Page 180 of Fallacies

“Come on, Cin,” I whisper.

Nearly two hours have passed when a flash of something pulls my attention to a top window in the Estate. It was a flicker of light—the glint of something reflective.

“Is that it?” Devon asks, and I shake my head, just as confused as he is. It’s not the signal I’m looking for, but it’s the first sign of movement we’ve seen. “What was it, then?”

“I’m not sure,” I reply. “But she’s supposed to signal with⁠—”

A star above the Estate begins blinking rapidly.

In immediate response to the signal, a ball of fire shoots into the air on the opposite side of the city.

Devon and I watch it ascend, a second burst rising to meet it.

Time slows as they climb, higher and higher. Taller than the highest point of the Estate.

My heart beats once. Twice.

The fiery bursts reach their precipice and rupture, shattering across the sky. The crack that echoes through Streatham is sharper than lightning and deeper than thunder—so violent the ground beneath us shakes.

Deep black is painted red as the rush of flames smothers the blanket of stars.

Pax and Phoenix send up two more, not letting anything settle. Another round of red spheres shoots up in the sky, but we don’t stay to watch them detonate.

Dark figures pour out of the Estate, racing to the northern side of the city—entirely unaware that Devon and I have just entered through the south.

42

Lucina

Ifly down the hall, the fiery sky outside the windows reflecting red shadows across the marble floor. Screams echo throughout the Estate, so many I’m unsure of the direction they’re coming from.

Another explosion cracks, and more fire splinters across the sky, lighting up the remains of a ruined city. I bet Phoenix is loving every second of this.

I push my legs faster, checking over my shoulder when I can. The way the clamor is reaching my ears, bouncing through the walls and reverberating off the tall ceilings, I can’t tell how close the screaming is.

Using the column to my right, I propel myself around the last corner.

The Umbra fell first, slumping to the ground just outside her rooms. Salem stuffed her into her fireplace, and I set her aflame. I gagged the entire time she burned, but he wouldn’t let me stop until we saw bone. So I pushed my magic as hot as it would go, while Salem left to retrieve Mr. Fairbourne's body. He Snared back into the room a heartbeat later and tossed him atop the flames with her.

I gagged some more.

But the bodies weren’t burning fast enough, so it was my idea to split up. I needed more time, and we still had two bodies to retrieve. So Salem went to get Vance and the Countess—not before making me swear that I wouldn’t stop until I saw white.

By the time I reached bone on both of their bodies, I had stripped out of my undershirts and spilled my guts all over the carpet. I severed my control over the fire, letting the flames continue to burn through them at a normal temperature, then I heaved my way over to the window and signaled to Callan.

The echo of the first explosion ringing through the quiet night kicked everything into high gear.

Now I’m sprinting through the Estate, covered in sweat, and I’m positive I’ll never get that stench out of my system. And there’s no point in trying now when I have two more bodies to burn.

The sound of voices drifts down the hallway, and I skid to a stop, gripping the wall to steady myself. I press up against it, holding my breath until my lungs begin to sting.

“Did you hear that?” A man asks. Not Salem. And the Hound is the only ally I have in this place.

“Hear what?” A woman replies.

The man doesn’t answer, and I think his silence might be worse than any other response. That is, until I hear the slow and steady thud of boots coming towards me. One heavy step at a time.

My fingers flex against the wall.