Book Seven: Chapter 158

“I remember the first time I saw you summon fire, back when we were young.” Mohan’s voice was wistful, nostalgic, and clearly rehearsed. “It’s a special moment in every naga’s life, when we first resonate with magic. For you, it was always fire. I’ll never forget how your eyes sparkled like emeralds, wide with wonder as you held that ball of flame in your hands. That afternoon, we sat at your father’s feet and you spoke for hours about how it felt, being so close to a power that could bring comfort, yet also destroy. It was in those moments that I first found my feelings for you.” Mohan straightened his suit and turned in place. The scales on his face rippled as he adjusted his cufflinks. “Surely you remember--”

Ratu hit him with a fireball that caused the monitors behind him to spark and melt, the swirling torrent of fire cracking the marble beneath Mohan’s feet as the impurities crackled and burned. Both hands extended, she demanded nothing less than for his entire body to t