Page 17 of The Lost Art of Revealing Hidden Truths (The Lost Arts #3)

“It’s not as easy when it’s not your fire,” Brannal explained.

He looked tired but happy, like this had been a day well spent.

“Our ability seems most to want to create, or that has always been my experience, especially with fire. When you create a small fireball, you can dissipate it again with relative ease. It’s easier still if you can do what Cormal and I did tonight and simply release it into the bonfire, not gone but no longer under our control.

We can start and stop our own flames. It’s also a matter of scope, of course, as with so many things.

Extinguishing a candle flame that someone else has lit is easy.

The larger the fire, the harder it is. It wants to exist, and it doesn’t like to be willed out of existence. ”

“But you can do it.”

Brannal nodded. “Both Cormal and I, yes. Extinguishing a fire the size of the bonfire on our own would be a major effort, though. We could more easily prevent it from spreading until it could be extinguished. For me, I’m both trying to extinguish the fire and use water to put it out, which is easier, because the water also wants to exist.”

“Easier to do if it’s the natural flow of things,” Perian interpreted.

“Very much so,” Brannal agreed, then yawned.

“Long night,” Perian said.

Brannal laughed, though it sounded tired. “You look like you could keep going until tomorrow.”

Perian shrugged. He supposed he did feel energized.

“I’ve never been to a festival like it before. It feels a little like I absorbed all of the energy from everyone around me, and it’s filled me right up. I’m sure I’ll crash at some point, though.”

Molun said, “I think you’re going to crash right into bed with this one as soon as the opportunity arises.”

They all laughed, because that wasn’t wrong.

They gave short goodbyes and headed to their rooms. They were permitted to sleep in late (thank goodness, because otherwise, it was practically time to get up), but there were still tasks to be performed.

Apparently, lunch was the first meal of the day served after the festival, and duties resumed in the afternoon except for those Warriors who were actually on shift.

He and Brannal stripped and fell into bed. Brannal smelled more like fire than normal, and Perian leaned in and sniffed, enjoying the way the scent tickled his nose.

Brannal yawned again.

Perian pulled him closer and wrapped an arm around him.

“You can go to sleep,” he said.

Brannal yawned once more, but he rocked against Perian, and Perian could feel his erection.

“Want to enjoy this,” Brannal mumbled, tired but eager.

“Then let’s do that,” Perian agreed, and reached down to wrap his hand around both of them .

They didn’t fit quite as well as they did in Brannal’s broad palm, but he still managed it, setting up a quick, steady rhythm, because Brannal really did seem exhausted.

Brannal let out a sigh of contentment as he came, the feeling washing over Perian.

Perian kissed him.

“Go to sleep,” he urged.

“Love you,” Brannal mumbled.

“Love you, too.”

It definitely wasn’t a full night’s sleep, but everyone appeared to feel better for getting a few hours, getting some food into them, and then stumbling into the rest of their day.

Perian joined Renny in the late afternoon instead of at lunchtime because she’d been resting up extra so that she could stay up later than normal tonight.

Since she hadn’t been well enough to attend the Fire Festival in years, Brannal and Cormal always put on a special display for her the next night in the quadrangle.

Those who had been on duty were given priority places, and then anyone else who wanted to attend could do so until the quadrangle was filled.

Perian had volunteered to make room for someone else, because he hadn’t been working yesterday, but Renny wanted him to sit with her, and he wasn’t about to refuse her. (And he was selfishly glad, because he hadn’t wanted to give up the chance to watch Brannal and Cormal put on a display again.)

The fire wasn’t nearly as large as it had been in the town square, but the display was still stunning, especially because Perian had the best view in the house next to Renny; no one was going to stand in front of her.

Perian could therefore see all of Brannal and Cormal this time, allowing him to watch them throwing fireballs at one another and catching them.

He also got to watch the fire ring trick, where Cormal lobbed fireballs through the ring, which Brannal moved around the area, something that had maybe seemed a little too dangerous with the crowds yesterday.

They ended with a similar finale, all those fireballs dancing before they fell into the bonfire, which roared up, not actually as tall as the walls of the castle, but it almost felt that way.

Renny cheered and clapped with everyone, face wreathed with smiles, and Perian was so glad they did this for her. It was another reminder that they all loved her and wanted her to be well.

And it was actually nice to see Brannal and Cormal doing this together. It felt like, just for a moment, they’d all been brought into alignment, and it was a nice feeling.

Perian was doubtful that it would last, but he was glad for this moment here and now, for that reminder that Cormal cared about Renny, too, and that he could do it without needing to be opposed to Perian, which was what it had come to feel like.

If they both wanted the same thing, if they both wanted her to be happy and well, then shouldn’t they all be on the same side?

The bonfire remained for a few hours after Renny had gone to bed, so that those who hadn’t been able to attend yesterday were able to dance and enjoy themselves, but it was put out much sooner than it had been the night before.

There was some drinking, but definitely less than there had been outside the castle walls.

There were no spontaneous fires. The quadrangle was still full of Mage Warriors and Warriors, along with staff, and it was pretty clear that anyone would be shut down quickly if they behaved poorly.

Perian, Brannal, Molun, and Arvus headed upstairs only a bit later than normal, and Perian thought that was perhaps the reason that Brannal was still filled with energy from his play tonight and not nearly as tired as he’d been the night before.

He kissed Perian’s neck before they even got into their room, which Perian was pretty sure was a record for public displays that hadn’t been initiated by Perian.

He happily tilted his head to the side to give the man optimal access.

Molun waggled his eyebrows as he waved goodnight to Perian and Brannal.

“’Night,” Perian said.

Brannal was still attached to the skin of his neck, nibbling there in an entirely distracting way, the scrape of stubble and teeth sending shivers through Perian.

“Have fun,” Arvus said.

“No doubt about that,” Perian said with a grin, tugging Brannal through the door.