Arcane Order's Adopted Son

CHAPTER NINE: ACCIDENT

"A boat!" Nari said, pointing giddily.

"A boat?" Bell said.

"It's a boat! Can we try it out?"

"I-I don't know how old it is, or even if it works, I mean. Skrael, how old is this place?"

"What? 40, 50 years old?"

"We can enchant it with magic."

"It still needs to be driven," Phoenix said.

"I can drive it," Bell said.

"Really?" I said.

"Yep, I can drive a car, a truck, pilot a plane, and crash land a train."

"Crash land?" Phoenix said.

"It was one time. Only 50% of the passengers died."

Phoenix turned to the lake. She nervously held out a hand and the lake began to thaw. The icy water returned to its original liquid state. Bellroc, Inferno, Nari, and I pushed the boat into the water with magic while Skrael followed us.

SKRAEL POV:

I turned around to see if Phoenix was following us and saw that Phoenix was sitting on the stairs of the dock and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Both her legs were tapping anxiously. Her hands were shaking, and she had them clasped together tightly as if praying. I walked towards her as she began popping her knuckles and then biting her fingers.

"You know, you're doing every nervous tic in the book."

She looked up at me. I shouldn't have said that. I sat next to her and set my staff on the ground. I didn't need to hold it around her. There was nothing about Phoenix that made me uncomfortable. I also made my tail visible.

"What's the matter?" I asked. "Is it me? If it's me, then I can leave-"

"It's not you, Skrael. Has it ever been?"

"Okay, then what is it?"

"Promise you won't tell anyone?"

I nodded.

"I'm afraid of the water."

"Afraid of the water? But you can control it."

"Not in the way you think. I can't swim. If my wings get wet, I can't fly, and I will drown, Skrael. They get heavier when they are wet. They will drag a fairy down. A fairy like me! And everybody knows that winter fairies have the most delicate of wings. You can't just pick them up and squeeze the water out like a towel."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Can I tell you a secret?"

She nodded.

"I can't swim very well either. I can stay afloat for a short while, but other than that, my tail drags me down because of the scales. You know, we're both aerial beings. We aren't very good at swimming. That's okay, Phoenix. It's not something to be ashamed of."

"But like you said I can control water."

"I control thunder and lightning, but do you think I like the sound of thunder? Especially when I sleep?"

"On the contrary, I find it quite pleasing."

"Water and thunder are a part of nature. We are a part of nature. What I've learned that helps is understanding that I live in a household of people who love me. Well, you live in a household of people who love you. You hate me, Nari hates me, Douxie hates me, and Bellroc probably hates me."

"I don't hate you," Phoenix laughed. "You know, it's cute when you're wrong. You're cute when you're wrong."

I paused.