Page 56 of A Blaze of Fire
Sage laughed. “You and your brother are so much alike, it’s uncanny.” Her comment startled me enough to loosen my grip and lose my train of thought. Taking advantage of my momentary discomfiture, she ripped herself from my grip. “Pathetic,” she spat as she circled me. “Here I was, thinking the girl was your Achilles’ heel, while the mere mention of Ansel makes you quake. Maybe they’rebothyour weakness.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said stiffly.
“Oh, but I do.” She laughed again. “I had a very interesting chat with Violet today. She gets worked up quite easily.”
“I’m sure you had a hand in that,” I said dryly. “You do have a way with words.”
Sage smiled brightly. “Ah, don’t give me all the credit. Our audience was captivated and those googly eyes she gave Ansel were just the icing on the cake.”
My nostrils flared and I wanted to rip Violet a new one for being unable to conceal her romance with my brother. If Sage could figure it out, so could anyone else.
She wrapped her hands around my waist from behind and slithered her claws up my chest, pressing herself against me. “Don’t you miss me, Alec?”
“Not in the slightest,” I deadpanned.
“Liar,” she purred. “Violet can’t give you what you need … what you crave.”
“You don’t know what she gives me,” I murmured. The words tumbled from my mouth without thought.
Sage’s hands stopped their caress across my chest and she froze. For a second, I thought she was even holding her breath. “There’s nothing that girl can do that I can’t do better.”
I chuckled and ripped her hands off me, stepping out of her reach. “That’s where you’re wrong, Sage. You can never be Violet.”
The confident smile fell away and I could see her ready to claw my face.
She scoffed. “You think Violet is what you want, but Iknowyou Alec, better than anyone else. You’ll never be satisfied. Never.” Pushing past me, she shoulder-checked me on her way to the door, where she peered over her shoulder one last time. “I’ll be here waiting when you realize it.” With those parting words, she left.
23
VIOLET
Training with Kazimir was easier than ever now that my fire came to me like second nature. Learning to fight with it was a whole other beast, though it didn’t appear he was willing to teach me.
“Your training with me is now complete.” Kazimir looked at me dryly. “You’re ready to move on to the next part of your training.”
“Which is?” I asked with a raised brow, hoping it was the fighting component.
“Since you have an aptitude for air, I’ve asked the leader of the air elementals to train you next,” Kazimir explained.
I frowned. “Wait. I’m learning a new element?”
He nodded. “You’ve mastered fire, now it’s time for you to move on.”
I twisted my mouth to the side. “I’d hardly say I mastered fire, but sure, let’s go with that. Don’t you think we’re moving a little fast here?”
Kazimir wasn’t my favorite person. Hell, half the time he scared me to death. But I wasn’t ready to learn another element. At least I didn’t think I was.
We were standing in the middle of the castle’s expansive courtyard when he waved at someone to join us. I didn’t turn around to see who it was.
Kazimir nodded to the newcomer cordially. “You were introduced when you first arrived, but Lady Violet, I would like to formally introduce you to Calypso, the leader of the air elementals.”
I turned to meet the gaze of a beautiful woman with long, sleek white hair and clear lavender eyes that sparkled with an inner light.
“Hello, Lady Violet,” Calypso greeted. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
I bowed slightly. “Likewise.”
She smiled and turned to Kazimir. “You said she’s used air already?”
