He uttered a few words and the flames grew hotter, but they didn't burn him. He formed birds and flowers, everything Dustfinger had taught him to do. The robbers cheered and clapped, though most of them, like Snapper, were just drunk.
It was the first time Dustfinger had let him perform by himself, the first time Dustfinger had been willing to admit that Farid was no longer a pupil, nor was he a master. But he was a good enough fire-eater to give these people a show.
Farid had been going for half an hour, but he wasn't sure what else to do. The birds had flown, the trees had grown, snakes had slithered, flowers had withered. He needed to end the performance -- after all, Meggie was watching him expectantly and he wanted badly to impress her -- but he couldn't think of a big finale.
Just when he was about to let off a spray of fireworks and call it a day, flames erupted in a ring around him. Confused, he looked to Dustfinger, who shrugged innocently and nodded for Farid to continue. Farid played along as the flames whispered foreign words from every direction. A flaming eagle soared above a fiery mountain, a white-hot boat sailed on a burning blue ocean, a replica of Farid made of fire danced in a dress -- everyone laughed at that one -- and finally, fireworks exploded over a majestic castle, all out of Farid's control.
The robbers cheered and Meggie smiled at him. Smiling back, Farid bowed and sat down next to her.
YOU ARE READING
Inked
FanficFanfiction of Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke. Set a year after the death of the Adderhead, the characters in the Inkworld face a new threat. Violante's stepmother and the Adderhead's widow wants to wage war against Ombra so she can claim the kin...
