Free Just Breathe by Kendall Grey

full of flashing white teeth.
    Shit.
    “Sinnder, you’re new to the Council. I suspect you wish to gain favor among your peers.”
    Hardly.
    Eidan glanced around the table at the stormy faces. Fire surged and retreated like fighting dogs between them, hungry for a root with the baton of leadership.
    “I’d like you to devise a plot for a country-wide push for Fire and oversee its execution.” The Archelemental gestured at the bishops. “You have your choice of any of these pawns. They are all at your disposal.”
    A collective growl rose up from the heated throats of the six other Fyres, and all eyes turned to Sinnder.
    He didn’t give a flaming fuck about Eidan, the Council, or the Fyres.
    He fixed his gaze on dismayed, red-cheeked Scarlet.
    But her…
    Kill her. Make her pay for what she did to Eileen. For what she made you.

    If he involved Scarlet in the plot, he could take her out when she least expected it. All the lives she’d ended, all the love she’d murdered, and all the heartbreak she’d exacted would be avenged. He’d waited over a thousand years for this opportunity. His reward was long overdue.
    The fiery predator lying dormant inside him shook awake and stretched against the earthly confines of skin and bone.
    Sinnder jostled out of his reverie, insides trembling at His unexpected appearance.
    No. No. No! It’s too soon. I’m not ready…

    Fire smiled.
    Certain the bishops had noticed the abrupt change in his Fire, Sinnder glanced around the table. They just stared, apparently waiting for him to respond to Eidan’s request.
    A mixture of fear, acceptance, and satisfaction seized Sinnder’s reeling mind. Last thing he wanted was Him involved. Yet, Sinnder had always known the presence he harbored inside was the only means of ensuring an acceptable end to his problems.
    The old man Yileen had been right about everything. Sinnder’s destiny was fixed. There was nothing he could do to change it. So he didn’t bother trying.
    A plan sparked to life.
    Sinnder snapped his focus to Eidan. “We’ll target the most populous cities in the country: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, New Castle, and Canberra. That would account for two-thirds of the population. We’ll set off bombs on the twenty-second of September, the day before the equinox, to ensure the Wæters have no chance of retaliation.”
    Eidan flashed a half-grin. “Excellent.”
    “I’ll need explosives. Lots of them. And every Fyre you’ve got.”
    The Archelemental’s grin smeared into laughter. “Done.”
    Sinnder felt red swell in his eyes.
    Fire— true Fire—was back. And He was hungry.
    * * * *
    Scarlet burst out of the Council meeting room, steam puffing from her nostrils. She waved the smoke away, fumbled with her keys, then tore her spiked heel shoe off and pounded it on the Porsche’s window when she couldn’t get the door open. The glass refused to break, which only infuriated her further.
    That pretentious prick. How could Eidan pass her over for leading the terrorist attack against the Wyldlings? She’d served him for decades, done his bidding—even fucked him a time or two—and this was her payment? For shit’s sake, she was the one who’d found the door into the Dreaming, thanks to the tip from her informant. She deserved better.
    She settled her nerves enough to replace her shoe and open the car door. Mind spinning with blossoming ideas, she drove to Mike’s house where, according to her fuck buddy Trevor, Just Breathe had been rehearsing. Gavin was sure to be there.
    Action on her plan to dethrone Eidan and take Gavin back had waited long past its expiration date. Palms itchy with anticipation, she rubbed them hard on the steering wheel. Gavin could be hers tonight .
    She pulled into the drive and parked. Sad, Watery music oozed from the Cave’s open windows as she climbed out of the Porsche. God damn it. Hadn’t Gavin gotten over that Morgan bitch yet? She slammed the car door