Page 45 of Within the Flames
"You didn't say anything this morning. And you're not that good of a liar either. I could see it in the way you were sitting."
"You're observant."
"And I know you well enough."
"I don't understand. If you know, then why are you still here?"
Amber sighed and sat down, indicating that Macey should too. "Keep the magic going though. And maybe add a fourth one."
"Got you," Macey muttered, conjuring up Air to do her worst. The threads switched places, separating and turning into two threads entwined around one another.
"I know you and I know Izban. For the two of you to have agreed to something, I know it had to have been necessary for all of us."
"It is," Macey confirmed.
"It doesn't mean I'm happy about it though. Or that I'll ever forgive you if something happens to him," she warned.
"I wouldn't expect you to," Macey replied.
"And I'm sure it would be the same if the positions were reversed. Add another."
Macey nodded, calling on earth and adding it into the mix. Controlling the magic was harder now. She could feel it draining her far quicker than she wanted it to. Regardless, she kept it going. She didn't want to disappoint Amber more than she already had today.
"You're doing well," the beithir noted.
"I'm not sure I can do anything with the magic though." Her words came out through gritted teeth as she tried to keep her concentration. This was a lot harder than she wanted it to be.
"Of course you can." Amber looked around, probably searching for some kind of target. "What about that tree over there?"
"What do you want me to do with it?" Macey asked, eyeing it up from where she was sitting.
"Chop it down? Though really anything will do right now." Amber shrugged.
"Why aren't you asking me where he is?" Macey blurted.
"Two reasons," Amber answered, holding up two fingers so she could tick them off. "Firstly, if I needed to know, you'd have told me. I trust you. I trust him. Which means I don'tneedto know yet. And secondly, given where we are, there's only one place for him to be. And don't think the others won't have worked it out too by now."
"I'm sure they have," Macey replied, thinking back to Luc's knowing look. None of the men were stupid, they'd have figured it out.
"Stop stalling. Chop down the tree."
"I don't think this combination of magic is going to be good at chopping," Macey countered.
"You can't say that until you've tried. Tree." She pointed at the thing and gave Macey a stern look.
With a sigh, Macey diverted her attention, thinking on how she might achieve the impossible. The magic swayed as she tried to direct it and failed miserably. That wouldn't do. She needed to control it better but didn't know where to start.
Water. The answer was always going to be the water. She kept her mind focused on all the elements, trying to keep them together, but sent most of her focus into the strand of water magic. Coiling it around, she directed that towards the trunk.
It almost worked. The moment the water hit the bark, she let go of some of her concentration and the elements all crashed into force. Before she could stop it, the tree burst into flames and burned to a crisp before their eyes.
"Oops."
