“I think that’s a good idea,” the queen said. “But who is your companion?”
“This is Tamri of Pendark.” Heath took a letter out of his pocket and handed it to the queen with a respectful bow. “She is a Waterworker, and Princess Selivia asked that she be allowed to join your Wielder school.”
The queen looked Tamri over then read the letter, written in a looping, earnest hand. Tamri couldn’t read it from this angle. She tried not to fidget, wondering what Selivia had said about her.
The queen glanced up from the letter. “You stole a dragon?”
“Borrowed it.”
King Siv chuckled, looking at Tamri with renewed interest. But Queen Dara was not impressed. She studied her for a moment then returned her attention to the letter. Tamri shivered. Why was it so cold here?
When the queen finished reading the letter, she passed it to her husband and fixed those intense eyes on Tamri again. “You’re seventeen?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever tried to touch the Fire?”
Tamri shook her head. Waving a Fire cudgel around a few times didn’t count. The Fire was rare in Pendark, more expensive than Watermight. She’d never even seen the substance in its raw form.
The queen’s mouth tightened, and Tamri feared she’d be sent home then and there. Dread twisted through her at the thought. Khrillin would never accept such a failure. He would throw Gramma Teall out in the gutter—if he didn’t kill them both. Tamri had to convince the queen to accept her into the school.
She took a step forward. “Princess Selivia told me you were nineteen when you started Wielding both powers, uh, Your Majesty.”
“The first time I used Watermight, yes,” Dara said, “but the Fire is an incredibly dangerous substance, if you can touch it at all.”
“I learn fast,” Tamri said, “and I have the quickest whip in Pendark. I’ll catch up to the other students.”
“It will kill you if you go too fast.”
“I can be careful too,” Tamri said.
The queen frowned. “I am not sure—”
“I survived Pendark,” Tamri said. “I taught myself how to control Watermight. I know how deadly—”
Heath nudged her, just a quick touch at the elbow, and Tamri realized she had interrupted the Fire Queen. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
“You don’t have to convince me with words,” Dara said calmly. “Wielders’ bodies become used to the magical substances over time. Theoretically, we can all use all of them, but if you’re already too accustomed to one, the other will hurt you.” She brushed a wisp of golden hair back from her face. “Let’s just see how you do with a bit of Fire.”
Tamri’s jaw went slack. “Right now?”
In answer, the queen strode to a small door at the side of the dueling chamber. There was a balcony above it from which people could watch the duelists on the main floor. When the queen opened the door, Tamri glimpsed a table covered in books and papers, and a glowing metal grate set into a fireplace.
The queen raised a hand, and a stream of molten gold flowed from the grate. Tamri gasped as the glittering substance streamed over the table piled with books and out the doorway to the dueling hall. The Fire was spellbinding. It moved like blood: hot, thick, and smooth. It appeared heavier than Watermight, less ethereal, but its magical aura was unmistakable.
The Fire flowed through the air directly to Queen Dara’s hands and pooled in her palms, shimmering like satin. Then the liquid magic sank into the cracks in her skin, and for a moment, the Fire Queen’s veins glowed gold.
Dara let the door to the study fall shut and rejoined Tamri and the two men. “Hold out your hand.”
Tamri clenched her teeth and extended her palm uncertainly. She hadn’t expected to be tested so soon.
“Tell me if this starts hurting,” Dara said.
The Fire spun out of her fingers and spiraled slowly toward Tamri. The glow lit up the queen’s golden hair, the spirals glinting in her eyes. She was beautiful in an intimidating kind of way, and Tamri couldn’t tell if her expression was meant to be threatening or not. Heath and the king must still be watching them, but Tamri didn’t dare look away from the Fire Queen and the foreign magical substance spiraling closer. Closer. She felt a flutter of anticipation, her heart beating in time with the pulse of the Fire. She wondered if it would warm her up.
Then the molten gold stream connected with the center of Tamri’s palm—and the liquid burned her as if it were boiling oil. Tamri gasped in shock.
The Fire Queen pulled the substance back at once.
“Did that hurt?”
Yes. “No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Let’s try it again.”
Tamri held up her hand. If this didn’t work, she’d find herself packed off back to Pendark before the sun set. Maybe it would be better the second time.
“Get ready.”
The Fire glided closer, as silent as a viper in a canal.
Tamri gritted her teeth as the burning substance connected with her palm. It hurt just as much as the first time, but she clamped down on her reaction. The Fire bored into her, a knife pressing slowly into her skin. She couldn’t keep tears from welling up in her eyes.
“Is this okay?” Dara asked.
“It’s fine.” Tamri blinked away the tears. This had to work. Otherwise, she and Gramma Teall would never get out from under Khrillin’s thumb. She couldn’t lose this chance. “I can handle more.”
Dara looked skeptical, but she made several smaller flows of Fire break off from the main one and snake toward each of Tamri’s fingers. The molten magic shimmered, giving off heat and a palpable sense of power.
All five points connected at once, five hot needles pricking her fingers.
Abruptly, Tamri had had enough. She hurled the Fire away from her with the same mental force she used to control Watermight. The Fire scattered into a hundred droplets, spraying like water from a geyser. The droplets flew straight at King Siv.
Time seemed to slow. Tamri’s mouth opened in horror. It was too late to take it back.
Then Dara flung up her hand, halting the Fire mere inches from the king’s face. The glowing droplets hung in the air, a curtain of deadly rain that could have seared straight through his body.
Tamri stared, shocked at what she had almost done. King Siv looked just as surprised at the near miss. The queen calmly pulled the Fire droplets out of the air, drawing them back into her skin.
Tamri started to release a sigh of relief when hands closed around her arms, nearly lifting her off her feet.
“Your Majesties, I am so sorry.” Heath sounded utterly horrified as he restrained Tamri with an iron grip. “I didn’t mean to bring an assassin to—I will remove her before—”
“Wait, it was an accident!” Tamri said as Heath dragged her toward the door. She jammed her heel into his toe, trying to wriggle free. “I’m not an assassin.”
Heath held her firmly, his face going scarlet. “I believed she meant well.”
“It’s all right, Heath,” Dara said. “She clearly wasn’t in control of that attack.”
Tamri bristled. “I wasn’t trying to attack—”
The Fire Queen looked at her, and Tamri swallowed the rest of her words. The look held calm authority and immense power. Despite her precarious position, Tamri couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to see this woman facing off with Khrillin.