House of Winter

Chapter 25, Part 1

Lumi and Tom followed the Reunsgardians through their tour of the pyramid - a palatial maze. Both of them were lost, but Tom was certain that Kobuk had some sense of direction in the hallways, all of which looked the same. Nevertheless, Lumi was surprised when they returned to the large dining room where Doctor Hart was sitting.

"How was the tour?" Doctor Hart asked.

Lumi glanced at Tom. She wasn't sure how to broach the fact that the Reunsgardians had suggested that Lumi would not be allowed to leave. She wanted desperately to talk to Doctor Hart and Tom in private, but she had no idea when that would be.

"It's all very impressive," Tom said lightly.

"I'm sure it was very enlightening," Doctor Hart said, standing up. "But we've wasted enough time. Lumi should begin her quelling training immediately. While she's busy with that, Tom will assist me in the library. I've been informed the Reunsgardians have excellent academic literature. I will need you to dictate for me, Tomas."

Lumi and Tom exchanged panicked glances. They didn't want to be split up. Lumi didn't trust the Reunsgardians, especially after they had said they wanted to keep Lumi here. But she was here to learn how to quell. She had no idea how long it would take, but that was her role here.

Tom swallowed and then nodded, and his nod gave her the strength to accept.

"Very well," Lumi said. "Where will we begin the quelling?"

Lumi followed Armo, Eero and their two tigers through the labyrinth of ice hallways. For the first time they ascended icy steps that seemed to lead higher and higher into the pyramid. Eventually they emerged from a grand icy stairwell into a huge hall, as big as the largest ballroom in the Volcano Palace.

The ballroom was sparsely decorated, but its most important feature was the pyramid shape of the ceiling. They were now in the very top of the pyramid, and it made Lumi realise just how large this ice structure really was. The top of it was ice, but no light came through the ice from outside. It may be daytime, but the suns had not risen this far dorth.

"Make a fire, Lumikki," Armo said.

"My name is Princess Lumiko," Lumi said. "I am not Lumikki."

"Your mother was Reunsgardian," Armo said. "If she had grown up here and had her children here, you would have been given a Reunsgardian name. You would be Lumikki."

"If she had her children here, I would not be one of them," Lumi said. "I am as much the daughter of my father as I am the daughter of my mother."

"You are proud to be descended from the one who started the war? You are proud to be the daughter of a man who killed his own father?" Eero sounded disgusted. "Your time in Singtsu has tainted you. We must reeducate you in the way of our people. Your people. For you are to be one of us, forevermore."

Lumi held her tongue. She needed these two, to teach her how to quell. She would have to go along with their ridiculous ambition to have her stay in Reunsgar to protect the liquid star.

Instead of retorting, she took a breath. "Please, can you just teach me how to quell?"

"Make a fire, Lumikki," Armo said, and this time his voice was gruff.

Lumi exhaled angrily. "I can't," she said. "I don't have my tiger."

"Make the fire."

Lumi glared at him, and then held up her hands. She had been able to make fire before she received Jinni for her sixteenth birthday, so she knew she should be able to make fire now. But since travelling away from the Volcano Palace with Tom and Doctor Hart, her powers had all but faded away.

In her pale outstretched hands, a flicker of fire sparked to life. Lumi watched it flutter and then twist into nothing.

"Now, you quell," Eero said, and he held out his own hand, and lit a fire within it. As he did, the tiger beside him flexed his black wings.

Lumi inhaled and remembered how Doctor Hart had taught her the first steps of quelling. It seemed so long since that night in the catacombs under the school, where she'd practised the magic with Tom, Katja, Sanna and Ari.

Lumi could feel Eero's fire magic burning in him like a warm flame. She pulled at it, drawing it into her in the same way she would draw from Jinni's magic to strengthen her own. As she did, Eero's flame sputtered and died.

"Impressive," Eero said. "You already have a good grasp of quelling."

"Now, Lumikki, make a flame."

Lumi glanced between the brothers, and then held out her hands again. This time, the flame came to her easily. It roared to life, happily dancing within her palms. When she channeled it, she could push the flame across the ballroom.

"The fundamental of quelling," Armo nodded. "You draw the power away from your subject, and in doing so, your own power is ignited. Even without a kinnling, you are strong."

Lumi looked at Eero, and she remembered the fire soldier in the forest. Her name had been Meiliu. Lumi had quelled the soldier's power and watched her die.

"How do I control it?" Lumi asked. "How do I stop before I go too far?"

"You will never accidentally find yourself across the line," Eero said. "When you come to that line, it will be your choice whether to cross it or not. The only way to stop yourself from going too far is to have complete understanding and control of your own emotion and reactions."

"Meditation and contemplation," Armo said with a nod. "You will have plenty of time to practise meditation in solitude within the ice pyramid. While it is winter, the suns will not come up for a few months. During this time, it is ideal to stay inside the pyramid where it's warm, and meditate."

Lumi didn't respond. She had no intention of spending the whole winter here. Who knew what Tai could achieve in that time? "I need to practise more."

Eero outstretched his hand again, and once again a fire lit in his palm. "Go again," he said. "This time, quell for longer."

And so Lumi continued to practise the quell.

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elle xx