retort that threatened to rise. The wall of fire had protected Marica but hadn’t prevented the good reverend from trying to drown the evil out of me. Although in theory I understood Marica’s motivation for not doing more to help me that day, it still hurt a little.
But that was incidental today. I was fascinated with what I had done, but at the same time, I was impatient. Marica was vague when it came to goals. I wanted to know if all this practice and new power was leading toward something.
“So now I can cast fire. Very cool. What’s next?”
Marica laughed, and it occurred to me that she had done that more today than ever before, at least in my experience with her.
“So eager! Tasmyn, I am thrilled beyond the telling of it that you are so anxious to continue your learning. At times, you exceed all my expectations. But we must pace ourselves. You have conquered one element, and that’s a wonderful start. But you still must work on three more, and the challenge will be great. So for now, your assignment is to keep practicing. Work on what you can do, and then… we’ll see.”
I had to be satisfied with that answer, but I was still a little confused. “How do I practice fire casting? It’s not something I can do in my room at home, or in school.”
“Certainly not!” Marica answered. “No, you must be some place completely safe. Come back here, to the clearing, if you wish. We’ll have to move the stones for now, in case someone were to come back here, but now you know what to do.”
I glanced at the still-roaring flames. “How are we going to put that out? We can’t just leave it burning.” I was thinking of all the Smokey the Bear lectures I’d sat through in elementary school.
Marica smiled. “Go to the fire. Move one of the stones—ever so slightly.”
Tossing her a dubious glance, I walked toward the three rocks. It was difficult to get near enough to touch one of them, with the heat that the fire was giving off, but I managed to nudge one of the stones out of position with my foot.
Instantly, the fire was gone. The earth beneath it was blackened, the grass burned, but the flames themselves had disappeared as though they had never existed.
“It was a mystical fire,” Marica explained. “Once you destroy the triangle, the fire is gone as well.”
I drew my brows together. “But do you always have to make the stone triangle when you cast fire? I think Nell did, that day she had me here, but you didn’t.”
“The triangle makes it easier, particularly in the beginning, and if you’re using the flames for magiks—as Nell was that day, for purifying the athame—it’s necessary. Don’t be concerned, Tasmyn. You won’t need the crutches for much longer.”
As we left the clearing and trudged through the woods toward the parking lot, my mind wandered back to Rafe and Marica’s accusations. I glanced at my watch and decided it was still early enough to make a small detour on the way home. It was time for Rafe to understand the consequences of playing with fire.
Hey, Tas. Rough day. I don’t really know what else to say. If I start talking, I’m going to say more than I should. So I’ll just say… I love you, still. Call me.
Rafe lived with his grandparents in the oldest section of King, among the largest homes in town. I’d been there twice, and I had a vague idea of how to find the house. I knew it wasn’t far from Lake Rosu. Once I was in the right neighborhood, I cruised the streets slowly until I recognized the stately home, perched slightly above the others around it.
Rafe’s car was at the top of the driveway, so I assumed he was home. It was almost dinnertime, and I remembered his threat to drive to my house if I didn’t call to report. Maybe dinner was served later at the Brooks home.
Before I could lose a good grip on my mad, I pulled my car up next to his and strode toward the huge front door. Heavily carved, it was obviously very
But that was incidental today. I was fascinated with what I had done, but at the same time, I was impatient. Marica was vague when it came to goals. I wanted to know if all this practice and new power was leading toward something.
“So now I can cast fire. Very cool. What’s next?”
Marica laughed, and it occurred to me that she had done that more today than ever before, at least in my experience with her.
“So eager! Tasmyn, I am thrilled beyond the telling of it that you are so anxious to continue your learning. At times, you exceed all my expectations. But we must pace ourselves. You have conquered one element, and that’s a wonderful start. But you still must work on three more, and the challenge will be great. So for now, your assignment is to keep practicing. Work on what you can do, and then… we’ll see.”
I had to be satisfied with that answer, but I was still a little confused. “How do I practice fire casting? It’s not something I can do in my room at home, or in school.”
“Certainly not!” Marica answered. “No, you must be some place completely safe. Come back here, to the clearing, if you wish. We’ll have to move the stones for now, in case someone were to come back here, but now you know what to do.”
I glanced at the still-roaring flames. “How are we going to put that out? We can’t just leave it burning.” I was thinking of all the Smokey the Bear lectures I’d sat through in elementary school.
Marica smiled. “Go to the fire. Move one of the stones—ever so slightly.”
Tossing her a dubious glance, I walked toward the three rocks. It was difficult to get near enough to touch one of them, with the heat that the fire was giving off, but I managed to nudge one of the stones out of position with my foot.
Instantly, the fire was gone. The earth beneath it was blackened, the grass burned, but the flames themselves had disappeared as though they had never existed.
“It was a mystical fire,” Marica explained. “Once you destroy the triangle, the fire is gone as well.”
I drew my brows together. “But do you always have to make the stone triangle when you cast fire? I think Nell did, that day she had me here, but you didn’t.”
“The triangle makes it easier, particularly in the beginning, and if you’re using the flames for magiks—as Nell was that day, for purifying the athame—it’s necessary. Don’t be concerned, Tasmyn. You won’t need the crutches for much longer.”
As we left the clearing and trudged through the woods toward the parking lot, my mind wandered back to Rafe and Marica’s accusations. I glanced at my watch and decided it was still early enough to make a small detour on the way home. It was time for Rafe to understand the consequences of playing with fire.
Hey, Tas. Rough day. I don’t really know what else to say. If I start talking, I’m going to say more than I should. So I’ll just say… I love you, still. Call me.
Rafe lived with his grandparents in the oldest section of King, among the largest homes in town. I’d been there twice, and I had a vague idea of how to find the house. I knew it wasn’t far from Lake Rosu. Once I was in the right neighborhood, I cruised the streets slowly until I recognized the stately home, perched slightly above the others around it.
Rafe’s car was at the top of the driveway, so I assumed he was home. It was almost dinnertime, and I remembered his threat to drive to my house if I didn’t call to report. Maybe dinner was served later at the Brooks home.
Before I could lose a good grip on my mad, I pulled my car up next to his and strode toward the huge front door. Heavily carved, it was obviously very
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