'Once In A Blue Moon' (ON HOLD)

Chapter Four

Genevieve's POV

"Next my children you shall learn to harness fire." me and Vi intake a sharp breath before grinning. "To harness fire you must gather all sadness, anger and negativity."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Vi says sadly.

"It may be easy to conjure up these feelings but to control them is a different matter, the fire is a physical form of your darkness. You must direct it in the right way or it could be catastrophic."

"Then how do we do it?" I ask softly.

"Sit down cross legged and put your hands on your knees." we follow her commands and stare up at her, she looks different today. Her silver eyes bright and welcoming, her blonde hair pulled back into a bun, she looks almost human. "Now close your eyes and take a deep breath, think about all the bad things that have happened to you, think about every negative feeling you've ever felt. Pull it into your heart, feel the darkness set ablaze inside of youand imagine it flowing through your veins to your hands, from your hands to the outside. Make everything around you feel your pain and anguish."

I imagine everything, my parents death, John's death, the fear burning a hole inside my heart. I feel my guilt about John's death, the dread of immortality, the sadness that threatens to consume me. I pull it towards my heart and feel the heat growing, I push the heat from my hands into the atmosphere, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness it gave me. I smiled and pushed harder until all my emotions were spent and gone.

I open my eyes and focus on the destruction around me, I realise now why Artemis moved us away from the house. The grass around me in black and burnt, the trees that me and Vi hand grown earlier reduced to ash, the sight alone sends me into a panic. "This is so much destruction for something as small as feelings." I whisper.

"Feelings are one of the strongest things of all, as is fire that is why they pair together, fuel each other. What matters most is how you walk through the flames, through the pain, the destruction, the anguish and survive." Artemis says proudly. I turn to Violet to see tears in her eyes, she must've been reliving Papa's death. I ran to her and pulled her into a tight embrace, she sobbed on my shoulder for a few moment before composing herself and looking back to Artemis.

"What is next?" she asks.

"Next you shall master Air."

"How is that accomplished?"

"Air surrounds us, keeps us alive. For air to be harnessed you must embrace Love, for love sets you free."

"I do not understand." I say quickly, fearing her disappointment.

"The air is free, and ever-changing. You must think of everyone you've ever loved your parents, all three of them." she adds, directing it at me "You're friends, but most importantly each other."

I return to my circle and slowly sit down. I place my hands back on my knees and concentrate. I imagine my mother's face as she cooks dinner, my father's desperate scrabble to free me, John's never-ending patience and Vi's perseverance. I think of everything I love about them, every favourite food, favourite story, favourite toy. I beam brightly and begin to spin a circle of air, envisioning it enveloping me and pulling at my hair at clothes, feel it pulling at the grass.

I open my eyes to look at the hurricane surrounding me, I smile and begin to tone it down, the storm lessens and sinks back into my body. Artemis stands in front beaming proudly, I bow my head and turn to Vi who's smiling brightly. I walk over and embrace her, "I love you big sis." I whisper.

"I love you too." I pull away and look up to the darkening sky. "Perhaps we should get some sleep, we'll study more tomorrow?" Vi asks softly. Artemis nods her head and turns to leave.

"Have a good nights sleep girls, for water is the hardest to master." she says before disappearing.

"So what do you want for tea?" I ask.

"They stew from last night?" I nod and put the pot over the fire, stirring it occasionally. I pick up two bowls and fill them. I put the bowls on the table, along with bread and water. "Thank you."

"Well you can't cook, so the responsibility falls to me."

"Harsh." she says giggling.

"You know it's true, besides I'm a pretty decent cook."

"Yes you are." she ladles more stew into her bowl and devours it.

"Be careful I wouldn't want you to choke."

"Mmm Hmm." she garbles as her mouth is full of food. I swear I could feed her a whole deer and she would still be hungry, I suppose I'll have to cook more in the coming years.

"Are you frightened of immortality?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you not frightened of everything it might bring? Being fifteen for the rest of our lives."

"I actually spoke to the Moon Goddess," she says avoiding saying her real name, so as to not call her to us "She said that we will stop ageing at eighteen so we will have more freedom then, besides the thought of death terrifies me. So no, I do not fear immortality. As long as we are together, we will be fine." she finishes with a flourish and places her dishes into the bucket before climbing into bed. "Will you read me a poem?" she asks softly her eyes drooping slightly.

"Of course," I say before grabbing a book and taking a seat beside her "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice, from what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favour fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate, to say that for destruction ice, is also great and would suffice." I look up from the book to see Violet sleeping soundly, her breathing even.

I stand up from my seat, place a kiss on her forehead and tidy up the dishes before climbing into my bed, the poem echoing around in my head.