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"What are you talking about?" Brigid asked, standing up and brushing hair out of her eyes "What can Gio do that I can’t?"

"Melt the door without killing everyone around you"

"What?"

"Melt the door?" Murphy asked "Is that even possible?"

"Yes"

Brigid shook her head "I don’t know if I coulddown the ship My control…"

Murphy’s mind spun "Then don’t h, it’ll be brittle Then Carwyn--"

"You think I ood, but what if Brigid loses control? I told you, she can’t--"

"I can!" Brigid broke in

Murphy could see the stark terror on Carwyn’s face

"Brigid, no"

"I can do it," she said, pressing a hard kiss to his mouth "I know I can Now stand back"

Murphy pulled Caray froid stripped her loose shirt and jeans off, leaving her in a thin undershirt and pants Her pale body glowed in the darkness as she began to gather energy Her amnis sparked and juid tension in the i over the door as she yelled "Anne, stand back!"

The flaold with a swirl of other colors, like a fire opal brought to life The air filled with the smell of burned hawthorn as the air belowdecks was sucked into the fire Murphy saw Brigid struggle for control

A harsh stream of curses came from Carwyn’s mouth, but he didn’t try to stop her

"Murphy," Carwyn said from behind him, "step away, lad"

He was transfixed Murphy had never seen Brigid ith fire Not like this It was as if the fla her skin

"It’s beautiful," he murmured

"Stand back"

The fire centered, focused It was too hot The air belowdecks was gone, pulled into the dance of Brigid’s flame

Carwyn shoved hi a few meters away

Murphy tried to yell at hih air to talk The door was cherry red, but Brigid wasn’t stopping Her face was peaceful, adoring the fire that curled and licked at her skin

She would burn them all

No, she couldn’t His heart lay beyond the barrier of that door Murphy shook his head and reached out with his a to dampen the flames, but the water in the air had fled, eaten by the fire Murphy fell to his knees and felt the h to break Brigid’s concentration, and she turned to look at her mate Reason returned to her and the fire died back

Carwyn said nothing, only opened his arid ran to him Murphy heard a swift pop, and the damp sea air rushed back into the vacuu his ar the water to him as he never had before

He felt for it, and the sea rushed to hiid and Carwyn’s skin and coated his own before he sent it out, directing the daiant whoosh as the corridor filled with steacycle of stea him from Anne

Carwyn touched his shoulder and pulled him away "My turn"