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“Pal cannot tie him down. Rahmon deserves manhood.”

“I never said that Rahmon didn’t,” I whispered into my drink.

“Then let Rahmon make his own mistakes.”

“You know something, Tai’moriee? I hate it when you decide to try to make sense out of things for me. Rahmon is my close friend’s child. You know full well Ami will turn him.”

I stared into the bottom of the cup, and I didn’t remember drinking it. I called for a bottle instead.

There, that was better.

“You envy me because I’m usually right, and you know it. I must admit that I have never seen Ami like this before. Ami knows better than to play close to home, and yet she had hidden here for three years. Surely that in itself tells you something?” Tai’moriee asked.

“It tells me Ami is playing games again—and too close to home,” I said morosely.

“And when has Ami played this close to home before Jaq? She hasn’t, never before.”

I looked up as Tai’moriee’s meaning sunk into me.

“You mean Ami is really in love with him? Pal will kill her!”

“Possibly, but I am afraid you have a more pressing problem than that. Ramedes has found you,” he announced, rising from the chair. “And she wants her property.”

I stared after him as he disappeared and then rose myself.

Slamming the tavern door shut behind me, I raced to where the villa was.

A ghastly sight awaited me.

It was ablaze.

Chapter Sixteen.

Anguished, I screamed Inka’s name and plunged headlong into the blaze. Flames rose around me, and I spotted a figure on the floor. Blindly reaching down, I grabbed them by the scruff of their neck and pulled them out.

It was Mera!

Shouts echoed as I ran back in.

Pal was the next one I dragged out. Panicked, I rushed in again, and the fire caught my arm. In pain, I yelled and beat flames out. Where was Inka?

Hysteria rose, and I swallowed a scream as I lurched from room to room. Finally, I found her. Inka was curled in a ball and burned but was alive.

I pulled Inka out as people rushed up the hill to the inferno. Collapsing weakly on the ground, I heard Mera call Kit’s name and froze. The twins were still inside!

Ignoring the pain, I stumbled in once more. Someone tried to stop me, but I shoved them away and entered, looking for Kit and Rahmon. Kicking open the door to Kit’s bedroom, a wall of flames leapt angrily forward. Stumbling backwards as the heat reached me, I knew that if Kit was in there… I was too late.

Tears in my eyes, I repeated the same with Rahmon’s room and again was beaten back by fire. Loudly cursing under my breath, I was helpless.

Heartbroken, I staggered through the thick black smoke, trying to flee. A loud roar boomed, and the entrance caved in, trapping me inside.

Anxiously, I stumbled as the blaze danced around me, and the pain brought me back to reality. I tried to see an escape but could not, and I sensed a telepathic call from outside.

Having faith in the caller, I threw myself through the flames and out of a window.

I landed heavily on the grass and rolled quickly, putting the fires burning my body out. My arm was blackened, but I noticed the new skin underneath forming. My back was smothered in burns, as were my legs, and the pain was indescribable.

The Tai’moriee bent over and dropped liquid into my mouth.