Playing with Fire #1 ✔

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒 - 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

The truth cannot be found without the trust, the truth cannot be found without the trust.

Sat cross-legged in the shed at the bottom of my garden, I tried repeating my mantra to harness my power. But it wasn't working – I was struggling with both truth and trust at that time. My thoughts were running rampant and almost completely absorbed me.

I can't believe they want to sacrifice me.

Staring down at my hands, I tried to make them burn on purpose. I tried imagining the flames dancing and twisting together. But my palms remained normal, much to my disappointment.

Come on, come on, come on!

Then I thought I saw something; I could've sworn there was a slight flicker of fire sparking across the fingers on my left hand.

"Ember?" Someone knocked on the shed door, calling out, "Are you in there? It's Al."

Continuing to focus, I stayed silent, pressing my lips together. Come on. I squeezed my eyes shut. Feeling a surge of energy crackling through me as I concentrated more, I balled my hands into tight fists.

And when I opened my eyes, my hands were on fire.

On purpose.

Fascinated, I spread my hands open and watched the flames dance over my fingers and crawl up my wrists. I'd always been captivated with fire, even before my mother gave me the Phoenix. I guess it was just part of who I was, and there was no escaping the flames.

Might as well let those flames burn. Let it all burn.

"Ember, we know you're in there!" Theo shouted against the door; his voice barely muffled by the thin wood. "We're coming in."

"No, don't!" I yelled but he'd already shoved the door open.

"Ember!" He called out to me.

"Stay away from me," I warned him.

My hands were still burning but I felt as if I had control over the fire. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could stop the flames if I wanted to.

I don't want to stop the flames.

"You don't know what you're doing," Theo warned in a carefully measured and clear tone, stepping closer to me. "You're not thinking straight."

"Stay away, Theo," I insisted through gritted my teeth. I was thinking straight; I was fine... They were the ones messing things up.

Kaden stepped into the shed as well and rushed toward me instantly.

"Kaden, stop!" I turned away from him and pushed my hands in his direction.

Facing the back of the shed, I covered my face with my burning hands. I just want them to leave me alone. I can't hurt anyone if I'm alone.

"What did you do?" I heard Halia hiss at me, and I had to turn around.

Kaden was lying on the floor of the shed, unconscious, with his t-shirt burnt away where my palms had touched it. His chest heaved as he struggled for breath and seeing him lying there reminded me of Jack.

I've hurt two people now. Maybe my mum is right.

"Shit." I dropped to the floor next to him, the flames from my hands instantly dying away.

His chest was burnt as well, the skin blistering and flaking and blackening — smouldering. The stench of burning flesh in such a confined space was truly awful. And it was all my doing.