Page 218 of Sins of the Heart

---

Roxy’s instincts started to scream.

For a second there was complete silence, then a

high-pitched whistling pierced the night, like a kettle

on full boil, and it took Roxy a second to realize it was

coming from the fire genie. The air shimmered and undulated, heat pouring off her in thick waves. Incredible

heat. Roxy felt like her lungs were burning as she

gasped and jogged backward with an ungainly lope,

her ankle screaming in protest, her blood rushing loud

in her ears.

The smell of roasting meat carried on the breeze.

“Now would be a good time to run,” Dagan snarled,

yanking back on his hand. But his grip didn’t release.

His fingers clung to Xaphan’s concubine as though

glued in place.

Melted in place.

To Roxy’s horror, his hand burst into flame. The

stink of seared flesh swirled through the air, stinging

EVE SILVER

221

her nose, and the other genies edged forward, humming

with anticipation, obviously waiting for a single word

of encouragement from their leader.

Roxy’s gaze snapped to his face—his features were

twisted in pain—then back down to his hand. Or rather,

what had been his hand. The remains of Dagan’s limb

drifted to the ground in a sifting of ash, delicate as

snow.

Staring at the blackened stump of his wrist, she swallowed against the bile that crawled up her throat, bitter

and sharp. Horror congealed in her gut. Not just

because he’d been hurt, but because he’d been hurt defendingher.

---