Page 47 of A Storm of Fire and Ice

“Clear everything from your mind,” she continued, her voice floating disembodied in the void.

Easier said than done. Stray thoughts kept invading the forced calm.

Am I doing this right?

I feel like an idiot just standing here . . .

I gritted my teeth, trying to force the disruptive thoughts into submission through sheer willpower. A vein in my temple throbbed from the effort.

“When your mind is empty, summon your power and release it!” Gwyneira directed.

I flung my hands outward, eyes flying open. But only dissipating smoke curled from my palms.

Brontes extended his muscular arm tentatively. No ice crystallized, but sparks of azure lightning crackled from his fingertips, leaving the faint odor of ozone hanging in the air.

“That’s not right.” He frowned, knitting his dark brows together. “Any other tips?” he asked.

Gwyneira chewed her lower lip, wringing her slender hands in frustration. I felt a pang of sympathy for her. She so clearly wanted to guide us through summoning our powers.

“What else do you do to summon ice?” Brontes prodded gently.

Gwyneira’s skinny shoulders hunched inward, her fingers twisting faster as color rose to her pale cheeks.

“Let’s try again,” Brontes suggested, his deep voice coaxing. “We’ll get this.”

I nodded firmly, rolling my shoulders back. “Yeah, we got this.”

As I closed my eyes once more, I wrestled to suppress the stampede of thoughts battering my mind through sheer stubbornness. But an undercurrent of anxiety still pulsed through me as I released my power.

Fiery heat erupted from my palms. “Shit,” I muttered.

Gwyneira studied the scorched floor, crestfallen.

“This is way harder than I thought,” she said softly. Forcing a faint smile, she added, “Let me talk to Fannar.”

“We’ll keep practicing,” Brontes said, his deep voice echoing through the gym. “Hopefully, we’ll get the hang of it.”

As she trotted off, Brontes closed his eyes and held out his hands, brow furrowed in concentration. I followed suit, letting my eyelids fall shut.

Calm thoughts, calm thoughts . . .

But my mind buzzed like a frantic beehive. Clearing it was easier said than done.

A sharp zap jolted through me, and I flinched, biting back a yelp.

Does ice feel like that?

“Damn,” Brontes muttered.

I kept my eyes squeezed shut, sensing another electric spark flying my way. At the last moment I snapped them open, just in time to see it sail past my shoulder.

“Hey, watch it with the sparks!” I said.

“Oh, my bad,” Brontes replied, looking sheepish.

He closed his eyes again, electricity already crackling at his fingertips. I tensed, waiting for the inevitable.

Zap!

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