Savine clung to her father’s chair, a great draft nearly dragging her over as Zuri whipped by in a white blur, crossing the room in two impossible strides, springing high into the air. Sulfur was turning, mouth twisted, arm raised, when she dropped on him with a crash like a thunderclap, buckling the polished floor, shattering the polished stones, chips of rock and spots of blood flying, sending out a wash of wind that rocked the painting on its easel.

There was a brilliant flash. Savine squeezed her eyes shut but still saw the bloom of fire through her lids, felt the heat of it stinging her face. She fell on her side, a roar all about her like a great furnace catching light. She coughed, retched, throat full of the acid tang of burning. Haroon was bent over her father’s chair, shielding them both with his body, hair on fire, beard on fire, shirt turning black as it burned, hanging off his arms in flaming strips.

Savine tried to shield her face but her sleeve was on fire. She dragged herself up by the arm of her father’s chair, saw the blanket across his knees was burning, too, ripped it from his legs, dragging him around a squealing quarter turn, beating at her sleeve with it, trying to smother the flames.

Little fires were scattered across the floor, blurred and sparkling through the tears stung from her eyes. Leo’s ruined painting was scorching, canvas curling, the room crazily lit by flickering flames, cast into dancing shadow. Sulfur reeled and thrashed while Rabik clawed at him, bit at him, his hair turned to a burning torch. Sulfur flung him away but Rabik tore a mouthful of meat from his face as he went, ripping one of his ears half off, tumbling across the floor, spinning, sliding, fingernails squealing as they scored long scratches in the stones.

Sulfur crouched, breath coming in hisses, blood coursing from the bite-marks on his face, blood dripping from his fingertips and pattering on the broken flags.

He looked towards the window but Rabik was there, his bloody tongue hanging out. He looked towards the nursery but Haroon was there, giving a rumbling growl as he slapped ash from his body. He looked towards the hallway but Zuri was there. Her charred clothes dangled from her in tatters, and underneath her long limbs were bound in white bandages. She neatly blew out a flame still burning on her shoulder and clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“This was my favourite dress,” she said.

Sulfur rounded on Savine and her father. She caught a glimpse of his bared teeth shining, his different-coloured eyes turned black in the dying firelight. The air about his shoulders shimmered once more and Savine took a whooping breath to scream.

Zuri caught him from behind like a trap snapping shut, one arm snaking around his neck, one around his chest, legs locked tight about his hips. He caught her hair but now Haroon was on him, gripping his wrist with one broad hand, his throat with the other. Rabik skittered up, wrapping himself around Sulfur’s legs, all three of them pinning him fast.