The stream met a broad river that wound between the trees. Although the edges were crusted with ice, the middle still flowed. “Let’s work here,” Jael said.
Fenni took off his cloak, but Jael stopped him from removing more clothing. “You won’t have time to take off your clothes in battle. Do you really want to face tharuks naked?”
“Good point.”
“Go on, then, jump in.”
“But—”
“Come on, my feet are getting cold. We Naobians are used to the sun.”
As if Jael would get cold in his fur-lined leather boots. A thousand questions flooded Fenni’s mind. Who was Jael? What if there was another strangleton? Why had Master Giddi abandoned him to a stranger, nearly the same age as him?
“Now, Fenni. We can’t miss the choosing pouch.” Sparks flew at Fenni’s boots.
Fenni dived into the icy water. Reaching out with his mind, he ignored his sodden breeches dragging him down, and drew on the sathir of the river flora and fauna. Sparks flaring at his fingertips, he tried to warm himself. Shards, this was colder than Spanglewood River. Much colder. Icy water pressed in on him, chilling him. His chest constricted in panic and the air whooshed out of his lungs. The sparks at his fingertips died. Fenni burst above the surface, face dripping. He’d failed again.
“Don’t let the cold put you off,” Jael barked.
Under he went, but the chilly water stole Fenni’s breath again—and again.
Finally, Jael motioned him over to the bank and hauled him out. Instead of berating him, Jael embraced him.
What? When Jael stepped back, Fenni’s clothes were dry and he was toasty warm. “That’s great.”
“Sit.”
Fenni parked his rump in the snow.
“Here, eat this.” Jael gave him some dried beef to chew on. “What’s stopping you?”
“My breath,” Fenni answered between bites. “It’s just so sharding cold, it steals my air. It’s panic, I guess.”
“If you can manage fire across all mediums, you can manage anything. Master Starrus has a grudge half the length of Dragons’ Realm against your master. Tomorrow, he’ll do anything to make you fail. You have to try harder for Giddi’s sake.”
For Giddi’s sake? What about his own? What about vengeance for his uncle’s death?
“Your weakness is your fear, but you need to master it. What’s the worst thing that could happen to you in that river?”
“I could die of cold. Drown. Get caught by a strangleton. Eaten by a muncher.”
“I did a sathir sweep of the river when we got here and couldn’t sense any munchers or strangletons. Besides, Master Giddi would blast my britches if I let you die. Now, anything else?”
“I, ah …”
“Good, then get back in the water.” A fireball flew from Jael’s hand, right at Fenni’s head. He ducked, scrambling back into the river.
Fenni came up spluttering a few more times, but by the end of the afternoon, Jael had Fenni shooting fireballs at him from underwater, while he perched high in a tree. Finally, Fenni clambered from the river, shooting volleys of fireballs.
Jael easily caught every one of them. “Not bad,” he said. “Now dry yourself.”
How? Fenni had never done that with magic.
The icy wind cut through Fenni’s clothes, making him shiver. Jael leaned against the trunk of a strongwood tree and chewed on another piece of dried beef. “You must be freezing,” he said, watching Fenni with those strange blue eyes.
Despite shivering, Fenni’s mouth watered. “Could I have a piece? I’m starving.”
“Once you’ve earned it.” Jael’s earrings caught the sun, sparkling blue, green and red.
That wasn’t fair. All Jael had done was sit around on his behind, barking commands, while Fenni had been using firepower all afternoon—freezing his backside off. Who did he think he was? Why, he was just a jumped-up trainee, only a year or two older than himself. “Why, you—” Hey, what was going on? Steam was rising from his clothes.
“Well done. Now, finish the job off without getting angry.” Jael tossed him a strip of beef.
Fenni caught it. The steam dissipated. Cold seeped back into his skin. Without getting angry? Fenni created an internal rush of energy, similar to the sensation of being angry, but without the emotion. His clothes were dry in a heartbeat.
“You’re a fast learner.” Jael passed him his cloak. “Now, let’s get back for the choosing pouch. I’m dying to see who you’ll be dueling.”
“Hey, thanks. My cloak’s warm.”
“You deserved that for putting up with me for so long.” Jael cocked his head. “Great stamina. You probably didn’t realize how many hours we’ve been at this.”
The sun was low and the woods were shrouded in early evening shadows as they arrived back at the clearing. Mages stood in a circle in the snow with a fat sack in their midst. The blaze of sunset peeked through the trees.
“Just in time,” whispered Jael at Fenni’s side.
From across the clearing, Master Giddi mind-melded. “Jael says your control was exemplary. Well done. Now that you can control fire underwater, you should be able to control it anywhere.”
A gentle glow spread through Fenni at his master’s praise, but he’d missed what Master Starrus was saying.
“… and may the best opponent win,” Master Starrus finished.
“The feathers will determine your dueling partner,” Jael whispered. “Watch, here they come.”
“What? We never did that at the last trial.” Maybe because Master Starrus had been away.
Jael’s only answer was an infuriating grin. Did that guy never stop smiling?
With a flourish, Master Starrus struck the sack with his staff.
The string on the mouth of the sack unraveled. A giant plume of fluff burst from the sack, flying up into the air, an explosion of color in the blazing sunset. Master Starrus waved his staff and the plume dispersed. Feathers of all colors swirled around the clearing in a
