Page 24 of House of Soot

If he only knew how close his enemies were. The irony almost makes me smile.

Another explosion rocks the foundation, this one closer. The force knocks several guards off their feet. Smoke and dust cloud the air, perfect cover for what comes next.

Time to play my part, the loyal soldier defending his boss while my brothers torment Hampton and Ronan. This time, I do smile because I’m enjoying this game. Yes, revenge is sweet. While no one will die tonight, when the Ifrinn plan is fully activated, the Keans will be dead and Jenna will regret having betrayed my family.

11

JENNA

I’d rushed down the path to the cottage to check on Mom before I returned to work. I was barely inside when a boom shook the windows.

“Mom!” I hurry in, not sure what’s going on but needing to find Mom.

“Goodness, what is that?” my mother asks from her chair, her gaze pointed out the window. But from there, you can see the house and that’s where the loud sound came from.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I just?—”

Another explosion rips through the air. I go back to the door, looking out toward the house. My heart stops. Flames leap into the sky, casting an orange glow across the estate grounds.

“Oh, God, not again.”

"Jenna?" Mom's voice sounds far away.

The smoke. The heat. It's happening again. In an instant, I'm thirteen, standing in this same house, watching while screams pierce the night as flames devour the mansion. Black smoke billows from every window. Someone grabs my arm, Mom,pulling me out the door and deeper into the property, away from the inferno.

“Jenns?” Mom’s voice snaps me back. "What’s going on?”

“I don’t know except… there’s fire… I think there must be another attack.” Realizing we could be in danger, I slam the door and lock it. I rush around, making sure the windows are locked and curtains are closed. I want to call Blaise, but I know he’s busy protecting the house and the Keans. That is if he’s not already dead from the attack.

How could this be happening again? I’m terrified that I’ll need to witness another family's world burn to ashes. But this time it's different. This time, someone I love might be caught in the blaze.

More explosions rock the ground. The guards are shouting. Sirens wail in the distance.

"Blaise."

"He's trained for this, sweetheart. The guards know what they're doing."

I pace the small living room, unable to stand still. Every explosion makes me flinch. "But what if?—”

"No what-ifs." She grabs my hand as I pass, her grip surprisingly strong. "Come sit with me."

I sink into the chair next to her, feeling scared and helpless. The smell of smoke drifts into the house.

“I just invited him for dinner to meet you.”

“I know.”

"I can't lose him, Mom. We just found each other."

She strokes my hair like she did when I was little. "You won't."

But her reassurance doesn’t help. I press my face into her shoulder. "I should be out there. I should help?—”

"You'll only get in the way of the emergency crews." Her words are gentle but firm. "The best thing we can do is stay here where it's safe."

She said the same thing ten years ago, assuring me that everything would be okay. But it wasn’t. So many people died.

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