"Does he care about keeping you alive?" Raith asks. "Because rogue elementals don’t return from madness. That’s not supposed to be possible. Even for an unbound. But finding out he’s yours will draw attention. Even if it’s just because people will know tethering an ancient means you’re going to be the most powerful primal in both kingdoms by the time you graduate. If you graduate. There are people… things… that would do anything to stop you from gaining that kind of power."

"Is he right?" I mentally ask Typhon.

"On some counts… on the others, I have been blinded by madness for too long to know. Perhaps the fire touched is right. I will suffer the indignity of diminishing myself only because your death would… be unfortunate."

I turn and smile at him as he looms in the corner, looking somewhat ridiculous in the small room with his head hunched to fit. "Did you just admit you don't want me to die, Typhon? Does that mean you like me?"

He lets out a low growl as steam hisses from his snout. "I find you acceptable. And my gratitude runs deep, angry human. In time, I suspect we will come to find our pairing was a fortunate one. Perhaps."

"He says he'll do it," I say, turning back to Raith.

"Good. Now go. And keep them close," he says. "Serena, Malakai, and the others saw your elemental. Keep that in mind. But Serena knows she can't admit she tried to kill me without turning all the fires on her. Most of the earths are loyal to me, too."

"They are?" I ask. "Why?"

"It's not important. But Malakai knows how powerful you'll become. If he's smart, he's probably going to try to come after you sooner, rather than later. So keep your friends by your side at all times. We can’t know if they’ll try to get the truth about Typhon out or not. But we should be ready for anything."

"Okay."

Raith surprises me by reaching out and touching my hand. I feel some of his fire flowing into me, swirling in my lower belly in a way that's not entirely unpleasant. "You saved me back there. I don't take a debt like that lightly, Saltcrest."

I shake my head. "You don't owe me. It's fine."

"I do. So don't get yourself killed while I'm healing."

"Got it. Once you’re done healing, I’m free to die?" I can't stop the playfulness that slips into my voice.

"Once I'm done healing, I'll see to it myself that nobody lays a fucking hand on you."

I want to laugh, but the sudden intensity and severity of his words makes electricity prickle across my skin instead. The fierce determination on his face steals my breath. He means it. Gods, he means it.

"They will have to get through me, too," Typhon says