The days after the earthquake and the rockfall blurred into a new rhythm for Lira. Her mornings were filled with regular lessons, afternoons with sparring or dragon observation, and evenings… evenings belonged to fire.
At first, it was only her and Patricia in the hidden training chamber, the air heavy with heat and the faint tang of smoke. Patricia's sharp words and steady presence became a kind of anchor for Lira. No matter how tired, how shaken, Patricia pushed her forward. But soon, Maelin began to appear more often, slipping into the chamber with a bright grin and a spark in her eyes.
"If you two are going to keep playing with fire without me, I'll die of boredom," Maelin declared one evening, hands on her hips as flames curled playfully around her fingertips. "Besides, I'm fire too. I can help."
Patricia looked her up and down, lips quirking in faint amusement. "Help, or get in the way?"
"Both," Maelin said with a cheeky grin.
