The flame of twelve surged against the ice walls, eating through the enemy’s ward.
Then it shot up and tore through the ice ceiling.
I ascended along the column of flame and landed in a crouch atop the ice tomb. Rainbow fire twirled in my hair, and the twelve runes of all the gods’ houses radiated on my skin.
I spread my arms, where flames entwined like living veins, and I searched for my enemy.
Part of the room had been destroyed by the duel between the two demigods, by their ice spears and lightning.
Zak and Paxton stopped tearing into each other and turned to me in unison.
The Demigod of Sky took a step toward me, alarm in his silver-blue eyes that still flashed furious lightning.
“Marigold? Rosebud?” he called.
“Oh my gods!” Theodore stared at me. “She has a flame of all twelve colors. I thought it was a myth.”
“I told you this would work,” Paxton said. “That this would get her to function.”
The students peeked from outside the broken door with Yelena and Nat at the front. Paxton flicked a wrist and sealed the door with his ice, preventing everyone from looking inside.
My fiery eyes fixed on Paxton. “Yes, it worked perfectly. And now I want you to show me how to swim in my flame.”
I threw my hands up, pushing the waves of flame toward him.
This time I doubted that his fucking ice and magic could shield him. My blaze had broken through his ward and the ice tomb he’d made for me. So now he would live inside a tomb of flames after I made him swim a few laps in the scorching current of my fire.
A streak of lightning struck him first, driving him out of the path of my rampaging fire and sending him crashing through the broken window. My flame instantly changed direction and surged after my enemy.
It engulfed him and ignited his armor.
But then he teleported.
My flame raged at the absence of my enemy and melted every shred of glass and concrete in its warpath.
My incensed gaze trained on the Demigod of Sky, who had saved his demigod cousin. And now he would suffer my wrath.
“How dare you take away my prey, Zak?” I drawled. “Do you want to take his place?”
Zak leapt up, as lithe as a panther, and landed on the ice roof by my side.
“I might not know your power source, Rosebud,” he said. “But your power won’t burn me.”
“You want a test drive, Bolt?” I sneered.
“Just like my lightning nourishes you instead of harming you,” he said, reaching for me. “My power recognizes you as my mate.”
“You need to stay away, fool,” I hissed.
I didn’t really want to burn him, even though I was still pissed at his interference.
He pulled me into his arms before I could withdraw my flame, before I could shove him away.
My fire blanketed us, licking him in glee as if he was delicious. It didn’t scorch him, just as he’d claimed.
“This fool is yours,” he said. “I once tried to resist you. I won’t be that fool anymore.”
He slanted his mouth onto mine, his kiss raw and demanding. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and my flame approved, encircling us like rainbows. His scent of sky, sandalwood, and pure male rose in the flame like the finest spice.