“Shit!” I lunge forward, slapping uselessly at the flame.
Annemarie is doubled over laughing, nearly choking. “Oh mygods —Cas, you just set your fairy godmother on fire!”
‘Promising,’Calida adds, drily.‘Aim could use some work.’There’s a long pause.‘I feel like it has to be said — no one gets to give me shit about the bookstore fire. Ever. Again.’
Betsy, calm as ever, mutters an incantation and the flame dies, a small trail of smoke curling toward the sky. She levels her gaze on me.
"…sorry?”
Annemarie is wiping tears from her eyes. “Literally the best training session ever.”
Betsy’s lips twitch, like she’s biting back a smile. “At least it proves you have the power. This time, aim for the tinder. Again.”
I can feel the heat in my face, hotter than any spark I’ve managed so far, and prepare to try again.
It’s not too much later when Flint shows up. I’ve managed to make the wood smoke, but have yet to actually catch it onfire. But, I also haven’t set Betsy on fire again which, sorry, is definitely a win in my book.
I notice Flint and Betsy exchanging a look and decide to ignore it. Probably just a “difficult student, lost cause” eye lock and Iknow, okay? I’m fucking trying.
It’s not like setting Betsy on fire helped me feel any more comfortable with wielding fire.
“Again.” Betsy doesn’t even bother looking at me this time, keeping her eyes on Flint.
I roll my own and stick my tongue out at her back.
Okay… maybe I am just a difficult student.
I close my eyes and take some deep breaths. I reach for the shimmering power within me and let it flood my body. Then, I feel something else.
Heat. There’s heat. Not burning, but a simmering heat that I can feel swamping my senses, filling my veins the way my power does. I reach out with my mind, trying to find the source. My eyes fly open as I realize that the heat is coming from the direction of Flint. Is this his power? Am I draining him somehow?
Before I can open my mouth to ask, the heat flares brighter and I have to release it, somehow.
I throw my hands out, and the wood erupts into flame. They leap high, higher than is safe. Betsy and Flint whirl around to the sudden tower of flame. Flint reaches out, and the flames become manageable.
“What the fuck?” I manage to squeak. How did I go from not being able to do much more than a sparkler on Independence Day to creating a giant fireball?
Flint smiles. “That’s impressive progress.” He kisses my cheek. “I guess Betsy is the superior teacher here.”
Betsy’s watching the flames, a line between her brows. “I don’t think it was me.”
“It was and it wasn’t. I mean, yeah, you’re a great teacher, Bits. But there was something else here. Maybe there still is.” I start to reach for the power again, but Flint stops me with a hand on my shoulder.
Before he can say anything, Betsy does. “What did you feel?”
“I don’t know. It felt like heat. It didn’t burn me, obviously, but I knew it was there. Maybe that’s how fire feels?” I can tell by the look on her face that’s not the case. I probably should have suspected as much — none of the other elements had had that effect on me.
“It means it’s time for a break.” I catch the look that passes between Bits and Flint, but the tone in her voice has an alarm bell going off in my head.
Before I can press the matter, Flint notices Annemarie. “Is that my dagger?”
He takes a step towards her while she grabs my arm and tugs me to the trail that will lead us out of the clearing. “Com’on, Cas! Let’s get home. Light’s fading and all that.”
Annemarie drags Ash off before I can get a better look at the weapon that I know damn well she liberated from the apartment. I could catch up easily but right now, we have bigger worries.
“What happened?” Betsy demands, keeping her voice low.
I recount my altercation with Brett.
