Fire Moon by Miss CrazyPlantLady (phonics reading books .TXT) 📖

looking around us, "I guess."

I started to protest when Alexei's hand gripped my calf, "I think we should take the opportunity to rest" his warmth travelled up my leg, "We can't make a fire but it's a warm enough night."

My eyes met the moon, ensuring that I was free and I took a deep breath before stepping away from Alexei. His hand wrapped around my wrist, "I think while we're resting, you should practice extinguishing your flame."

I jerked at the mention of my powers, I still had them and I killed those kids with them. My head shook with hesitation, "I can't—I can't—"

"It doesn't have to be big, just start little" he added.

My head shook again, violently this time, "No."

Sawyer yawned loudly from where he sat at the base of a different tree, "Trust me Blazer, the damage is done and you need the practice."

I was sick to death of the 'trust me' and of the lies and the stupid depressing fate the moon has given me. Every time my eyes met the moon, I knew it mocked me and I knew this was its little game.

"Trust you?" my voice a fraction louder. My nose scrunched with disgust, I pushed away Alexei's knowing hand and stepped away from both of them, "You should have warned me about what I was going to do" my voice deadly and aimed at Sawyer.

"I don't think you understand how future telling works" the Soothsayer drawled.

"I don't give a fuck about how future telling works" I huffed with a humourless laugh, "I thought you were my friend and I trusted you" the words turning sour in my mouth, I practically spat them at him.

"Eden, calm down" Alexei spoke carefully and attempted to step closer to me.

I stepped further back and held a finger up at him accusingly as if he could see it through the light of the moon, "You shouldn't have told me about the children."

I could feel his gaze on me through the dark, he didn't make a sound of retaliation or defence. He knew he shouldn't have either and it pissed me off even more.

"I believed you when you said you were going to help me, I was stupid enough to believe that you actually wanted to help me and all you had to do was fucking warn me!" my voice louder now and I was on the brink of just screaming at them, "I will never trust either of you!"

It was then amongst my blood-boiling rage, that I noticed my hands weren't alight, my flames didn't come to me and I couldn't keep the shock off my face. For the first time, as rage burned through my body, my powers didn't react.

I stared at my hand and felt the liquid fire spread through my body, stopping just before the edge of my fingertips. I thought of the children. I thought of their small terrified faces. I thought of their burned skin clinging to my own and I thought of my uncontrolled flames coating the walls. I took a breath and let it out, "On" I muttered under my breath and I watched my index finger ignite like a match.

Another deep breath, "Off" I demanded to my own skin, to the golden fire within and my eyes instantly met Alexei's in the darkness as the flames obeyed.

Another yawn from the Soothsayer, "Well, now that is all off your chest and if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep before you rip my head off some more."

I wanted to scream at him more, I wanted to cry out of frustration and I had to fight the urge to burn the tree he slept under.

"Keep practicing" Alexei added, before I heard him make a spot for himself under a different tree.

Staring down at my hands again, "On."

The fire listened and it coated my skin, I didn't allow it to go past my wrist. I would never let it past my wrists again, I would cling to my control until my last breath and I swear to the moon that I would not lose that control.

"Off" my voice full of ice and demand. The flames didn't dare disobey and I watched them disappear.

I glanced at the moon once more before finding a spot to rest. My mind spinning in and out of flashbacks of my cell, of the children. My heart burned with guilt and I shook my head to clear my thoughts before watching my hands before me. Repeating in my mind, on, off, on, off, on, off and watching my cursed powers listen to my demands.

I will not lose control.

It was the crunch of a leaf that woke me. I didn't remember falling asleep but my eyes met the moon's as I woke, it was still night and it was as dark as ever.

A hand gripped my shoulder, Alexei, I knew from his breath against my ear and he slowly pulled me back behind the tree, another hand coming around and covering my mouth, "Shh" was all he whispered in my ear.

They were wolves. Large wolves. They were Kappa. Hunters. Incredible tracking skills, even in the dark I could see them shuffling the ground with their snout and I could hear their sniffs and chuffs.

My heart was hammering in my chest, blood rushing in my ears and I willed my flames to not give us away. Alexei continued to pull me back, not a single sound came from our steps and it was Sawyer who was the first to speak.

"They can't see us but if we make too much noise, the illusion will be gone" his voice the lowest I've heard it, "We need to go now."

The strange seriousness of his tone struck something in me, I was on my feet instantly and Alexei had now grabbed my wrist before we rushed after Sawyer.

I could hear faint distant howls behind us but Alexei never stopped or faulted. My feet seared with pain with every step, sharp branches and rocks adding another scratch or cut to the collection growing at the bottom of my feet. A particular rock was larger than expected and I kicked it with too much force. I winced silently and gripped Alexei's arm with the pain that now spread up my leg.

"What happened?" Alexei quickly asked before stopping slightly.

The howls were getting closer and I shook my head instantly, "Nothing, we need to keep going."

He was hesitant but continued after Sawyer. My feet screaming with every step and the sun was rising when I finally saw Sawyer waiting by a tree, he smiled in the low light, "Suns up, they won't bother us now."

I was out of breath and my vision blurred with the pain in my foot. My eyes squinting at the Soothsayer, "Are you sure?"

Alexei was leaning over with his hands on his knees, "Hunters don't work in the light" his own voice breathless.

I sat down happily, my lungs sighed in relief and I watched Alexei turn to me in his exhausted position, his eyes made a beeline straight to my feet and he stood up with a growl, "What did you do?"

I flinched as he reached for my injured foot, "I think it was a rock" I said under my breath.

Following his gaze, my feet were a mess and the injured one was completely purple. The bases were cut and bleeding, completely filthy.

His emerald eyes glaring into mine, "You should have told me."

"Where are your shoes?" the Soothsayer walked over and gave my feet a disgusted expression, "You'll have to carry her" he clapped Alexei on the shoulder.

I huffed, "I can walk myself." I didn't sound very convincing because I wasn't convinced I could, "How far are we?"

"An hour or a few" Sawyer mused.

My dark eyes meeting the Null-hound's green ones, he was already bending to help me up and I gripped his arm for balance, "You can't walk on it, let me help you" he didn't wait for me to answer and he turned around, crouching.

"This is ridiculous" I muttered before climbing onto his back but the pressure disappeared from my feet instantly.

We continued silently through the rest of the woods, Alexei tread lightly to avoid any unnecessary bumps as the Soothsayer ran forward.

"You know, you could've given me your shoes and ran back" my voice skeptical. I was so close to his face that I could see the fine lines around his eyes, the subtle ageing of his skin and I turned away before his eyes searched for mine.

I felt his laugh through his back, "Your foot is most likely broken, I doubt shoes would help you."

My dark eyes rolled, "It's merely bruised."

I could see the clearing ahead of us, my lungs stopped working the closer we got. I couldn't stop the relief showing on my face as we reached the soft hills that surrounded Osmond, the vast fields that surrounded the Soothsayer's house and I almost cried at the sight alone.

Sawyer's wolf ran ahead of us and I gripped Alexei's shoulder to stop myself from running with him.

My ankle burned with pain as we walked, prickled with irritation but I ignored it as I saw the similar live oak trees come into view. I was so anxious to get there, I wanted to lunge for it and broken foot or not, I would will my feet to get me there.

My heart hammered in my chest and I knew Alexei could feel it against his back. We reached the drive way, the same trees curved over us like a natural tunnel and I could just make out the towering house.

I could see the door from where we were and the house grew in size with my relief as we got closer. We watched the large doors swung open and my heart swelled.

A small figure was running towards us, blonde and very fast. Quinn. Tears burning in my eyes as Alexei reluctantly put me down, he held onto my arm to balance me, "How'd she know we were here already?" Alexei mused.

I laughed as she got closer, "She has the fastest instincts of the pack" her beautiful face came into view.

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around me, so tight that I couldn't breathe but it was such a welcoming feeling that I didn't care. Tears now streaming down my face as I held onto her, she wore her everyday dark clothing and her blonde hair was wild but clipped back.

She pulled back, her icy sapphires drowning in the sight of me and teary as they went from me to Alexei, then back to me, "I'm so happy you're safe."

It was Miles next, her matted dark hair was now clean and curly. She had colour on her face, she ran just as fast as Quinn and was already crying when she hugged me, "Thank the moon!" she wrapped Alexei in her hug and I laughed at the groan that escaped him, "I thought you wouldn't have made it."

"You look so alive" I cried, the sight of her outside was something I wasn't ready for. To see her not waiting to be chained up or tortured. Clean and free.

She held on for a while longer before pulling back, glancing down at my feet, "I'll fix that when we get the chance."

We reached the stairs when Urith rushed out, a smile wide on his face and he clapped me on the shoulder, "I knew it, never doubted you for a second."

The tears now dripping from my face, I held onto the hand that gripped my shoulder, "We made it" I managed to gasp.

"Oh please, we all know that Urie wouldn't have added any importance to your escape plan" my dark eyes met darker ones and a sob escaped my lips.

The Oracle.

Standing and alive. I couldn't stop the shock on my face. He leaned against the door with a lazy grin, Miles' healing mark danced across his neck and he clicked his tongue, "Bet you didn't think you'd see this face again."

I ran up the stairs, wincing at the pain burning in my