Blowing Embers

Chapter 34

            Kallai’s anger carried her all the way out of the administration wing and nearly all the way to the girls’ dormitory before it ran out. She went from fists clenched, eyes narrowed, and jaw tense to pale-faced, trembling, lip-biting in a matter of moments. She couldn’t believe it. Kallai couldn’t believe what she’d just said, how she’d just acted, in front of the headmaster no less!

            She raced across the remaining distance, entering the haven of her dormitory. But she aimed for the stairs instead of her room, fear over being caught there melding with the desire to hear that she’d done the right thing. She burst out onto the roof, eyes going immediately to the figure standing in the middle of the flat expanse, eyes crinkled up as they looked at her. “I, of you, proud am. Now, not much of a sparrow you are.”

            Kallai hurried over to him, her tremors growing more pronounced now that she felt herself safe. “I can’t believe…I shouldn’t have said that. I was rude, and I know the headmaster is serious about etiquette. What if she has me expelled? Magic of my ancestors, my parents would disown me! Maybe I should go apologize to her…”

            Shuu shook his head, most likely over the speed she’d spoken at. “No. No apologies. Crazy it is. You in the right are. You, to people who your torment watched, never should apologize. An apology an admission of wrong is. You nothing wrong did, so no apologies you to give must.”

            “But,” she whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes. “I could get into trouble.”

           “Worse trouble than what others to you previously gave? I so not do think. Magi you about not should worry. The Magi way of things doing of none of your concern is. Elemental mage you are. What they to you can do? If I you had been, this whole place down I would have burned.”

            Kallai gasped, her hands fluttering by her sides. “That’s awful! I couldn’t do something like that! I couldn’t hurt someone who hasn’t done anything to me. Not everyone here’s bad. I mean, there are a few who are really mean and cruel, and I wish weren’t here, but I don’t want them to die. And most of the other students leave me alone. They all probably would if it weren’t for the few people who won’t stop the harassment, because they’re afraid of becoming a target themselves.”

            “Cowards, all of them,” Shuu snorted, nose wrinkled.

            “I don’t know,” Kallai said, her eyes dropping to the hem of her robes. “I understand their fear of being attacked. I wouldn’t wish what’s been done to me on any of the others, and if they’d tried to help, who’s to say they wouldn’t have had the same thing done to them?”

            Shuu shook his head, dropping a hand onto her head for a moment. “You too understanding are. What to your anger happened? Your fire, your temper I have seen, so of its existence I do know.”

            Kallai smiled. “Being angry tires me out. Besides, I know you’ll get angry enough for both of us.”

            He chuckled at that. “Fire mages for their tempers are known, air mages not are. I you should be calming. Still, everyone different is. Now, since time you have, another lesson let’s do. Comfortable with moving and shaping your fire you are?”

            As she nodded, Kallai could feel the tension slowly drain out of her shoulders. Whatever the headmaster ended up doing, she was sure that she, or rather Shuu, could handle it.