TAKE TWO, kotlc

Chapter 33- Oralia

Oralia officially hated fire. She always had- sticky, garbled, crackling flames that flickered with such growing ferocity, it was scary. And not to mention the waves of heavy smoke that made the already-tiny vicinity seem even more claustrophobic.

And yet another thing to add to that list- she'd now been involved in two life-or-death fires in barely a week.

Fun.

And not to mention, the fact that Kinsely barely looked scared of the fire, very sadly hinted that she had taken after her mother and manifested as a Pyrokinetic.

In fact... she looked infuriatingly bored.

"Eh. Lies are fun while they last," Kinsely reasoned airily, giving her wrist a casual flick as the flames spiraled into a circle surrounding them.

Oralia was a bit too panicked to think of a snarky remark.

Any ideas? She transmitted to Braelynn- and she was pretty sure she knew the answer...

Silence.

"No telepathic little conversations, you two!" Kinsely called, still smiling wickedly. A sphere of Everblaze curled up on her palm and went shooting across the room, slamming into the wall and missing Braelynn's head by an inch.

"Um... " Oralia trailed off, struggling to find a reply.

Actually... kinda. This is going to sound crazy but...

What else is new? Oralia finished, biting back a grin. Braelynn should've been an expert improviser.

"..dead or alive, but I mean really: I suppose you are her sister, soft spots are unavoidable..." Kinsely was saying, to nobody in particular.

Neither of them responded.

""What is wrong with you two?" she snapped, flaring up at once. "Don't you speak?!"

"Um... yeah," Oralia cut in, lamely.

Tell me. Fast, she transmitted, then focused her attention back on Kinsely.

The Pyrokinetic sucked in a frustrated breath, and went back to making flames flicker on her fingertips.

I need you to enhance me.

The request was surprising on such a level, Oralia had to kick herself to restrain a yelp.

I'm... not an enhancer, Brae... Oralia reminded her, confused.

You're a Telepath though.

Eer... yeah?

"Seriously, I would just finish you off, if she didn't want to see you," KInsely observed. "All those little Telepathic conversations... rather obnoxious really..."

"Who's she?" Oralia shouted, feeling the heat prickle at her skin uncomfortably. And it didn't help that the flames were creeping closer...

I learned something that my mom told me, Braelynn went on. Back when she was studying abilities at Foxfire, remember?

Oralia nodded slowly, hoping Kinsely wasn't getting too suspicious about how quickly they'd sobered up.

All abilities have one thing in common: their mind. Not just Telepaths. Same goes for Phasing- half the process isn't manifesting, it's the deliberation to break down your body- at least mentally -and will yourself to reappear. Which takes so much more mental strength than people assume.

Oralia could see how painfully dangerous her explanation was veering...

Mental energy, Braelynn emphasized pointedly.

You want me... to share my mental energy with you, Oralia repeated hollowly.

"You guys may as well say it," Kinsely interrupted. "I know all about those petty little Telepathic conversations!"

She shrugged. "Though I suppose the Princess will be here soon anyways."

You know how my mom can vanish other people just by physical contact when she's being enhanced? Braelynn asked quickly.

And you want to do that with...

Phasing, Braelynn finished.

Kinsely lit up noticeably. "Oh, look! Here she comes!"

She snapped her fingers as the flames parted in a clean row starting at the door and pressing them even closer to the wall.

"No choice!" Oralia coughed, trying to hack up the thickening smoke. "Here it comes..."

She snatched Braelynn's hand and flooded her mind with every bit of dimming mental energy she could muster, sending it flowing and crashing faster and faster away...

"Hold on!" Braelynn warned, pulling them away-

And when the tingling, rushing sensation faded, Oralia found herself on the other side of the wall, face to face with-

"Mom?"