My magic training was going well.
Terrifyingly well.
Five days had passed since I'd graduated from Earth and moved on to Water Magic. On my first day of Water training, I nearly flooded the ravine around the citadel. Yes, the ravine that was thousands of feet deep. So now we trained at a lake several miles away. My Earth Magic training had given me a basis on how to proceed and it made my Water Magic training go faster. I was already competent with Water Magic and expected to finish the training soon.
Everyone in the citadel was impressed with me. Everyone but myself. I still felt like the same Ember. Maybe it was because I've had these powers my entire life or maybe it was the way they threatened to take over every time I used them. I felt more like a slave than a master. Or an impostor.
“Cease!” Mistress Arcasa shouted.
We were at the lake I mentioned. The location worked well for us. There was water but not much else around it. Even the forest stood hundreds of feet away. So, I didn't have to worry about hurting anyone, not even animals. All right, maybe the fish, but if any died, we could take them back to the citadel for the chefs to add to dinner.
I had been going through one of Mistress Arcasa's drills, moving ribbons of water through the air in intricate designs. Visually stunning, it was also incredibly difficult to do, partially because it was so pretty. It's hard to focus when you're in awe of something. But I'd been doing well, so I wasn't sure why she made me stop.
“Who are you?” She demanded as she swam to shore.
Oh, did I not mention that Mistress Arcasa always took the opportunity to go for a dip? That was also distracting. Imagine trying to focus on weaving water through the air while a beautiful woman with a tail swam below, shouting commands.
“I'm Ember,” I said, baffled.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “You're just an ember, waiting to ignite. You have the potential to start a great fire, but you just smolder.”
I grimaced. “That's a cute play on my name, but I don't know what the fuck you're talking about.”
Rath, sitting on the grass nearby, chuckled.
“You are not mastering the element!” Arcasa snapped. “You are lettingitmaster you!”
Wasn't that exactly what I'd been thinking? I could hardly argue with her.
“Did you do this with Earth?” she went on. “I'm shocked Master Daeli let you continue to Water.”
“All right.” I held up my hands in surrender. “So, stop yelling at me about it and tell me how to master the magic.”
“The same way you master anything. Youtakecontrol. Do not wait for it to be given.”
“Great.” I rolled my eyes. “I'll get right on that.”
A wave of water rose from the lake and crashed over my head.
I shouted, held up my hands instinctively, and felt the Water Magic rush to my call. Feeling it rise wasn't unusual, neither was the way it started to do its own thing. In a situation like this, one in which I had seconds to respond, the magic often acted before I could. But this time, I was aware of it. This time, I reined it in. I took control.
And I got soaked.
Mistress Arcasa giggled as I sputtered.
Rath shot to his feet and hurried over. “Ember, are you all right?”
“He's fine, Wraith Lord,” Arcasa said gleefully. “He's learning.”
“Thatwas learning?”
She waved at me as if it was evident.
I snorted and pushed back my wet hair. “I didn't let the Water Magic take control. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to direct it either.”
Rath scowled. “So you let yourself get wet?”
I shrugged. “I didn't have much of a choice.”
