I didn’t know the limits of my power; I didn’t think I’d ever stretched to my potential. I tapped my foot experimentally on the floorboards and felt a small, answering tremor. If I unleashed everything I had, I could collapse the entire place. But I was also standing beneath this roof, with Mephi at my side. I’d have to be careful. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Very noble of you. But I can’t say I feel the same way.”

I saw, from the corner of my eye, Philine drawing her daggers. No baton this time, then.

“So you want to kill me?”

“Too simple. When have I ever been simple? I have asked you nicely; I have practically begged. I want your power for the Ioph Carn, Jovis. Just say ‘yes’ and we needn’t hurt anyone.”

I answered by stamping a foot on the wooden floor of Kaphra’s elaborate part-time home.

The walls shook, shutters breaking free from windows, tiles falling from the roof. The wood below my foot shattered into a web of cracks. Philine grabbed at an end table for balance, but Kaphra stood with the sword ready, riding the tremor like a wave. He kicked a fallen chair out of the way and advanced.

I met his blow with my staff. Kaphra was not a particularly skilled fighter or a strong one. I batted the blade away from me the way I might swat a branch away from my face. This was what he’d bargained for? As far as I could tell, he’d not been granted any special powers. The sword was just a sword. I gave him a knock in the ribs for good measure and turned to leave. “Come on, Mephi.” I glared at Philine. “Move.”

She shrugged and stepped to the side.

I opened the door and found a dozen Ioph Carn surrounding the yard, weapons drawn. Mephi growled, his sizable teeth bared. Kaphra and Philine weren’t going to let me walk away from here; they wanted me cornered from all sides.

“I can destroy this house,” I called back to Kaphra.

The Ioph Carn advanced. If I wanted to be clear of the walls, I had to get past them.

“With you and your beast inside it?” He’d recovered from my blow and was stalking toward me, Philine covering his right flank.

I didn’t want Mephi in this fight; I didn’t want him in any fight. But he was larger now than he’d been, and I knew from past experience he’d disobey me to help. “Keep Kaphra and Philine off my back,” I told him. “I’ll handle the rest.”

“Very good,” Mephi said, clacking his teeth together. I took a step toward the Ioph Carn and jabbed my staff at the nearest one.