Layla’s gaze flicked briefly to the bite on Dani’s neck. As far as Dani knew, the Volkhov didn’t claim with a bite. She didn’t know whether she felt envious or oddly defiant about the clear mark. At least she had something physical to rage at. At least she’d been able to sink her teeth into Arthur’s neck in return.
The memory of his skin beneath her lips made her cheeks flush, and she pushed the memory away.
“They don’t always know what to do with themselves after a mating,” Layla said, “especially when their mates are…an unusual choice.”
“I noticed,” Dani said.
Layla huffed a quiet laugh, then nodded toward the empty fireplace. “Do you mind?”
Dani blinked. “Mind…what?”
“Lighting it,” Layla said. “I could use the heat; this place is always so cold.”
“You wantmeto light it?” Dani asked slowly. “With…”
She wiggled her fingers.
Layla’s mouth curved. “Lavinia said your affinity leans toward fire. I want to see how it looks. Besides, this room is warded to hell and back. If something goes sideways, I can put it out.”
Aurelia looked up from her book, eyes bright. “You can do it, Mom.”
Dani groaned. “You’re both impossible.”
Still, she hauled herself off the sofa and went to kneel by the hearth. The logs were stacked neatly, kindling tucked between them. Simple enough.
She held her hands out over the wood and drew in a breath.
Normally, this was easy. Picture warmth, call up a trickle of power, let it spark at the fingertips. She’d lit a hundred fires in Salem without incident. A basic witch job. Comforting, even.
This time, the magic did not feel comforting.
It surged.
Heat flooded her palms, racing up her arms, pressing against the inside of her skin like something trapped too long. The bond hummed with it, a low, insistent vibration spreading out from her chest.
She let the smallest fraction go.
Fire roared up.
Flame leaped out of the grate in a violent rush, licking up the chimney, flaring toward the ceiling. Heat blasted across her face. Aurelia yelped.
Panic punched through Dani. She flung her arms up as if she could block it with her body.
Layla’s hand snapped up.
A sharp pulse of magic slammed into the wild flame. It twisted, shrank, sucked back into the fireplace as if yanked by an invisible rope. In the space of a heartbeat, the explosion was gone. In its place, a perfectly ordinary fire crackled on the logs.
Dani stayed frozen on her knees, breathing hard.
“Well,” Layla said mildly. “That answers that question.”
Dani stared at her hands. “I didn’t mean—”
“I know,” Layla said. “Sit before you fall over.”
Dani’s legs obeyed, shakier than she liked. She retreated to the sofa and sat heavily. Aurelia pressed herself against Dani’s side, fingers checking her arms for burns.
“I’m fine,” Dani said quickly. “Are you okay?”
