Page 37 of Taste of Thorns

“Was she a teacher when you were a student?”

I don’t answer that question. There are some secrets I am unwilling to share.

“The lumomancy,” I say, diverting the conversation, “has it really never happened before?”

She peers up at me. “No, never … at least not that I remember.”

“What does that mean?”

“It may have happened when I was younger, but I forgot. I mean, I don’t remember learning to walk or talk but I must have.” She places a kiss on the end of the dragon’s nose. “Why?”

“It seems too much of a coincidence to me. No one has been known to wield light for hundreds of years. No one has seen a dragon for hundreds of years either. Perhaps the two are linked.”

“The weird feeling in my veins is really intense right now. Do you think that’s Blaze?”

“Briony,” I say, “do you think you could do it now? Do you think you could find the magic and beckon it out?”

“I don’t know.”

“Sweetheart,” I say, “why don’t you try?”

She stands up and both the dragon and I watch as she closes her eyes. Her arms hanging in the air in front of her.

Nothing happens.

A crease forms between her brows, her lips move silently.

Still nothing.

She grunts in frustration and opens her eyes.

“You mustn’t force it,” I tell her. Although, what do I know? Light wielding may be different altogether from shadow weaving.

“I feel like it happened all of its own accord last time. Like I wasn’t really in control of it at all.”

I step towards her and the dragon’s ears press flat against its head as it growls at me.

“It’s okay, Blaze. Fox here is a friend.”

The little dragon does not seem convinced. It keeps right on growling at me, its eyes never leaving me.

“Blaze, stop that.” She paces towards me as if to show him that I’m not a threat, but the dragon doesn’t like that either. He leaps between the two of us and blasts a ball of fire my way – much much bigger than the last one. It’s so quick, even I, with my lightning-speed reflexes and ability to move like the wind, only just have time to meet it with my own magic, the flames flickering around me. The heat is intense. My cold skin sizzles.

“Fox!” Briony screams. “Blaze, no!”

There’s a flash of light and the flames die immediately.

“Shit,” I mutter, rubbing ash from my eyes as Briony flings herself into my arms.

“You’re okay.”

“Of course, I’m okay.” I chuckle, squeezing her against me and smirking at the displeased little dragon over her shoulder. He looks suitably chastised. “Sorry, pal, you can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Are you hurt?” Briony asks, taking a step back to give me the once over. “You seem fine,” she adds, puzzled, “how is that even poss–”

“Lightning-quick reactions, remember?” I smirk even harder at the dragon who huffs out smoke.

Briony turns around and wags a forefinger at the dragon. “That wasn’t nice, Blaze. You could have really hurt him and Fox is our friend.”