“Fire!” Air snapped.
“Well, we'd give a shit in a very general, caring about everyone, kind of way,” Fire amended. “You know, Ember, you probably don't need him.”
Everyone went still.
“What did you say?” Vexen growled.
“You heard me, kitty-cat,” Fire said. “He probably won't need you. Our training may be enough.”
“Probably. May,” Vex repeated. “You don't know anything for certain.”
“No one knows anything for certain,” Earth said. “Not even the Goddess knows if her predictions will come true.”
“Wait. What?” I asked. “My destiny isn't certain?”
“Of course not,” Fire said. “What's the point of knowing the future if you can't change it? A prophecy is only the most likely result with the current path. But it changes every day. Usually just a little. Not enough to alter the end. That beingsaid, if you were to vigorously oppose the prediction, you could change it.”
I swayed on my feet.
“Ember!” Xaedren steadied me.
“I'm all right,” I said. “Just surprised.”
“There's no need for such concern,” Earth rumbled. “You don't want to change your destiny, do you?”
“No,” I said.
“Then just do as your instincts lead you. You'll keep to the path you need to be on.”
“Instincts?”
“You like to repeat things, don't you?” Fire muttered. “Listen, Sparky, you've already mastered Elemental Magic at a level most people on this planet never reach. But you've forgotten one of your first lessons, and it's an important one.”
“What's that?”
“Seeing through them.”
“Seeing—”
“Don't you fucking repeat me,” Fire cut me off. “For fuck's sake. Seeing through the Elements. You know how to know them. Us. Look at the world through the magic. That is how you learn to connect deeply with it.”
“Death tried to alter my vision of the world,” I whispered.
“Ah,” Air said. “That's why you haven't done more with your magic.”
“That's not it,” Fire huffed. “He never tried to connect with our magic before Death got to him. He's just a wanker.”
“He's not a wanker,” Water said. “He's young.”
“What's a wanker?” I asked.
“You don't want to know,” Air said gravely. “Ember, we are with you now, and we will guide you. Do not worry. Fire was getting ahead of herself. When the Wraith Lords have given their consent, we will begin your advanced training, and your first exercise will be to look at the world through the Elements with your new, deeper understanding of them.”
“All right,” I said. Then I remembered Vex. “Did you come to talk to me?”
Vexen grimaced. “I did, but it sounds as if you don't have the time for it.” He turned and headed for the door.
“Vex.” I went after him and grabbed his hand. “I'll make the time.”
