“I understand enough!” I bellowed, as I jumped to my feet and the cool night breeze on my wet skin reminded me that I had torched my clothing. I called to my fire, trying desperately to force my flames back to life. Sparks flickered but only smolderedagainst my soaked and shivering skin. “You told me she was your friend!”
“She was.”
“Liar! She was running from you. You could have let her go, but instead you stood there and watched her die. You did nothing. Nothing!”
I almost felt bad for Sin. The heartache on his face was fiercely evident, and instinct told me he wasn’t actually lying about caring for my mom. Unfortunately, my instincts had betrayed me far too often to ever listen to them again.
I tracked Sin out of the corner of my eye as I stalked toward my blistered and charred father, my nudity the farthest thing from my mind.
“Are you going to kill me now, Sin? It’s the only way you’ll stop me.”
“This isn’t you, Rain,” he argued. “You’re letting the magic rule your emotions. You can’t control them both at once. You need to let go of the fire.”
“I don’t think so,” I said, my voice bitter and harsh. I willed my flames back to life, and once more they slithered into place across my skin.
I knelt in front of my father, his labored breathing indicating that he didn’t have much time left. Maybe if he got to a healer he could be saved. Too bad I wasn't going to let that happen.
Despite all my rage, some small voice that lingered in the recesses of my mind screamed at me to listen to Sin. Begged me to stop. Shouted that this wasn’t me.
I slammed the door shut on that little voice.
“Rain!” Sin thundered from behind me.
I paused to glance over my shoulder.
Sin swirled his hand, gathering water above his head.
Before he could unleash his magic on me again, I shot a blast of fire across the roof. He dropped into a crouch to avoid the flaming projectile, and his grip on the water faltered.
I turned back to my father. My entire focus needed to be on making him pay.
“Raynella,” he wheezed out. “There is so much I wish I could tell you.”
“I don’t care,” I hissed. I knew enough. I swirled my flames around my hands and slammed them down on his chest.
No screams of pain reached my ears though, as cool hands coated in water settled over mine, snuffing out the flames before they could tear into his flesh. Sin leaned closer, ignoring the spots where his clothes and exposed skin began to smolder.
“Please, Rain,” he whispered. “You trusted me once. Trust me again. Don’t do this.”
I yanked my hands out from under his and urged the fire back to life, but a thin coating of his water magic covered my skin once more like silken gloves.
“You won’t let me kill him?” I asked, staring into eyes that once captivated me.
“I’m sorry,” he replied. “But I can’t let you do that.”
I nodded as if agreeing with him. “I’m sorry too, Sin, because no one tells me what to do anymore.”
In one smooth movement, I yanked the sharp six-inch hairpin from my braid and plunged it into my father’s pulsing jugular.
His body seized, and blood spilled from his mouth. Thrashing against the wall, he reached up to pull the pin out, but it was too late. His pathetic magic might have healed his ruined chest, but it wasn’t enough to save him from the gushing hole in his neck.
Choking on his own blood, he coughed out, “I love you, Raynella. From the moment I first held you in my arms, I loved you. And I failed you. I am so sorry that I was not stronger. Whatever happens next… please… don’t… blame… yourself.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter fifty-one
“Well, I must say,” a snide voice crooned from the doorway. “That was quite entertaining.”
