Page 81 of Axis of Fire

“It is for everyone. But if you learn to control your emotions through this, everything else will become easier.”

“…Alright,” I said quietly, forcing the flame back to its original size.

“It happened in winter. The day of the first snowfall.”

I paused, swallowing before continuing.

“A girl from my group threw a party—invited me and my friends. There was a lot of alcohol, music... dancing. And honestly, I didn’t hold back.”

I exhaled slowly.

“At some point, a guy I’d liked since school and I got close on the dance floor... and ended up going into one of the empty rooms.”

I felt awkward even saying it.

Especially in front of him.

And it irritated me that I didn’t even understand why.

The flame flickered again—

shrinking slightly this time.

I exhaled, forcing myself back into control.

“Gwendolyn and Mike were just as drunk, so they ended up together too. In the bathroom connected to the room I was in... with him.”

The flame dipped again.

Damn it.

“So...” I cleared my throat, feeling the dryness scratch at it.

“When things escalated with Kevin—when it became intimate—I got too worked up. I felt this heat in my body... and pain in my fingertips...”

I inhaled sharply.

“And I lost control. The fire burst out—onto the bed. Onto him.”

I forced myself not to picture it.

The burning mattress.

Kevin’s scream—

raw, panicked—

as he tried to tear off his burning pants.

“When he started screaming, Gwendolyn and Mike ran out of the bathroom,” I continued, my vision blurring as tears threatened to spill.

“Mike rushed to help Kevin. Gwendolyn saw the fire coming from my hands and dragged me outside.”

Gwendolyn had been scared.

But not surprised.

Like she’d always known talking to the dead wasn’t the limit of what I could do.