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

Olivia with a strange look, "Get out."

I almost laughed as Olivia's mouth dropped open, her eyes flickered around to each of us before stopping on the Oracle, "Bain—"

"He can't help you" Sawyer yawned, reaching up to retie his braid, "I don't know you or want you in my house, leave."

This time Alice did laugh, soft but deep and Bain gave her a quick glare before he shrugged at Olivia, "I'll see you later."

"Pretty sure, Sawyer just kicked her out B," Alice mused, "You won't be seeing her later."

"Shut it," the Oracle ran a hand through his dark hair before sighing, "Sam pair with Alexei and I'll just instruct."

"No, how about the kid pairs with you and I get to kick your arse?" Alice argued, standing up.

Bain was never one to turn down a challenge as his dark eyes glistened with temptation and his lips stretched into a wide grin, "Fine, Alexei will instruct, and Sam will pair with Constance."

Sawyer waved his hand and Pen entered, dragging a large crate behind her, "Now, I know you all like to train hand to hand but I think it's time to bring in the weapons."

My eardrums screamed as Pen dumped the contents of the crate onto the floor, metal scraped the floor and my eyes widened as I took in the blades before us.

From where I was standing, I could see the blades slick with poison, something I would never forget the look of, and I sighed, "What is it?" but I already knew.

The Soothsayer picked one up causally, swinging it and pointed it in my direction, the blade centimetres away from my face.

The smell of the foxglove jolted through me, the memory of it was almost suffocating, but I held my chin up and looked Sawyer dead in the eyes.

"Foxglove," he said as he moved his blade from my face with a sigh.

"You want us to train with already poisoned weapons?" Quinn muttered, her face completely still as her rage stormed in those icy sapphire eyes.

The Soothsayer almost looked scared as he nodded, "I'm not giving Urith or Eden one."

Alice swooped down to grab one, not waiting for anymore instructions and gestured for Bain to follow.

The Oracle ignored her with an eye roll, gestured for all of us to start before choosing his own, and accepting Alice's challenge.

Urith softly struck my blade with a sigh, "You get poisoned once and then they don't let you do anything."

I laughed at that, "Technically, mine was self-inflicted so it doesn't count."

I watched him chuckle as he shook his head, "Feels like a lifetime ago."

I was overwhelmed with his words, my eyes burning to cry, but I smiled at him and nodded, "Time flies when you're not having fun."

It didn't feel like a lifetime ago to me. That experience still had its slimy grip on my throat, the pain of the foxglove still haunts my skin, my tongue still tastes the brown sludge they fed us, and worst of all, my eyes would never forget the children. I could never forget their haunted eyes. It will forever be dragging behind me, and I will carry their dead carcases with me for the rest of my life.

I was so happy Urith didn't experience our captivity the same, but at the same time, I resented it.

"Focus, Blazer," Alex quipped in, dragging me from my thoughts.

"Sorry, I'm late," we all turned our heads as August strolled in.

Bain was too busy trying to beat Alice, so August came right for me, and all my thoughts of Alex swamped my brain. The guilt flooded my train of thought, I felt sick, and I couldn't stop August taking Urith's blade, taking his place.

"Remember your training?" his smile was slow to grow.

I silently begged Urith to stay but he went and paired with Alex, who was watching me too closely.

"Uh yeah," I straightened my back, "We're just using the blades though."

August shook his blonde-haired head, "There's no chance of us winning if you don't use your powers."

My head shook instinctively, "I—I haven't used them since—"

"Since the children?"

The memory of him telling everyone what I did, my darkest crime, brought the anger back into my veins, "How did you know about the children?"

He's wide agonising smile held on strong, but I saw the twitch of his lip, "Sawyer told me."

"He's lying," I fought the urge to flinch as the Soothsayer's voice echoed through my head, "I swear on my extravagant life that I did not utter a word to him."

August was still waiting on a reaction as I nodded, "I'm not surprised."

"You scare me, Changeling," Sawyer continued, "I would not dare be disloyal."

I could feel the Soothsayer in my mind, his presence looking out of my eyes, having this conversation with August, and I believed him. I knew where Sawyer's loyalty stood.

I met the Soothsayer's eyes quickly before holding up my blade to my mate, "No more talking."

His smile dipped a fraction, but he chuckled, raising his own blade, "We'll get those flames out later then."

The flirtatious tone irritated me instantly, and only then did I glance at Alex. His emerald eyes glowed as if he was about to tell everyone in this room what we did, what I did. Just because he despised August.

But it was me who cheated on my mate. Alex would only release my shame into the air, Quinn would never forgive me, and Bain would judge me for the rest of my life.
And Sam.
My heart clenched at the thought of telling Sam.

Alex was adamant August wasn't my mate but that isn't his decision to make. I don't even know whose decision is was. Was it mine?

I slowly scraped my blade against his, "You're underestimating how dangerous it can be."

He smacked my blade, the sound pierced my ears, but I returned my blade fast, and then we were fighting.

The sound of our blades filled the air, my hand jolted with every strike, and I could feel August rushing to his next hit.

He was faster, he was pushing me.

He was trying to irritate me into using my powers like he's done before.

Except he doesn't know that those flames that ignited my veins were under my control, they obeyed me, and then it struck me that August and I haven't had a conversation in weeks.

It was always him going to meet other packs, about us mating, and about defeating Kier.

We don't talk. We don't have conversations. I don't know him.

My gut dropped as I realised; we don't have anything in common.

I don't know him.

I didn't know my mate standing in front of me.

I could feel August's urgency to see my fire, his moves were becoming erratic and sloppy. I was slicing his arms because of it.

My skin could feel the emerald eyes on me, and with a sigh, I requested them. My flames.

My dark eyes swallowed the artist's palette of August's, "On," my voice washed in ice and command.

I watched the golden waves drench my skin, wrapping around my sword like a cling wrap, and I felt the edges of my lips curl upward as August stared dumbfounded.

"You learnt to control them?" his mouth was still open in shock.

The shock I realised was because he didn't believe I ever would be able to control them, he didn't think I had the power to control them but from the look on his face, he believes it now.

I could feel the Null-hound's eyes still on me, I didn't dare turn to meet them, and I pointed the golden blade at my mate, "Yes, I did."

"Who taught you to do that?" his tone was slightly envious, and through his blank expression, I could see it. Jealousy. Jealous that he couldn't teach me to control it.

"No one," I shrugged, "It was the months of captivity."

Lying because I knew it was Alex who taught me, Alex taught me control, but I didn't dare say that to my mate.

This time I was rushing with my swings, my irritation was growing in me like wildfire, and it would only increase with every cut August's blade gave me. I took a step back to breathe, but August was right there swinging, his blade slicing my wrist, and the sight of my bright blood fuelled my flames.

My flames did not grow, I was not allowing them to grow but they burned brighter.

His smug smile was like gasoline, "Some control you got there, pup."

My hits were harder, faster but whatever I did, I couldn't wipe that smile off his face and it boiled my blood. I felt my flames pushing against my control, begging to burn the whole room down. I wanted to let them. I wanted to see the fear on August's face.

But then all I could think about was the small faces staring at me, dripping with terror, and then, my flames burned blue.

Slowing morphing into a soft blue, before glowing turquoise.

The smile was gone. August was watching my hands with his own masked fear, and it was all I needed.

My blade started to weep as I swung it at August, harder and faster than before. August was stumping, missing blocks and never getting a chance to swing.

A hand clamped down on my wrist, a hand that remained whole underneath my blue heat, the hand of a Null-hound. My body fought to not react as I met his emerald gaze, "That's enough," he said.

August growled in protest, "You don't get to tell her what to do, traditor."

Alex didn't even look at him, holding my eyes as he waited for me to pull the flames back. I quietly told them to retreat, my eyes never leaving his and then I felt another hand on my hot skin.

My body buzzed with magic, Miles.

I dragged my eyes down to see her tattoos replace my cuts, forgetting that they were bleeding all over the place, and I felt the urge to protest to Miles' healing.

I almost wanted the scars, I wanted them because Alex had them, and Alex couldn't get rid of them like I can.

I didn't realise everyone stopped to watch us, Alice's golden eyes were flickering from me and Alex. Quinn was only glaring at August, but it was the Soothsayer who cleared his throat, "Well, I'm hungry" and he stood to leave.

"Sawyer, we need to pre—" Bain started after him, his voice echoing around the stale air between us.

Before August or anyone had the chance to speak, I was already walking out.

"What was that?" Alice was hot on my tail, her short ponytail swayed with her fast steps as she tried to keep up with me.

"What was what?" I muttered, making a beeline to our shared room.

Her eyes were wide as they glowed into mine, "The way you looked at the prisoner?" she shrugged, "I've never seen you look at anyone that way."

I huffed, opening our bedroom door, "With disgust?"

A hand grabbed my shoulder, and from its tender touch I could tell it was Sam. Sam's smile was just as tender as his touch, "Are you okay?"

His dark eyes reading mine instantly, he saw the same thing Alice saw, but he would never think I would betray August like this, and it was heavy in my chest as I realised.

He was speaking more often than not lately, he felt safer here, and I didn't want that to change. Telling him what happened between me, and the Null-hound would change that. I couldn't risk it.

I nodded silently before turning back to Alice, "I was just surprised he could touch my flames."

Her eyes told me that she didn't take my excuse, but her mouth lifted into a smile, "I can't believe you changed the colour."

"I thought August was a goner, for sure" Sam signed with a chuckle before gesturing down the hall with a tilt of his red head, "Dessert?"

I laughed, "Sure," letting the light feeling in my chest follow us down the corridor, floating between my sister and my best friend. I wanted to stay here forever.
Several days passed, everyday we'd train for hours, and not receive a word or sign from Kier's pack.
We were starting to think it was never coming.

Except