Sera's heart pounded in her chest, each beat only adding to the inferno already burning inside her. She couldn’t wait—couldn’t stand still any longer. Every moment felt like an eternity, and with each passing second, Finn’s life was slipping further out of her grasp. She had already felt the first signs of the fire rising within her—an uncontrollable force, like a beast straining at its chains.

She barely noticed the Officer watching them as they moved out. His words were meaningless now, his presence irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was getting to Finn—reaching him before it was too late.

"Move!" she snapped, her voice hoarse, barely even her own. The rage was coursing through her veins, and with it, the fire surged, hotter than it had ever been before. Her hands ignited with a brilliant, molten glow.

The troops seemed to instinctively back off, wary of the flames flickering around her, but it didn’t matter. She barely noticed them as she focused on the one thing that consumed her mind. Finn. The image of him—struggling, alone—spurred her forward with an intensity that made everything else fade into the background.

With every step, the heat intensified, the air shimmering around her as if the very atmosphere were bending to her will. She could feel the flames licking at her skin, her control slipping as her emotions spiraled out of control.

*Not today, Finn. Not on my watch.*

Her breath came in sharp, angry gasps, her power swirling, desperate to break free. The fire answered her call, roaring to life, a blinding surge of heat that pushed her forward faster, faster. She didn't care about the Officer or the wounded. They weren’t the ones in danger. They weren’t the ones she loved.

She would burn everything in her path if it meant reaching Finn in time.

Sera moved swiftly through the shadows, her steps barely making a sound on the cold stone floor. The heavy scent of smoke clung to the air as her magic flickered, waiting for release. She had no intention of letting Finn's suffering go unanswered. Not when the entire enemy camp would soon burn for what they had done to him.

As she neared the heart of the prison complex, she summoned the flame, watching as it twined around her fingers like an eager serpent. With a flick of her wrist, the fire leapt from her hand and surged into the nearest enemy soldier. The man screamed, dropping his sword as his clothes ignited. He staggered back, thrashing in pain, before collapsing into a smoldering heap.

The flames roared to life, spreading quickly through the wooden structures of the camp, the crackling fire loud enough to drown out the sounds of battle. Her magic twisted through the air, incinerating the enemy troops in her path. They scrambled, unprepared for such an assault, and Sera reveled in the chaos—her flames sweeping across the ground like an unstoppable tide.

Finn's cell was in sight, but she couldn’t afford to waste time. She pushed forward, the fire clearing her way as she approached the stone door of his prison. She barely flinched when another soldier charged at her from the side, his blade raised. Without looking, she flicked her fingers and watched as the flames consumed him whole, his body crumbling to ash before he could even reach her.

She reached the door, her heart tightening as her gaze flickered over Finn's broken form. She felt the heat of the flames roar behind her, but it was nothing compared to the fire burning inside her.

*You will not suffer anymore,* she vowed silently, her eyes fixed on his limp form.

With a whisper of magic, the lock on his cell snapped open. The door creaked as it swung wide, revealing the full extent of Finn’s torment. His golden hair was matted with sweat and blood, his body covered in welts and the cruel, jagged mark of her name. Her heart twisted painfully, but there was no time to dwell on it.

"Finn," she whispered urgently, kneeling beside him. Her hand hovered over his beaten body for a moment, then she focused her magic. Slowly, she began to burn his restraints.

Her gaze never left his face as she worked. The fire outside raged, but here, in the moment of quiet, she could only focus on him. Finn wasn’t just another casualty of war. He was hers. And she would make sure he was safe.

As his breathing steadied, Sera clenched her jaw, her magic flickering dangerously around her. *The enemy would pay.*

Sera’s breath came in short, ragged gasps as she stood over Finn’s motionless body. Her eyes flickered over the iron cuffs that still held his wrists and ankles, the metal gleaming darkly in the dim light of the room. She hated how helpless he looked, sprawled out on the cold floor like that, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.

*Just a little longer,* she thought, her fists tightening with the desire to tear through the last of the restraints. But she couldn’t afford to be reckless. The metal was cold, unforgiving—if she burned through the cuffs on his wrists or ankles, there was a real risk of doing more harm than good.

She crouched down beside him, her fingers hovering near the iron binding his wrists. The heat from her palms shimmered in the air, a reminder of what she was capable of, but she held herself back. Her pulse was hammering in her ears. *Not yet,* she reminded herself. *Be careful. He needs to wake up first.*

The chains had come away, but the cuffs—those damned cuffs—were still holding him captive. She could feel her control slipping, the heat inside her threatening to surge out of her. She fought it, focusing on the slow, steady process of warming the cuffs just enough to make them easier to pry off. It would take time, but she wasn’t going to risk hurting him. Not like this.

Finn had been through enough. Now, she was the only thing keeping him from falling apart completely. She wasn’t about to fail him now.

Her hand hovered just above the cold metal, and the heat beneath her skin began to hum with an almost painful intensity. She clenched her jaw, willing herself to hold back. Every instinct screamed at her to unleash the power inside her, to rip through the cuffs and set him free, but she knew—she *knew*—it was a delicate balance. One wrong move and his frail form could be damaged beyond repair.

Finn’s shallow breath was the only sound that filled the oppressive silence, and with each exhale, Sera’s anxiety grew. *Focus,* she reminded herself. *Stay in control.*

She began to channel the heat slowly, letting it rise from her palms in a steady, deliberate wave. The cuffs started to warm under her touch, and she felt a fleeting sense of relief. It was working. *Just a little more,* she thought, her focus narrowing to the point of obsession. If she pushed too hard, the cuffs would melt, and that would only create more problems. But if she didn’t apply enough heat, they would never loosen.

The seconds stretched into eternity.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she felt the tiniest shift in the metal. It was just enough. She gently wrapped her fingers around the edges of the cuff on his left wrist, testing its flexibility. With a careful, steady pull, she began to work the cuff loose. The cool metal creaked in protest, but it was no match for the warmth she had built up.

Her heart skipped when she felt the first cuff release. She carefully set it aside, then moved to the second, repeating the process with the same meticulous care. Sweat beaded on her forehead now, but she didn’t dare stop. Not until every chain was gone.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the cuffs came free. Finn’s hands were raw, red from the pressure of the metal, but at least they were free. His body remained still, the shallow rise and fall of his chest the only sign that he was still clinging to life.

Sera leaned over him, her breath shaky as she checked his pulse again, her fingers pressing lightly against his neck. The beat was weak but steady. *He’s still here.* But for how long?

Her eyes flickered over his face, noting the bruises, the pale skin, the dried blood caked in his hair. They’d done this to him. Whoever they were, whatever they wanted from him—they had broken him. But she wasn’t about to let them win.

Her fingers moved to his face, gently brushing aside strands of hair, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips. “Finn…” she whispered, her voice hoarse, desperate for a response. “Please, wake up.”

Nothing.

Sera’s chest tightened as the panic threatened to choke her, but she refused to give in to it. She wasn’t about to lose him. Not now, not after everything they had been through. With a final, steely breath, she cupped his face with both hands, drawing from the heat inside her.

*Come back to me, Finn.*

Sera crouched beside Finn, her fingers trembling as they hovered just above his chest. His breath was shallow, and the familiar warmth of his body seemed distant, almost foreign. She had seen him injured before, but never like this—never so still, so silent. She had to fight the knot of panic in her throat, the suffocating fear that was creeping up on her. *He’s going to be fine. He has to be.*

But even as she whispered that to herself, a gnawing doubt settled deep in her gut. Her fingers brushed the side of his face, desperate to feel any sign that he might stir, but there was nothing. *Please, Finn,* she thought, her voice breaking inside her head, *don’t leave me here alone.*

She didn’t know how long she could stay like this—watching, waiting—but she knew one thing for certain: she wouldn’t leave him. Not now. Not when there was still a sliver of hope, even if it was so small she almost couldn’t see it.