Inner Darkness (Book 2 of Dragonfire series)

Chapter 9

I didn't want to go to class, but I also didn't want to miss notes and homework. I was about to grab sweatpants and a t-shirt when an idea popped into my head. If I walk around looking depressed, I'm just going to fuel Amirah's fire. Literally. I sighed angrily and threw on jeans and a V-neck.

On my way to potions, I saw Amirah standing in the hall with a group of her friends. I was about to walk up to her, but stopped when I thought about what I was doing. Why am I so angry? I mean I'm obviously mad about her and Cullen, but I shouldn't be feeling such rage like this. I noticed that similar situations like this had been happening for the past few weeks, but I brushed it off. Maybe I should ask Professor Waylon after class today. I shook it off and continued with the rest of my day.

Time seemed to drag by up until my last class with Waylon. The final bell rang and I continued to sit at my desk as everyone else exited the room. After the last student left, I slowly approached his desk.

"Alena, is there something I can help you with?" He looked up from the stack of papers he was grading.

"Yeah, uhh, I've been having some strange things happen with my magic and I didn't know if you would be able to help." He smiled and dropped his pen as he stood up from his chair.

"Yes, of course. What's been going on?"

"Well, lately I've been getting these weird power surges..."

"Your power is probably growing stronger from all the training we have been doing-"

"It's not that, I know it. It only happens when I get angry. It's almost like my power multiplies my emotions and puts me into some type of rage. In the moment it feels natural, but afterwards I know something is wrong." He gave me a calm look and leaned back against his desk.

"Your magic is fluctuating right now because of how hard we have been working it. You once told me your Dragonfire was activated by anger; is this still the case?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then that is probably why you get these 'power surges' when you are angry. This is just your magic developing into something more. What we need to do is continue working it until it comes naturally to you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah I think so." Hearing him say it made the answer appear so obvious.

"Would you like to work on it now? I have some free time." Seeing that I had nothing better to do, we went into his office and continued to work with my power for another two hours. A bead of sweat trickled down my face and between my eyebrows as I completed the last exercise.

"These exercises you give me are really hard," I said as I leaned back in my chair, almost completely out of breath. "I feel like I just ran a mile." He just laughed and grabbed me a bottle of water from him mini fridge.

"Training your magic is just like training your body, it's exercise." I took the water anxiously and poured it down my throat. I thanked him, again, and slowly walked back to my room to get some much needed rest.

I am standing in a dark room with a spot light shining down on me from above. Another spot light appears several feet in front of me, showing a table with a small chest on it. Thump thump thump. The chest rattles as something within it shakes violently. I walk up to the table and pick up the chest. Thump thump thump. I almost drop the box from how hard it shakes. I am about to open the top when someone yells my name.

"Alena wake up and open the door!" I peel my eyes open and look to my alarm clock. 2:00 am. I release an obnoxious sigh and slowly walk to the door. I shield my eyes as light from the hallway floods my room.