He disintegrates. One moment, solid flesh. The next—dust. His weapon clatters to stone. The armor-plating crumples empty.
Silence crashes in for one suspended breath.
I stare at my hand. At the smoke drifting from my fingers.
The memory of doing this before—not just once, buthundredsof times—rises unexpectedly. Ancient battles. Enemies who threatened everything. Power I wielded without hesitation because I knew—knew—how to unmake flesh with nothing but will and fire.
“Yes.” Vex’s voice carries jubilation instead of horror. “You remember. The power remembers—”
The cuffs around my wrists crack. Metal groans.
Power explodes through my system like a dam breaking. Compressed magic flooding back into a body that remembers how to wield it.
The devices shatter.
Heat rolls off me in waves. The guards stumble back. Even Creed and Vex retreat a step, their earlier confidence wavering.
Across the cavern, Mara’s eyes find mine. Wide. Shocked. Brilliant… beautiful.
A Syndicate operative moves toward her from the side. Weapon raised.
Fire surges in my veins. Every instinct screams to reach her.Protect her.
But I don’t need to reach her.
Not anymore.
The operative combusts. One moment threatening. Then, just dust motes in the air.
I didn’t touch him. Didn’t even move toward him.
Justwilledhim away.
And he was.
The wolf tears through another guard, teeth gnashing through flesh. Around it, dragon warriors are laying into Syndicate operatives who barely have time to react.
But I see what they don’t.
Three exits. The main door they came through. Two passages at the back—one leads deeper into the mountain, the other circles to higher ground. Creed’s forces are concentrated near the dais. The tapestries provide cover. The gold treasure is just decoration, meaningless in combat.
And Mara—
She needs me. Needs my fire to complete the healing.
While I’m surrounded by enemies who think I’ll lead them.
I could end this. Right now. All of them.
The thought comes with terrible clarity. And more terrible—I knowhow. Can feel the pattern of power that would reduce every Syndicate operative in this chamber to dust. Can see the movements that would prevent their escape.
I was a warrior. A weapon when necessary.
I remember that now.
Creed backs toward one of the side passages. Vex moves to follow. They’re retreating. Abandoning their guards to cover their escape.
I could stop them. Should stop them.
