It’s also a lot less intimidating or worrying than I’d thought just yesterday when he told me more about our bond.
“Okay, try again,” I say, half grinning as I shift closer to him.
“Jack,” Solan groans, a mix of amusement and exasperation in his low, gravelly tone. “You are relentless.”
“You love it.”
“Perhaps.”
He’s toying with me now. I can feel his affection mingling with his amusement through the bond, and it makes me grin. I close my eyes, focussing on sending him a clear message:“I’m starving. Breakfast soon?”
His answering laugh is a rich rumble that vibrates against my chest. “You could just say that aloud, you know.”
“But where’s the fun in that?” I tease, rolling onto my back. The movement makes me more aware of that strange thrumming sensation in my skin. It’s been there since last night, when the bond snapped into place, and I haven’t quite figured it out yet.
I frown, focussing on the energy. It feels warm, like it wants to move outwards, and I… push at it?
The bed bursts into flames.
“Shit!” I yelp, scrambling to my knees as the fire licks at the sheets.
Solan is already moving, laughing so hard, he’s practically wheezing. He grabs the jug of water from the table to the side of the room and douses the flames in one swift motion.
The fire goes out, leaving the sheets scorched and steaming. The mattress, miraculously, seems salvageable.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurt, horrified. “I didn’t even know I could do that!”
Solan sets the jug down, still laughing, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement. “You truly are a marvel, Jack.”
“Marvel? I just set the bloody bed on fire!” I gesture at the ruined sheets.
“Yes,” he says, still chuckling. “But you did it with such enthusiasm.”
I groan, rubbing my face with my palm. “This is not how I imagined testing my new abilities.”
Solan sits beside me, draping an arm around my shoulders. His tendrils, still slightly damp from the water splash, wrap around me soothingly. “When I was young, my flames first emerged while I was hunting with my father,” he says, his voice warm with nostalgia.
“Yeah?”
He grins, his sharp fangs catching the morning light. “I got… excited and set an entire field ofhalyseablaze.”
“Oh shit,” I say, horrified but unable to suppress a laugh. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know whathalyseis. I can read between the lines.
“My father was not pleased,” he continues, his expression turning sheepish. “He said I was lucky the elders didn’t banish us from the village.”
“Well, at least you didn’t burn your own bed,” I mutter, glaring at the ruined sheets.
Solan’s laughter booms again, and I form a smirk.
“I think we might need flameproof everything if this keeps up,” I say. “Do you reckon the rebels are desperate enough for our help to give us fireproof accommodation?”
Solan raises an eyebrow, his expression sly. “We’ll have to see. In the meantime….” His gaze dips to my bare chest, and the bond hums with a wave of heat and affection.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn, though I can’t keep the smile off my face. “We’ve got to get dressed before Jamie rocks up.”
As if on cue, the faint sound of movement echoes from the other side of the building.
“See?” I say, scrambling for my jeans. Fuck, hearing that means there’s little doubt Calythra heard us last night.
