Page 28 of A Blaze of Fire
“It’s impossible! It’s too windy here!” I yelled against the whoosh of the wind, holding onto him tightly.
He flexed his hand and his dark eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you’re trying hard enough. Maybe you think you can slack off because you have the Alec boy at your side, hmm?”
I frowned. “What?”
Kazimir chuckled, but it was humorless. “I’ve seen the two of you sneaking off into the village. That’s a rather bold move.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening. If he saw me and Alec, it was entirely possible he’d seen Ansel and me that first night.
“If the King finds out you’re loyal to Alec and not him, you know what it’ll mean for you,” Kazimir warned, obviously enjoying my discomfort.
My frown deepened. “You mean if I’m loyal to only Alec?” I asked.
He nodded.
“That’swhat you think? That because me and Alec are friends, I won’t do as the King says?”
Kazimir released my hand from his arm and I wobbled before he caught me at the last second. A panicked scream tore loose and my free hand scrabbled against his chest, trying to find purchase.
Kazimir grinned. “You can’t be loyal to two men,Lady Violet.” Though he meant Alec and the King, the irony that I was being pulled between the brothers was not lost on me.
“I swear I’m loyal to the King!” I promised, knowing he’d drop me if he smelled a hint of mistrust. The crashing waves beneath me seemed louder, closer. “Alec is only taking me out at night so I’m not bored!”
He tilted his head, debating whether to believe me or not. “Even non-romantic relationships can shift one’s loyalty.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing romantic between me and Alec!” I thought about all the little moments we’d shared and wondered what they meant, even though I knew Ansel was the one I wanted.
“Let’s hope not,” Kazimir declared. “The King doesn’t like it when someone touches what’s his.” He smirked again before releasing my hand and pushing me over the edge of the cliff.
I screamed as I free fell into oblivion, my stomach dropping like I was on the worst roller coaster known to man. My legs and arms flailed and I felt my imminent death coming any second. I closed my eyes and held my breath before suddenly jerking to a stop.
Water crashed below me and wetted the tips of my hair, splashing the sides of my face. I dared to crack one eye open and looked over my shoulder to see I was floating above the water.
I opened both eyes and saw I was drifting on a cloud of air.
“What the hell?” I gasped.
Then, the air popped and I plunged into the ocean.
* * *
Soaking wet,I stalked back to the shore where Kazimir was waiting for me with a smug smile and his arms crossed over his chest.
“Are you insane?” I shouted. “You could have killed me! I’m still half human, you know!”
“That much is obvious.” He rolled his eyes. “Yet you survived, using your elemental magic.”
I frowned. “Wait … that wasn’t you?”
Kazimir snorted. “I’m a fire elemental; I don’t deal with air.”
“How?” I gasped.
He shrugged, disinterested. “Survival instincts, I suppose. Maybe I should throw you off the cliff again and see what other powers materialize.”
“Do that, and you’ll be the first one I decimate when I get all my powers,” I growled, raising my fist.
Kazimir laughed. “Fair enough. But you haven’t shown much progress in the weeks we’ve been training. Does it take me threatening you to show results?”
