“Hover the flames over your hand.”
Rath, back on his boulder, sat up straighter, his stare locking on me.
I glanced at him, then focused on my hand.
“Ember,” Rath said in a worried tone.
“I'll be fine.” I blocked him out and focused on Fire.
It's just like hovering Fire over a stone. With one difference; Fire could burn me. I'm fuel. No, I won't think like that. Focus, Ember. Just above my hand. In the air over my fingers. No problem.
I gasped as flames erupted over my left hand and just for a second, they burned me. But that zing of pain pushed the flames upward, taking them where I wanted them to be. It was an important lesson for me. A moment when it all clicked. It was my reactions, be they emotional or physical, that drove the elements. They were protecting me.
I thought back to the falling tree, how the elements took control and righted it. But when I was plummeting through the sky, Rath saved me. Was it because I was more in control of Air then? Or would the magic have saved me eventually? I believed it was the latter. The elements were a part of me and like anything with any bit of sentience, they wanted to live. To live, they had to keep me alive.
“Holy fuck,” Rath whispered.
“Well done, Ember,” Master Resar said with a smug grin. “I knew you could do it. Now, try encasing your entire body.”
“Hold on one second,” Rath growled.
“Lord Ratharin!” Master Resar snapped. “One more outburst and I will insist on training Ember a—”
Both men went silent as I surrounded myself in Fire. The feeling of standing in the center of that inferno, without even a hint of the heat brushing my skin, was so empowering that I laughed. Then I held my hands out and lifted the fire into the sky to swirl it over my head, forming it into a bird.
“Now, you're just showing off,” Master Resar muttered.
“Holy fuck,” Rath said again and swayed on his feet.
“Two days!” I shouted and met Rath's amazed stare. “Two fucking days and I can do this, Rath!” I brought my hands down, the flames winking out, and ran to him.
Rath lifted me off my feet, caught up in my jubilation, and spun me. When he brought me down, he kissed me. I don't know if it was an automatic reaction or if he was using the moment to further his suit, and I didn't care. I kissed him back. Effusively. Passionately. Whole-fucking-heartedly. I'd wanted him for so long. Why not kiss him? Xaedren had all but pushed me into Rath's arms. I could have them both. I could . . . fuck, this wasn't me.
I jerked back.
“I'm sorry,” Rath said anxiously, holding his hand out to me. “I don't know why I did that.”
“I do, and I participated. It's not on you.” I swallowed roughly and calmed my breathing. “But I can't, Rath.”
“I know,” he said softly.
“This is all fascinating,” Master Resar drawled. “Thank you for the insight into your personal life. But as proficient as you are, Ember, you have not mastered Fire yet. We have more to do.”
“Yes, Sir,” I said, tearing my gaze away from Rath. “Sorry about that.”
“I am a passionate man as well,” Master Resar said. “And I understand getting caught up in the moment. But this is not the time for that.”
“No, it isn't,” Rath said. “Proceed, Master Resar. I will not interrupt again.” After a long look at me, he turned and went back to his boulder.
Chapter Thirty-Five
That night at dinner, I sat with Lord Finn and a few of his friends, avoiding both Rath and Xae. I could feel their stares on me—Xae's becoming a glare when Finn got too close. That annoyed me even more. He was the one pushing me at other men. Xae didn't have the right to get jealous when I actually showed an interest in someone else.
“So, you wanna tell me what's going on in your little love triangle?” Finn asked, curving one dark wing around me and leaning in conspiratorially.
There went Xaedren's glare again.
I sighed. “It's a long story.”
