Ral - "No"

          Ral took a deep breath.

          "No," he said.

          "That seems like a mistake to me," the first man said. "So I'm going to give you one more chance to think things over—"

          BOOM. Flash and thunder were simultaneous, the lightning bolt snaking down through the rooftops to earth itself in the flowing water of the alley. Ral felt heat washing over him, power running through him, like fire in his blood. His hair frizzed and stood on end, and when he smiled, sparks arced between his teeth. Above him, the rain started to bend in gentle arcs, leaving a dry circle where he stood.

          Moments later, Ral left the alley, richer by two twisted, slightly melted knives, a couple of purses full of copper, and two pairs of still-smoking boots.

***

The Gathering Storm, Chapter 11