Kade's POV
The acrid sting of smoke invaded my senses well before my eyes could make sense of the chaotic scene. Flames, laced with a nightmarish hue, were consuming the western section of the main house, belching a thick, oily column of black into the evening sky. My legs propelled me forward instantly, a frantic sprint. Behind me, I could hear Wren's desperate footfalls as she fought to match my pace. A single, primal chant echoed in my skull, drowning out all other reason.
My home. My family. Wren's kin, trapped inside that inferno.
“Hold back!” I bellowed over my shoulder, not pausing to verify her compliance. “Locate Grier. Direct the fighters to establish a water brigade.”
I didn't linger for a reply. I tore across the remaining stretch of lawn and barreled through the main entra
