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“Come now, darling. You might not have a Synian’s hearing, but there's nothing wrong with your ears,” Parris said. She shot him a filthy look, but he only chuckled.
Elliot tried again, softening his approach this time. “We have no time, Jaide. You saw how Healynas decided to test you without warning. He could be watching right now. Listening. Waiting for his opportunity.”
“You would know how he thinks,” I said, staring at him from across the small fire now flickering to life thanks to Parris’s work.
Elliot stiffened, his jaw tightening, but he nodded in response. “Yes, I do. Which is why I know it's imperative that we take advantage of every opportunity we have to train.”
“All right, all right.” Jaide did a couple of head rolls, rotating her head from shoulder to shoulder, then shook her hands out. “What should I do?”
“Show me again how you gathered the wind. You may be able to use some of the same principles in other tests,” Elliot said. When all Jaide did was arch an eyebrow, he lifted his shoulder. “It isn't easy to explain. You'll see what I mean as we progress.”
He crouched a short distance from where she was and placed a small stone at his feet. “I want you to push the stone away. Use the wind.”
I exchanged a glance with Paris, who merely lifted his brow in anticipation.
“All right, I'll try to remember how I did it.” She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the lines on her forehead smoothing as she focused and concentrated.
Nothing happened at first. I glanced at Paris again, and now he wore a knowing smirk. It would be an understatement to say we were underwhelmed.
Until Jade's eyes snapped open and she exhaled hard, grunting softly. There was a split second where her hair stirred as if there was static in the air, and I could taste something metallic in my mouth that had nothing to do with blood.
Then the pebble rolled. Not far, no more than a few feet, but she moved it. She sank back against the rock wall, sighing. “Wow. I did it.” Even though she appeared to be exhausted, there was a note of triumph in her voice. “I actually did it. I didn't think I would be able to.”
“That's the first step. Telling yourself you are able to. Magic can't exist in a mind that won't accept it” Elliot said.
I knew Elliot too well. I could read him too easily. “Why are you so troubled?” I asked.
“I'm not.”
He was lying. I didn't come out and say it, but the way I stared at him spoke volumes just the same.
Elliot averted his gaze until even Parris spoke up.
“Is there something wrong? We ought to know if there is,” Parris said.
“Not wrong,” Elliot sighed. “Surprising. Unexpected.”
“What a shock. Something unexpected came up,” Jaide said.
He smiled at Jaide's sarcasm. “There was a sizzle in the air. Something electric. Did you all feel it?” I nodded, and so did Parris. “That's how you described it too, isn't it?” he asked Jaide.
“Yeah, like there's a thunderstorm brewing inside me.”
“That's unusual. It brings to mind a story I heard a long time ago about the Fae. But it's all in bits and pieces in my memory. I'll have to think about it and see if I remember it better. For now, try again. See if you can blow out the fire.”
“You mean the fire I just set?” Parris groaned.
Elliot scowled at Parris. “You can do it again. And while she's at it, I'll go find her some food.”
“I'll go with you.” I spoke before thinking, and once I said it I couldn't take it back. I longed to be alone with him, even with my mixed feelings still pulling me in opposite directions. Our relationship had never been less than complicated, but this was a challenge I hadn’t yet faced in all my years.
I followed him into the forest, the light from a nearly full moon illuminating our path. It turned the world silver and white, making even Elliot’s tanned skin glow like a pearl. My hunger for him stirred, awakened now that we were alone for the first time since our sudden departure from Sypani.
“Well?” Elliot asked without turning around. “What is it you've come to say?”
“Who said I have anything—”
He turned to me, scowling. “Stop. There's no time for that. And I'm not in a mood to dance around the subject. You're still angry with me. I understand it, even if I did my best to explain myself. It wasn't enough. I understand that, too.”
