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We didn&039;t die

Soht ere My eyes were still squeezed shut My heart thudded erratically The arhtly around the boys quivered

"Pretty," said Michael I kneas him because he was the brave one Sheesh If a three-year-old had the courage to look up, so could I I pried openenergy

The fire burned everything around us The furniture became pyres; the carpet a sacrifice to the blaze Only the walls with their peculiar silver sheen were iaze taking in the destruction Stephen was glued tosoftly

"Ssshhh," I said "It&039;s okay, honey"

The red dragon&039;s fire thened the shield I knew this because I heard the song My fire was stronger than the dragon&039;s

Its song was fading, and even though I couldn&039;t see past the black s driven away Frustration echoed in its fire I hoped that ed the boys Then I laid a hand on Ralph&039;s cool brow "Ralph," I whispered Toon?" He sat up suddenly and gathered a sniffling Stephen and Michael into his ar&039;s on fire"

"Don&039;t look atwith relief "I soooo didn&039;t do this"

The fire&039;s harave way to cacophony

Whoomp!

Every last flaiant invisible Hoover had been turned on My shield disappeared instantly Apparently it wasn&039;t immune to the vacuuration

The closed door, which had somehow escaped the destruction, burst open Dauishers

I threw up my hands and wailed, "Noooooo"

Too late All three nozzles discharged

When they were done blasting us, the four of us were covered in athat?" I asked Damian At least I think it was Damian It was difficult to tell which brother hich

"A precaution" I could swear he was trying not to laugh "We weren&039;t sure you could control your dragonfire"

"How did you get the other flaic of our resident Wiccans," said Daon and they worked their spells"

Wiccans I re his house This town really did have every kind of paranorinable

"Are you okay, Libby?" asked Ralph He hugged his sons closely, and I wrapped my arms around all of them

"Completely freaked out, thanks What about you?"

He kissedthree-year-olds protesting the squishing and lycanthrope triplets witnessing our sht dappled his messed-up hair and slanted across his face Wait aat the hole above us "I haven&039;t seen the sun in months"

"Why aren&039;t you a pile of ash?" I asked

"His dragon ed "We&039;ve been taking a crash course in dragonology froood"

"Synd wasn&039;t with her?" asked Ralph

"No He&039;s been a little busy in Tulsa setting fires, targeting the businesses and hos Ash barely escaped the blaze at her hotel"

I remembered the CNN report about the rash of supposed arson fires; the most recent one had been at the Crowne Plaza Hotel I frowned "How does he knohich ones aren&039;t human?"

"We don&039;t know," said Da their places Of course, it&039;s obvious why he wants to kill Ash"

"Because everyone does?" I asked sweetly

Ralph laughed, and I was glad he did There wasn&039;troo embers, same as Ralph&039;s bedroom It had to be difficult to see the destruction of the home where he&039;d spent his childhood, not to ht his bride and raised their sons I felt my heart break for therateful for that Despite Damian&039;s insistence that we vacate, I barreled past him and his brothers

"They need toys," I de fro and the giraffe," I said I could only hope Stephen would accept one of the stuffed animals in lieu of his fried teddy

One of the other brothers picked up the tiny dresser full of the twins&039; clothes "Let&039;s go," he said Two brothers went ahead of us Da cra paja his unhappiness about the "stinky bubbles"

Michael thought the white foa, evidenced by his attempts to stuff it into his mouth Ralph stalled that maneuver and did the best he could to swipe the crap from his son