He had me do that several more times, until I could do it by reflex. But I still hadn’t a cluehowI was doing it. I opened my mouth to ask, but he barked another command at me, tapping his foot in the snow as if he was bored with this process.
“You can visualize your fire channel, yes?”
I didn’t think that was actually a question, but I nodded anyway.
“Pull it up.” He made an impatient gesture, seemingly unaware of the flames flickering in between his fingers.
Sure, a cryptic command instead of an actual explanation.
I went inward, as I always did, and separated my channels out by color, ignoring that other well of golden power. Locating the red one, itleaptinto my hands and I pulled a thread of it upward.
“Hand out, and push.”
I extended my hand in his direction, and a blast of fire funneled through it, heading straight toward him. He made a motion, and it careened off into the distance as he swore. I blinked, examining my hand. There wasn’t a mark on it.
“Not that much power!”
“Now you tell me,” I muttered. What was his next plan? Tell me “try not to die” after I’d lit myself on fire?
He putme through my paces, bringing up more and more fire, and sending it farther and farther in the distance.
“Channel!” he barked again for Erde knew what time. “Pull it up and release it!”
“Totally hadn’t heard you the last twelve times,” I muttered under my breath.
My anger, bubbling below the surface, fueled my fire channel. It took less than a thought for it to come bursting through my outstretched arm. Several hours ago, Finn had abandoned his postnext to me, and having cleared out a patch of snow, was sitting and reading underneath a tree.
“Again,” came the sharp demand, “but aim this time.” Azar pointed at a tree some distance away.
I glanced at Finn. When he felt my eyes on him, he gave me a reassuring smile.
I took a deep breath and delved into my fire channel again. Drawing it back up, I focused on the tree he had pointed out. If he wanted me to blow up a tree, I guess I would try to blow up a tree. The anger swirled, and I released it. A fireball tumbled out of me, smashing into the tree, which instantly convulsed in flames.
I watched it burn, a sizzling sound when the snow hit it.
Had I really done that?
Finn rushed over, raising his hand, and the snow surrounding the tree melted and raised, showering the tree and dousing the fire. “Good job, Lexie! But maybe we lessen it a bit? A controlled burn instead of starting a forest fire?” Finn hurried back to me.
“Good,” Azar said, without an ounce of feeling in his voice. Was he seriously bored out here? “Now let’s try you holding on to the fire, while you release it.”
I stared at him. Hold on to the fire? What in Erde’s name did that mean? His body language told me he wouldn’t stand for any arguments. Sure, I’d hold on to the burning flames that I’d been flinging around.Great idea, Azar.Definitely wasn’t about to burn myself.
I took a deep breath, again, and reached down into my fire channel. It flew up to meet me. In this case, as I drew up a sliver of power, I held it in my grasp. Once it was at the surface, Iflungit, like a lasso. I lunged, barely keeping hold of the edge, but hold I did. It landed around a bush, which burst into flames.
“Control it!” he shouted. “Do notlet the bush burn!”
I had no idea how he expected me to do that. All I knew how to do was ask the fire, so that’s what I did. It didn’t like the request—it wanted toburn, burn, burn—but I held firm. I guess this was one area where my stubbornness would be of use. And slowly, so slowly, thefire surrounding the bush retreated, until just a thin rope of fire encircled it.
“Excellent,” Azar breathed. “A true fire wielder.”
“Does that mean I can let it go?” I panted, starting to feel a bit faint.
“Yes, release it.”
The fire disappeared instantly. With the release of power, I sank to the ground. My earth channel gave me a gentle nudge, a reminder to use the strength of the earth to replenish my energy. But there was only so much help even that could give.
Azar approached me. “I think you have the basics down now.”
