By flame that endures beyond even death.
The circle stands, unbroken and true,
By this bond we call to you.”
The air thickened, charged with power.The tattoos on their arms flared, light searing upward until a matching design etched itself into Saffron’s skin.Golden knotwork burned into her left arm, alive with fire.
They stared, astonished, as the marks glowed across all three of them.The bond pulled taut again, snapping back into place with a force that stole Isaac’s breath.
For a heartbeat, the world held still.Then Saffron’s eyes flew open and she gasped.
Chapter Thirteen
The lounge of Ursula’sapartment smelled faintly of sage and antiseptic, the remnants of healing spells and the aftermath of battle.The coven crowded into the mismatched couches and armchairs, each clutching mugs of tea that steamed into the quiet morning air.Saffron sat between Isaac and Nolan on the couch, their hands locked around hers, neither of them willing to let her go for even a moment.Not after what had almost been lost.
Conversation started slowly, fragments of memory from the fight tumbling out.
“You dropped that one demon off the terrace in a single swipe,” Isaac said, his mouth twitching at the corner.“Haven’t seen you move that fast in decades.”
Nolan smirked faintly, brushing his thumb over Saffron’s knuckles.“And you tackled two of them at once.I swear, you’ve gotten reckless in your old age.”
Willow groaned from across the room, shaking her head.“You two sound like you’re comparing plays after a football game.That was war.”
“Maybe,” Nolan said, his voice quiet.“But we lived.And sometimes remembering how we fought helps remind us why we’re still breathing.”
Ursula blew out a breath, dark eyes glinting.“And don’t forget Brielle and Liam.I thought you two had somehow learned how to teleport.”
Liam chuckled, rubbing at the back of his neck.“Driver wasn’t fast enough, so—”
“Liam threatened him,” Jacob interrupted.
“Did not,” Liam muttered.
Brielle snorted into her tea, her bruised face still mottled but her smile wicked.“Wasn’t Liam.Amazing what a little purple flame can do when waved under the nose of a cab driver.”
The room broke into laughter, brief but needed, the sound easing the tension still coiled tight in their bodies.
