Page 114 of A Whisper of Cinders

I stop, sitting down next to her.

Trying — and failing — to keep a serious face, she pulls the pillow to her chest. “What happened?”

I bend over and fall into the other pillow, burying my face and mumbling the words, hoping she will hear them.

“I’m sorry, babes, I didn’t quite get what you were saying.”

I sigh and sit back up. “Moons Ami, I’ve never felt like that before. It felt like I was…possessed or something, ready to tear all my clothes off.”

“And did you?”

“No!” I quickly answer, maybe a little too quick. “No, not at all, it’s just…”

She grabs my hand. “It really is okay, whatever happened, I’m sure my bro…the other fae knows how new you are to the fae world and that you’re not used to our Nectar. Our tolerance is higher because our magic tempers its effect. But even we feel it humming in our veins.” That only dims my embarrassment slightly. Ami squeezes my hand, all serious now. “Did you do things you regret?”

I cover my face with my hands. “No and I think that’s the worst part. I wanted it all and more.”

She pulls my hands away from my face. “You are a woman; it is normal — natural even — that you have needs and desires. The nectar just brought them more to the surface and made you act on thoughts you might’ve had for a little while.”

“I’ll get over it, nothing really happened.”

“Exactly!” she pauses, squeezing her eyes a little. “And who did —”

I hold up a hand. “I will not answer that question.”

She stands up from the bed and walks over to her closet. “Okay, fine. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” She picks out an outfit and heads for the bathroom. “We should get dressed and grab some breakfast. You’re about to get your first magic lesson.”

I nearly fall from the bed, barely catching myself before I meet the ground. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You know…magic, the powers you possess but don’t know how to use.” She says from the bathroom. “Mrs Delalune didn’t want to stall it any longer, especially since the attack. She wants you to learn how to use them.”

“Why are you just telling me now?”

“Relax, we still have enough time.” Her head peaks from behind the door. “But I really would get dressed if I were you.”

And with that, I run back to my room, freshen up and get dressed, to rush back in the hallway, finding Ami already there.

“What will they teach me?” I ask her as we walk down the stairs.

“Hm, I think the basics really. Learning how to connect to the spark within you, something like that.”

I hold up my palm and try to summon a flame like I did in the woods the other day, but thinking about that moment brings up images of what happened there and the flame inside of me extinguishes.

“She will guide you, navigate you through the process. I promise you will be fine.”

“She?”

“Ah yes, Seraphe. She is the best teacher you could wish for. She is all about inner balance, which might be a good start for you.”

We reach the restaurant, but my appetite is gone and is instead replaced by a whole lot of nerves. My flames cinder beneath my skin, but summoning them is a whole other thing.

So when Ami brings me to the classroom, my hands shake and palms are sweaty. She gives me an encouraging push and I walk in the room, where windows of tinted glass colour the floor in reds and blues, greens and yellows.

I am all alone. I know I shouldn’t expect other students at this point, since I am probably the only one who is new to fae world and has no knowledge about it or her powers whatsoever. Although I can’t deny that some company would’ve been nice.

A door I had mistaken for a closet opens and my teacher enters. To no one's surprise, she looks ethereal with her high cheekbones and onyx skin, eyes a molten gold-green hue that look ancient, yet kind. Wild black curls cascade down her back and delicate golden circlets adorn her locks.

She’s dressed in an emerald green robe that suits her perfectly. I’m sure if I was to wear something like this, I would look like a complete fool. Yet she looks impeccable, she is power.