“It looks exactly like what we’re thinking, Silvie.” Silas raked a hand through his closely cropped red-gold hair. “Zayn warned us you had a problem and to come as quick as we could. That problem is extremely evident.”
“Guy’s not the problem, and I thought since you all knew each other, you’d be on slightly friendlier terms than this.”
“We’re not killing him. That’s friendly.” Davio tipped his chin up a notch, which made his brown hair wisped with golden strands brush his shoulders. His dark eyes drew into slits as he stared at Guy. Close to six foot four, he matched my brother in height.
“He’s tight with Faith and Hope. You wanna upset them?” Mentioning their mates should help, and where was Faith? Didn’t this moment constitute a forewarning?
“You don’t have to defend me, Silvie.” Guy set me on my feet behind him then raised his sword toward Silas. “We never finished our last battle. It appears you’d like to.”
“No. No. No.” I shoved in front of him, coming squarely between them all. “Nobody fights my mate, I mean, my released mate.”
Silas scrutinized me. “Released?”
“Yes, so just put that weapon away. He’s here helping me, and that’s all.”
Silas tilted his head toward Guy. “You put yours away first.”
“If you’re scared, sure.” Guy slid his blade home, although his hand remained firm on the hilt. “Your turn.”
Huffing, he sheathed his sword. “Why must you keep turning up everywhere?”
“Because you and Loveria accepted the bond with my princesses. This all comes back to you.”
“If you’ve finished helping my sister, then feel free to leave.”
“Your empath just informed us her skill will be a little uncontrollable until she moves through her rising. If my mate requires my aid, she has it.”
“What skill?” Face flushing, Silas plucked his shirt from his skin. “Is it just me, or is it hot in here?”
Davio sniffed the air. “I can’t smell smoke, but did someone start a fire?”
“No,” Belle intervened as she scanned the volume. “Silvie has the fire skill, and like her Carver ancestors, she can generate heat with the barest of thoughts and with the slightest swing in her moods. If she gets truly worked up, she has the ability to start a fire. If her fury takes her, then it says here, we’d all better duck.”
“The fire skill?” Silas’s blue eyes widened. “Sis, it’s been so long, and you’re skilled? Why didn’t you say?”
“It only just happened. Guy brought me here because he’s immune to my heat, and I was stuck in plain sight. Belle and Zayn have searched the records and told me how to control my temp.” To Belle, I said, “You had me thinking cold thoughts before and that brought it down, but what happens if I start an actual fire? How do I extinguish that?”
“Don’t you recall the tales our grandparents told us?” Silas crossed the room and ruffled my hair.
“Stop that.” I did not have time for his brotherly shenanigans. “I wouldn’t have asked if I’d remembered, silly.”
“They used to say, once the one with the skill starts a fire, the only way to halt the flames is in the normal manner, with water.”
“Yeah, thanks, Mr. Brightspark. I get that part. I meant how do I start and stop the fire when it comes from me? Is my skill completely controlled by my thoughts or is there more to it? I hardly want to blow something up by accident, or someone.” No, don’t say it. “Maybe even you.” Yep, I couldn’t help myself.
“Hmm, blowing someone up?” Guy’s lips lifted. “It’s a shame I’m the only one who’s immune.”
“Hey, only I’m allowed to tease my brother.” I poked him in the chest, his rock hard chest. He must train daily to get those muscles. “Anyway, I’ve got a handle on my temp right now.” But I wouldn’t for long, if he stuck around. “You can go if you like.”
“Ahh,” Silas murmured as he rubbed his hands together. “Good job, sis. Dropping this one right out of the gate was a sure winner.”
“Lucky you.” Davio clapped Silas on the back. “That’s one huge problem averted.”
Guy scrubbed a hand over his face. “I still have to stick around to be sure. You know how the bond works.”
“She’s amongst family.” Silas crossed his arms. “We’ll watch over her, and you should ignore the bond. You did release each other.”
“I think Guy should stay.” Belle propped her butt on the desk. “He’s offered, and it won’t be for long. What we need to do is focus on Silvie’s problem, on how she starts and stops the fire. I haven’t read the answer yet.”
“It’ll be there.” Faith swept into the room and hooked one thumb into the loop of her low-rise jeans. She slanted her head toward Davio. “Hello, honey.” Well, about time she got here.
“You should be at school.” Davio held out a hand to her.
“Silvie will need some serious help soon. I had forewarning.” She crossed to him then leaned in for a kiss.