I dropped my hands dejectedly into the water.

Now Ikovos is going to be mad at me, I knew this was a bad plan.

"He got in?"

That was Ikovos. He walked up to the rock Jaden had been sitting on. I looked over to him and shrugged apologetically.

Jaden came up then, narrowing at the other boy."Weren't you gone?"

Ikovos rolled his eyes at himself. "I should have known . . ." Then dropped into the pool.

Jaden looked over at me questioningly.

I just went red and shrugged.

Chapter 14.

Belong WE SWAM a while longer, but, despite the beauty of the pool, I asked to leave after not too long.

Right now . . . with certain things . . . it just felt smart.

I shivered as we started into the woods. "It's f-f-fr-freezing."

Both boys were walking beside me with their dry clothes over their arms, not looking the least bit chilly. I hugged my shawl around me.

"Here," said Jaden. Then he reached down to grab a stick, lighting one side with a rich, red, fire.

My eyes brightened . . . I'll never get used to people just doing stuff like that.

"Hold your hands up to it," he commanded, lifting it close to me.

I did. It felt good, but my breaths still shuttered.

"Why don't you try it, Evelyn," suggested Ikovos. He looked at Jaden. "Doesn't it make you feel warmer."

Jaden shrugged. "I guess so, you could try."

I looked at each, then down at my shaking hand. The woods around us were pitch dark. I had only been here once when it was this late, there was something so mystical about it.

"O-k-k-kay," I said, shivering again. Then I lifted my hand out in front of me. As soon as the fingers stretched out a large, violet, flame burst up. Bright, but a little uncontrolled.

"Jeez," said Ikovos. His eyes were wide.

Jaden held a pleased smirk, like he knew what was going on better than I did. The trees around us lit with a bright purple glow. I was glad for my immediate success, but to be honest it seemed to be acting more on its own. It was flickering violently, getting larger then smaller and trying to move away from my palm. It didn't help that we were still walking.

"Man, when you said you made a flame I didn't know you meant that," said Ikovos, holding his hand up to touch it. I would have wondered at this, but he had showed me the other day that he had a spell that worked almost like a protective armor. I could see the blue glow of it against his skin now.

The purple flame flared up again. "Now I just need to learn how to control it better." My face contorted with my concentrating.

"Don't tell me you're gonna start on that already," complained Jaden. "You just got the first spell."

My brows furrowed, hand circling around with the flame. "I got the afternoon off-Wah!"

My feet hit a rock and I lost balance, falling forward. Jaden grabbed my wrist before I could. As soon as he touched me the fire in my hand calmed, it's wild, uncontrolled, dance changing to a smooth, steady line.

My eyes grazed his, which were unreadable, then I straightened up uncomfortably.

"Sorry," I said, pulling my hand.

He let go.

"Is that normal?" asked Ikovos, pointing to the flame, obviously attuned to the sudden change.

I just looked ahead, eyes a little wide and pained. My body definitely wasn't shivering anymore. Every inch of my skin felt hot.

Jaden looked at him straightly, lifting his shoulders.

I took a breath and examined the flame in front of me. I hadn't gotten to do this much last night . . . there was no doubt that it was easier with a certain person around . . .

"Well, anyways, I'm thoroughly impressed, Evelyn," said Ikovos. "And I really haven't seen a color like it."

I smiled. So far I'd only been using my right hand to conjure it. I lifted my left close. "Can I touch it?" I looked at Jaden.

He eyed me, then nodded.

I waved my left palm over it. It latched onto my fingers like any flame might, only bit didn't burn, just a soft tingle. I took another breath.

The rest of the walk back Ikovos asked me questions about my first success at the spell. I was flustered the entire time, it was nigh impossible for me to answer without giving everything away. Luckily whenever I got close, Jaden would steer the conversation to safer topics. For the most part though, the dark-eyed boy seemed somehow changed. Calmer, if that was possible, and distant. Since last night . . . it's like he was thinking something over in his head.

When we got to the edge of the lodge, yellow light pouring down from the windows,, I closed my hand, extinguishing the flame.

"Oh," said Ikovos, swinging around to face me. We all stopped, forming a circle. "I never told you about what the masters said."

Jaden's eyes lifted, slightly curious. My body rushed nervously.

"Right." I bit my lip. "How did it go?"

He grinned. "Great. I think they were surprised that you did it already, Master Thoran especially."

"Was he glad, or . . . ?"

Ikovos's brow scrunched at me. "Of course, how couldn't he be."

Jaden looked pleased. I was pretty sure that Master Thoran's approval meant a lot to him, whether he'd admit it or not. . . . Though, I guess I wasn't one to judge.

"He wants to talk to you about it tonight," said Ikovos. "I told him we were going to the pool. He'll probably be at dinner."

I gulped, tightening my shawl. I was excited to move on, but Thoran scared me to death. Both the boys watched me skeptically. I think I was wincing.

"That's good!" I forced happily.

They nodded, obviously aware of my needing assurance. Ikovos's was given more understandingly. Jaden's was fairly incredulous.

I looked over to the lodge, then took a deep breath. "Well, I'd better go get dressed then. Will I see you guys at dinner?"

Ikovos nodded, but Jaden's head shook slightly.

"I think I'm gonna turn in," he said. "Good luck with Thoran though."

My heart sank. "Yeah . . ." Nope, Evelyn, don't go there.

Ikovos looked at me once then to Jaden. "I need to talk to you. Stay out for a second, will ya."

Jaden nodded steadily, moving towards him.

I got the hint after a moment. "Oh! Right, right. I'll let you guys . . ." I walked backwards. "Bye." I waved once, then turned towards the entrance of the lodge.

Before pushing through I glanced back once more. Their faces looked severe, but then suddenly they were smiling. I didn't watch beyond that, sure to be noticed.

There was still so much about them that I knew nothing about, that I wasn't even a part of.

"Oh well," I whispered, pushing through the door with a grin. "I'm glad for what I do get."

Today had been great, and I wasn't too stupid to realize that those two boys were cause, and too contemplative to not know why. . . . I sighed at myself as I tiptoed down the hall.

I was so nervous about talking to Thoran that I spent almost an hour getting changed. When I walked into the cafeteria I bit my lip anxiously. I was wearing an oversized, comfy, sweater Sophie had made me, sleeves hanging well past my hands, and some plain cloth shorts.

Though I'd gotten quite comfortable being in here over the past couple of days, and the boys had long since stopped paying extra attention to me, I felt utterly out of place tonight.

"That took long enough."

I looked over. Ikovos popped out of nowhere beside me. He was dressed in comfy clothes too, a tank-top and pants . . . thank goodness for shirts.

"Where did you?-"

He nodded back. "I was waiting for you by the door."

My features lifted, sometimes he was too good to be true.

He started walking to a table. I followed, eyes scanning as I moved.

"You're nervous about talking to Master Thoran, aren't you?" He sat down.

I stopped searching immediately. I'd forgotten, for just a moment, that he could more or less read my mind. I sat down and looked at him, thinking about explaining. Instead I just threw out my hands.

"Horribly."

He grinned. The cafeteria was busy and well-lit. Most everyone was at a table eating.

"Ikovos, it's not funny. What do I do?" I asked dejectedly.

He chuckled. "What do you mean, what do you do? It's not a test."

I frowned, tucking my wet messy hair behind my ears. Thanks to the pool I was unable to brush it or put it up.

Ikovos started to make up a plate. When he saw I was still frowning he eyed me. "Evelyn, all you have to do is be yourself."

My brow dipped. I'd heard the words before, from my mother no less. I sighed. "I've been myself before and it doesn't always work out right . . ."

"How so?" he asked.

I thought about it. "Well, I, it's just people aren't always crazy about the real me it seems . . . And, there are things that I can't do because of how I think or feel, that I might be able to if I would just . . ." I met his eyes ". . . stop being myself for a while."

He took a large bite out of his apple, so cavalier at my distraught confession.

"Did you have to do that when you came here?" he asked.

"Oh, no." I brightened immediately. "I wanted to be here. And I, well . . . you and the other boys make me feel like it's okay to be myself."

Ikovos's mouth tipped and he eyed me. "And you've never considered that maybe the reason you had to stop being yourself was because you were doing things you weren't supposed to do . . . or being around people that weren't really your friends?"

"I-" I blinked, then settled back. "Oh. . . ." That sort of clenched it.

Ikovos smirked knowingly.

This thinking had been a part of my life for so long that for him to just say that, and for it to make so much sense . . . was just mind blowing.

The excessively brilliant boy went back to eating. I started to make my own plate, stopping before the first bite.

"Ikovos?"

He met my eyes.

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that you're a boy."

"Ah . . . thanks," he said, brow dipping. "I guess."

"Oh." I waved my hands in the air. "No, I didn't mean it like that."