the smell of burnt fur and scorched earth, the snow around us hissing as it turns to steam.

I remain on guard, in case the Yeti somehow pushes itself back up.

The monster remains still, its skin bubbling and blistering.

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