“You, Kamira, are special like me. Your gifts are not on the surface, but from within.” He pointed a pale finger at her chest. “You know the wordLegion, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“It is used to describe a Master Sorcerer of all the elements. But the truth of the Legion has been forgotten with time. A Legion of the true bloodline, a child of the first, is a conjurer of elements. You are something far more deadly than you know.”
Kamira didn’t understand. “What do you mean? What are you saying?”
“I think you know exactly what I’m saying, Kamira. I think you have known for a while now..”
“I—it’s impossible. No Sorcerer can create without substance.”
“Ah, but have you ever tried?”
Kamira narrowed her eyes. “Why would I attempt something that is impossible?”
The man snorted. “You never truly know what you are capable of unless you try.”
He blew out the flame, and it sputtered into smoke before her. “Remember what I said. Those closest to you are not what they seem. Use your gut instincts.” His eyes darted to the vial that hung around her neck. “Keep that close. You may need it sooner than you think.”
Suddenly, the ground shook beneath her feet as aboomechoed around them. Kamira turned to see flames shooting near the base of the Legion tree. It was the Fire Sorceress’ turn to perform. She turned back around to ask the man what he meant, but he was already gone.
30
Doraan
Doraanstareddownathis shaking hands. That didn't just happen. None of it was real. How couldhebe a Sorcerer?
But even as he tried to deny it, the memories of all the strange feelings he’d felt inside came bubbling to the surface. The burning in his veins, the tingling at his palms, and how every emotion had him feeling as if he might explode if he didn’t let it all out.
He suddenly recalled all the times he had felt as if his insides were on fire over the past weeks, no, the past years. Any time his anger would rise, so would that scorching heat, traveling through his limbs as if trying to ignite him into a living flame. Had that been his sorcery trying to break free? It was the only explanation. He thought it was normal—that everyone felt that when their emotions began to rise to the surface, but maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was just him.
What did it mean? He wasn’t sure he wanted to understand it fully just yet. If either of his parents were Sorcerers, wouldn’t he have known? Wouldn't there have been some sign of it?
There was absolutely no way his father was a Sorcerer. His hatred for them was the only thing that kept him going. It was his entire life. It fueled him like dry wood does a flame. Was it his mother then? Had she hidden her powers for so long? How brazen of her to be with the very man who hated her kind the most.
If it was true, how could she live with a man like his father? How could she stand beside him while he massacred her people? It just didn’t make sense.
Nothing made sense anymore. His entire existence had been a lie. Everything he knew and believed were now completely shattered.
Doraan walked out onto the balcony of the room he had been offered for the night. He stared down at the vast island, watching the flickering flames dancing throughout the landscape. The familiar prickling warmth built and urged him to reach out toward the fire to bend his will.
Doraan turned his back to it all, leaned his against the balcony railing and slid down it until he was sitting on the ground, knees against his chest, head in his hands.
This was a nightmare.
Suddenly, a knock came on the other side of his door. “Doraan?”
It was Cormac. Doraan groaned, curled his arms around his legs and pulled them close, wincing as his wooden foot scraped loudly across the ground, the sound echoing through the large room.
“Can I come in?” Cormac’s voice came through the door again.
Doraan still didn’t answer him. He just wanted to be alone, to wallow in his self-loathing by himself.
The door creaked open, and Doraan cursed. He hadn’t locked it.
He looked away from Cormac as the older man walked toward him, taking a seat next to him on the balcony floor and leaning his back against the railing with a sigh. “Doraan…”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said, cutting off Cormac’s words.
