Smolder Chapter 9

“Really, Luke? Do we have to practice here?” Jade asked, surveying the town square and eyeing the Conclave’s platform. She had only just escaped being the center of attention yesterday, and a repeat performance was the last thing she wanted. “Can’t we just use your backyard?”
“I don’t want it to seem like you’re hiding,” he said, stretching his arms over his head. “Besides, they are going to stare at you no matter what. You might as well give them something to gawk at.”
“And me practicing is something to gawk at?” she raised an eyebrow.
“Oh yes,” he replied with a grin.
She plopped beside him on the grass, stalling by stretching her hamstrings. She rolled up the sleeves of her oversized t-shirt, annoyed at Benjamin for packing her clothes. Of course, he’d leave out anything practical, she thought. Her form-fitting tank tops perfect for training had been swapped for bulky unisex tees, probably on purpose. She could hardly move in them; they were stifling in the heat.
The sun, which usually felt warm and comforting, seemed oppressive today. Crystal Rivers’s heat was more intense than usual. I need to ask Aiden about that, she thought as the sweat started to bead on her forehead.
“Let’s go,” he said, getting up with ease. Jade, feeling lazier than usual, held out her hand for help. He grabbed it and pulled her to her feet with a swift motion, releasing her hand immediately afterward.
“What are we starting with?” she asked, backing up slightly to create enough distance between them to make the practice more challenging.
“Target practice.” he positioned himself across the field and held out his hand, waiting for Jade to shoot a small ball of light at his palm. She concentrated, summoning a burst of fire controlled but with just enough force to send it zipping through the air. The light struck his palm, and he moved to a new location. She shot again, each time attempting to balance her power while keeping it precise.
The drill was one they’d done many times, but it never got easier. Focusing her energy while reigning in the roaring inferno inside her was a constant struggle. The fire within her wanted to break free, to burn unchecked, but she knew she couldn’t let that happen.
After a few minutes, he signaled for a break. He wiped the sweat from his brow, and Jade, surprised by how drenched she was, ran a hand across her own forehead. I never sweat during practice, she thought, puzzled.
“Let’s practice your off-switch,” she shouted across the field.
Jade nodded, stepping further back. She extended her arms, and the fire surged from her palms in a blinding burst of heat and light. The flames crackled, licking the air with intensity. Letting the fire loose always felt like a release a dangerous but delicious surrender. But the key was stopping it.
Off, she thought, and for a moment, the flames wavered. But they didn’t die down immediately. She could feel the internal battle and the tension between holding on and letting go. Gritting her teeth, she forced her fingers to close, snuffing the fire out. She stood there, breathing heavily, her hands tingling from the effort.
Years ago, she and Aiden had tested her limits, trying to see how much fire she could unleash. But there had been a moment when she lost control and completely lost herself in the flames. He had to knock her unconscious to stop her. They never pushed her that far again. For most Seraphina, there was a stopping point, a moment when they felt empty. For Jade, that point was a dangerous breaking point.
She lowered her arms and glanced at him, wondering if he wanted to try again. Instead, he tossed her a water bottle as she walked closer.
“What did I tell you?” he said with a shrug, a smile tugging at his lips. She followed his gaze and noticed the small crowd that had gathered around the park. Seraphina of all ages was watching them some standing still, others pretending to go about their business but sneaking glances her way.
A woman with a stroller, a man walking his dog, and even a few children playing nearby had all stopped to watch.
“Why won’t they come any closer?” she asked between gulps of water, her eyes scanning the curious but distant crowd.
“I don’t think they’re afraid,” Luke said. “I think they’re waiting for someone else to make the first move and, you are kind of scary when you go all zombie-seraphina like that.”
She scoffed and gave him a playful shove. “So, what’s next, teacher?”
He picked up his water bottle and tossed it aside. “Let’s do some mental exercises for a while. Come on, let’s move up to the platform for even ground.”
She groaned internally. Mental exercises her least favorite. They always involved focusing on control, something she struggled with. The idea of doing it on the platform, where the entire town could watch, made her even more reluctant.
Lining up next to each other, Jade and Aiden stood in a series of yoga-like poses, concentrating on their breathing. He always seemed at peace during these exercises, while she found it hard to stop her mind from wandering. She kept one eye closed pretending to concentrate while mentally planning her escape from this humiliating situation.
“Mind if I step in?”
Jade’s eyes shot open at the sound of a deep voice. Her grandfather, stood at the edge of the platform, watching them. Flustered, Jade stumbled out of her pose, ready to greet him, but Aiden beat her to it.
“Of course, Councilman,” he said, stepping aside smoothly.
Jade glanced around and realized that the crowd had inched closer now that her grandfather had arrived, forming a defined circle around the platform. Great, she thought, her stomach dropping. This is definitely not good. She could already sense where this was heading, and her suspicions quickly turned to frustration. This was Aiden’s plan all along—the jerk.
“Miss Cooper,” her grandfather said, his voice pulling her out of her thoughts. “Shall we?”
Jade’s heart pounded. I’m not ready for this she thought, but she wasn’t about to back down either. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and stepped forward. She glanced over at Aiden, who had moved to the edge of the platform giving her space to focus. Her eyes returned to her grandfather just in time to see him drop his cane, sliding it a few feet away. She hesitated for a moment, questioning whether this was a fair fight. The old man was hunched slightly, his weathered face betraying his age, but the air around him still crackled with power.
“On my go,” he said, his deep, rumbling voice filling the quiet. “One... two... three...”