Fear of Flames

Part 1: Chapter 9 [Reality of Magic]

>SERAPHINA'S POV<

Seraphina was certain winter was coming to an end as she noticed the weather was progressively getting warmer. She stood on the edge of the pool, dreading the warm-up she was about to participate in. Ronan had still not arrived so she took this time to calm her nerves.

"Hey, girl."

She turned to the young magic trainee who had tapped her on the shoulder. He had short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm Ian. I noticed you made a really bad first impression on Ronan."

Seraphina rolled her eyes and turned back towards the pool. 

He just wants me to lash out again and make a fool of myself.

"No no, like not in a bad way. I didn't mean that offensively. I just wanted to say I admire your bravery for choosing the snow before you'd even given up on the push-ups."

 I can't tell if he's being serious or not.

When Seraphina turned back to him, she noticed he was looking at her in admiration. This surprised her and prompted her to continue the conversation. 

"I already knew I wouldn't finish the push-ups. I'm weak. Though I'm sure Ronan already knew that and that's why he had me do them."

Ian nodded in agreement and put his hands on his hips.

"If you want to survive training today I suggest you stick with me and only speak when Ronan asks you to."

Seraphina thought for a moment before a confused look crossed her face.

"Wait, aren't we warming up?"

Ian shook his head and smiled.

"Nah, not today. The reason we didn't do it before breakfast and won't be doing it now is because this lesson will be mostly based around magic conjuring and stuff. Not much hard work."

Oh good. I have no idea how to conjure magic in any way so I'm certain this will still go badly for me. 

"How old are you?"

Ian tilted his head, hands still placed firmly on his hips.

"I'm twenty two. Why?"

Ian went to answer but stopped when his gaze went over Seraphina's shoulder. She turned around to see Ronan towering above her, a cigar at his lips held between his fingers. He breathed out a cloud of smoke and tilted his head, his dark hair falling across his eyebrows.

"Why are you back?"

Seraphina felt electricity run down her back as she shrunk back slowly.  

"To learn magic conjuring."

Ronan was silent for a moment, his face betraying nothing. After breathing in the cigar again, he nodded his head.

"Very well. You're on your last chance though."

He walked to the front of the pool and Seraphina breathed a sigh of relief. Ian gave her a thumbs up and a cheesy grin. 

"We're focusing on manifesting energy into physical magic."

Ronan dropped the cigar onto a stone at the edge of the pool and took his shirt off, leaving him in loose black training pants. Seraphina's eyes traced his muscles as his did so, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. She noted that his body was like a weapon - his physique was infinitely stronger than that of any warrior she'd seen. As he turned to the trainees, she watched his muscles flex and reminded herself not to stare.