The Dream Keeper's Dragon

32. I Will Be Queen!

Aurelie sat on the bed, her legs folded beneath her. Thirty candles stood around her bed, in cups and saucers. She had borrowed all of them from the kitchen after breakfast so no one would notice their absence.

She straightened her posture and lifted her hands, palms up. The candles set alight, like dominoes, until her bed stood out like an altar.

The candles she had mastered, it was her body that was the problem. She focused on her hands. Thin lines of smoke rose out of them. Hot pressure-filled her toes and moved up her body. It reached her elbows and fell disintegrated. Aurelie released a loud sigh. The bed creaked beneath her weight as she fell back against her pillow. Something between a moan of frustration and an angry grunt escaped her lips.

Just relax. You're overthinking this, surely! She told herself. She closed her eyes and tried to force her mind away from the fire.

Fire. Damn it. Focus, Aurelie. She scolded herself. Okay, birds. Flying. The birds turned into crows, and she found herself scanning through the memories of Marianne's cabin. The crow wailed and flapped its wings. Marianne's lips moved, and the Jermyn was on fire. Fire. She sighed.

This wasn't working. She needed a new plan.

Aurelie stood up from her bed and strolled around the room. Suddenly, trying to sneak up on herself as best she could, Aurelie whipped out her hand. "Ignite," she commanded and rolled her eyes for even trying something so stupid.

She lifted her left hand and traced her mouth with her fingertips. Her conscious mind was still focused on the fire. Aurelie sat down in front of the candles and lowered her hands. The flames obeyed and died down. Fire reflected in her eyes. She looked around to see which candle she had missed and found none.

Aurelie waved her hand, and the fire followed. Her shoulders relaxed, all strain blown away by accomplishment. She squeezed her hand shut, and the fire escaped through the openings between her fingers. Nothing had ever felt like it. It did not tap into her. It did not scratch her chest or feed her rage. It just existed.

Like taking a breath, she thought.

Aurelie ran out of her room, ignoring everyone else that stood around the inn. She pushed past them all and searched for Kirin. There was no one else she wanted to tell, no one else she wanted to show. Faces turned. A happy murmur ran through the crowd. She ignored all of it.

Sasha sat in the guest area of the inn. A glass of clear liquid was on a table beside her, and a book lay in her lap. Thick rimmed glasses hung on the tip of her nose.

"Have you seen Kirin?" Aurelie asked, her breath fast and harsh from running.

The glasses magnified her eyes to look almost two times their size. Aurelie's fire reflected in them. "You did it," she said, her face beaming. "How?"

"Uh." She thought. The answer had never been as simple. "It just clicked." Her head turned from left to right, then back again. "Kirin, where is he?" she asked.

Sasha closed the book, her eyes dropping. "Kirin is gone. He went back to the castle," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm sure he'd be happy to see that you've finally found the connection you craved so much."

Aurelie's head flicked back, her upper lip jumping up. "We don't really . . . I mean, maybe. No, it's not a connection per se, I just—he was mad before, and I wanted to show him that I did it," Aurelie replied, almost too quickly.

Sasha took off her glasses and rubbed her lids. "I meant your fire, dear," she said, raising her brow.

Aurelie blushed. "Oh—yes, of course," Aurelie said and walked backward. "I – better find Leila and Daerious." She nodded and spun around. A cringe ran down her spine.