Page 63

Oh geez, he sounded mad.

I leaned forward and playfully nipped at his fingers.

“Stop that,” he laughed at me.

“So tell me what I’m supposed to do with these candles.” I smirked at him, glad he was no longer annoyed with me.

He shook his head at me, muttering something I couldn’t hear under his breath while he dug through the pile of things he’d pulled out of the trunk.

Tyson slapped down three square, silver candlestick holders in front of me. He placed white candlesticks in each holder.

Tyson looked at me, expectantly. “Light them up, Ariel,” he commanded.

I would have, if I had known how. They had never explained it to me. Last time had been entirely based on my emotion.

“I don’t know how,” I told them honestly.

“It comes from within,” Tyson told me. “Think about it. Think about the wick. Think about it lighting. Think about the flame. It’s yours to command. All yours. Own it.”

All mine.

The flame was all mine.

They were the brothers of the flame.

I stared at the candles with my mind blank. I wished them to light. Nothing happened.

Fuck.

I concentrated on those candles and focused. Light. Light. Light.

Like it was going to be that easy. Please. I blew out a frustrated breath and tried to relax my body. I cleared my mind and focused on those three white candles.

That flame was mine, I owned it. After what I did earlier this should have been a cake walk for me. Then again, I was tired. After what had exploded out of me earlier I was left feeling slightly empty on the inside. But I had to do this. I had to. Not because they expected it of me, but because I wanted it for myself. I wanted to have magic and I wanted to be special.

Focus, Ariel Kimber.

I pictured the candles in my mind, all three of them and in my mind’s eye I willed them to light.

I opened my eyes, snapped my fingers in their direction and the flames burst to life.

Brothers of the flame, indeed.

Both Tyson and Quinton gasped in shock as all three flames burned brightly.

They were brothers of the flame no more. They had gained a girl. They had gained me.

Tyson had been right all a

long, I had magic inside me. My lips curled up in a victorious smile. I wasn’t scared or frightened about having magic inside of me. I was absolutely thrilled. The possibilities were endless. Finally, things in my life were looking up.

“Babe,” Quinton called. I turned my head to see him grinning broadly at me. “You did good. Welcome to the club.” He stood in one fluid movement, gracefully. “I’ll leave you two to each other’s company now and I’ll send someone up with a tray of food for you. I know you’ve got to be starving.”

He looked to Tyson and raised an eyebrow arrogantly. “You’ll take care of her,” he said. Not a question but a statement of fact. Ah, there he was.

Tyson sighed. “I was going to do that anyway. I didn’t need to be told, Uncle,” he grumbled.

“Just do as you’re told, Nephew, or I’ll have her stay with me tonight.” Quinton snapped as he sauntered out of the room.