Page 36 of Axis of Fire

“Don’t you dare react to that,” Aars snapped, suddenly right in front of my face.

I blinked.

Snapped back to myself.

“I just need a minute alone,” I said.

“For what? To set my bathroom on fire while overthinking everything?” Airis replied sharply.

“To figure out where I am and what kind of danger I’m in,” I shot back.

“Then get dressed, open the damn door, and I’ll tell you everything.”

He sounded just as tense as I felt.

“He’s stubborn,” Moirz said calmly.

“That’s how he got where he is. Don’t fight him.”

“We’ll stay nearby,” Louise added with a soft smile.

“And talk again when we can.”

“Okay,” I nodded.

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

I heard Airis mutter something under his breath—

then his footsteps faded.

I lowered my voice.

“Why shouldn’t I tell him?”

“Don’t,” Moirz said firmly.

“Even here, that ability is rare. And dangerous. You could become an experiment.”

“Why warn her?” Aars grumbled.

“She could’ve made an excellent test subject.”

“Because maybe we finally have someone alive to talk to?” Louise said, crossing his arms.

“I like her.”

Aars rolled his eyes and drifted away, inspecting the shower again as though I might have left something interesting behind.

“I appreciate that,” I said dryly, holding the shirt against my chest.

“But could you maybe let me get dressed?”

“Of course,” Louise said—and, surprisingly, blushed slightly.

I blinked.

I had never seen that in a spirit before.