Page 27 of A Blaze of Fire
I sighed. “I know, Ansel. But you have to calm down.” I approached him, knowing full well I shouldn’t but taking the risk anyway. Standing scant inches from him, I grasped his face and pulled him down to me, bringing our foreheads together. I closed my eyes and breathed in his unique eucalyptus scent. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered.
He wrapped his arms around me. “I’ve missed you too, Vi. More than you can imagine,” he whispered back.
I opened my eyes and pulled back slightly. “Do you trust me?”
He nodded.
“Then trust Alec.”
He tensed. “You don’t know my brother, Vi.”
“But you knowme,” I countered. “Trust in me. I’m doing this for both of us.”
“You never wanted anything to do with the fae,” he argued.
I smiled. “I know, and I appreciate you trying to grant my wish, but sometimes we have to adjust. This is me adjusting.”
“You shouldn’t have to.” Ansel placed a soft kiss atop my head and I hugged him something fierce. I didn’t know when I’d be able to again.
Alec cleared his throat behind me.
I pulled back. He was right; we were cutting it close. Someone could walk by at any moment. We had to be careful. I pulled away and reluctantly released Ansel.
Alec raised a brow. “And where, dear brother, areyoucoming from?”
Ansel frowned. “I had a late-night meeting.”
Alec laughed. “With whom?”
“That’s none of your concern,” he retorted hotly.
“Right …” Alec mused, obviously suspicious. “Well, it’s time to wrap up this little love fest. We don’t know who’s watching.”
“We need to keep our distance from here on out,” I said, making it clear.
Ansel nodded. “Fine.” His green eyes traveled to Alec and narrowed. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
Alec chuckled and wiggled his fingers. “Sure thing, brother.”
13
VIOLET
After spending several weeks training with Kazimir, I could tell he was getting frustrated with me. The little flame on my pointer finger was all I’d been able to produce. Sooner than I’d like, the King was going to want to see more than that.
Because of my lack of magic production, Kazimir moved our training from the courtyard of the castle to the cliffs overlooking the ocean, saying I needed a change of scenery. The wind blew my hair wildly and lashed my cheeks as the taste of salt from the sea grounded me. We stood precariously near the edge. I didn’t understand why he’d decided we should practice here, though my imagination had several dark scenarios.
“The wind keeps blowing out the fire,” I complained when my little flame was extinguished for the hundredth time.
Kazimir took a step forward, pushing me back toward the edge. “Try again.” His voice was steely and impatient, tired of my whining.
I groaned. “Fine!” I flicked my finger and the fire flickered to life, then was quickly snuffed out by the wind. Kazimir took another step toward me, making me step back without thinking of the perilous cliff creeping up behind me. I peered over my shoulder and saw the edge of the cliff was less than a handful of feet away.
We volleyed back and forth – Kazimir demanding, me failing, Kazimir pushing me one step closer to the ledge – until my heels teetered on the cliff’s precipice. I grasped Kazimir’s arm to keep from falling.
“Okay, this isn’t funny anymore,” I grumbled, chancing a swift glance over the rim and seeing the dizzying height that fell away into the ocean. If I fell, I would certainly die. My hair stung my cheeks and made me look as frantic and wild as I felt inside.
“I told you I wanted to see fire today,” he said in his gruff voice. “You didn’t meet my expectations.”
