Read Online Embers (The Wings of War Book 1) by Karen Ann Hopkins - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Ann Hopkins
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into Aunt Ila’s eyes, determination flooded back to me. Surprise lit her face .
I started to pull back. Aunt Ila’s hand caught mine and she held it over the flame. I couldn’t believe how strong she was. I tried to break free, but she had me in a firm grip. The heat continued to grow and sweat made my skin sticky. My breaths were fast and shallow.
Aunt Ila’s strength was unreal for her age, but I was still stronger. I began to pull both of our hands away from the flame. I was close to winning when she said, “You must do this, Ember. You need to know the truth.” I could see the tight strain on her face when she gathered her muscles and pushed down hard on my hand.
When my skin touched the flame, sparks sprang up and multiplied into a burst of fire reaching the ceiling.
There was no pain.
It was the same as in the accident. The fire felt warm, almost tickling me. The flames continued to grow, and I wanted them to. I wasn’t afraid at all, just fascinated with the feel of the heat and the wonderful brightness of the world around me.
How long this went on, I’m not sure. It could have been seconds, but it seemed longer, more like minutes, until Aunt Ila’s shout finally broke through the bliss.
“Stop it. That’s enough!” The urgency in her voice brought me to my senses. I jumped back from the candle as if it had bitten me. The room was dark, except for the flicker of the now ordinary flame. I heard Aunt Ila shuffle across the floor, a second later the lights were on. I blinked at the sudden light. Looking down at my hands, I actually hoped to see them burned. That would have been normal.
I really, really wanted normal right then. But, no, of course, they were fine.
I turned them over, inspecting them carefully. Besides the smudge of black residue clinging to them, they were perfect. They almost felt better than they had before they’d been scorched.
Quickly, to preserve what remained of my sanity, I accepted the fact that the tasty spearmint tea I’d so happily lapped up must have contained a hallucinogenic drug that made me imagine the entire incident. That had to be the answer.
I glared at Aunt Ila, but only for a second.
Horror swallowed me up. She held her bloody hands out. There were strings of skin dangling from her fingers and palms. I could smell it now, the burnt flesh. My stomach churned.
I recovered in a flash and jumped to the sink. I grabbed a towel, immediately running cold water over it. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but wrapping the woman’s hands in a cool, wet towel seemed to be a good start.
“I’m so sorry. Why on earth did you do that? What were you thinking?”
Dumb question, she obviously wasn’t thinking, because she’s insane. I moved to her quickly with the wet towel, but I had to slow down, suddenly feeling dizzy. My legs wobbled and I dropped to the floor on my knees. I wasn’t the fainting type, but if anything was going to cause someone to faint, this whole scene probably would. Angus was at my side licking my face with his rough tongue. Riley joined in, too.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fit as a fiddle in no time. You’re going to feel sickly for a minute or two. I’m sorry that escalated the way it did. I never dreamed you’d be able to draw that much of the power so soon.”
“That’s enough, guys.” I pushed the dogs away and pulled myself onto the chair. The bubbles of queasiness still remained, but the room wasn’t spinning anymore. Using her foot, Aunt Ila pulled a chair next to mine. She sat down facing me. She was close enough that I could smell the mangled flesh again. I held my breath.
“Look at my hands. Do you see how they’re burned? Now look at yours,” Aunt
Ila ordered.
I automatically held out my hands and compared them to hers.
“How can this be? My hands were closer to the flame than
I started to pull back. Aunt Ila’s hand caught mine and she held it over the flame. I couldn’t believe how strong she was. I tried to break free, but she had me in a firm grip. The heat continued to grow and sweat made my skin sticky. My breaths were fast and shallow.
Aunt Ila’s strength was unreal for her age, but I was still stronger. I began to pull both of our hands away from the flame. I was close to winning when she said, “You must do this, Ember. You need to know the truth.” I could see the tight strain on her face when she gathered her muscles and pushed down hard on my hand.
When my skin touched the flame, sparks sprang up and multiplied into a burst of fire reaching the ceiling.
There was no pain.
It was the same as in the accident. The fire felt warm, almost tickling me. The flames continued to grow, and I wanted them to. I wasn’t afraid at all, just fascinated with the feel of the heat and the wonderful brightness of the world around me.
How long this went on, I’m not sure. It could have been seconds, but it seemed longer, more like minutes, until Aunt Ila’s shout finally broke through the bliss.
“Stop it. That’s enough!” The urgency in her voice brought me to my senses. I jumped back from the candle as if it had bitten me. The room was dark, except for the flicker of the now ordinary flame. I heard Aunt Ila shuffle across the floor, a second later the lights were on. I blinked at the sudden light. Looking down at my hands, I actually hoped to see them burned. That would have been normal.
I really, really wanted normal right then. But, no, of course, they were fine.
I turned them over, inspecting them carefully. Besides the smudge of black residue clinging to them, they were perfect. They almost felt better than they had before they’d been scorched.
Quickly, to preserve what remained of my sanity, I accepted the fact that the tasty spearmint tea I’d so happily lapped up must have contained a hallucinogenic drug that made me imagine the entire incident. That had to be the answer.
I glared at Aunt Ila, but only for a second.
Horror swallowed me up. She held her bloody hands out. There were strings of skin dangling from her fingers and palms. I could smell it now, the burnt flesh. My stomach churned.
I recovered in a flash and jumped to the sink. I grabbed a towel, immediately running cold water over it. I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but wrapping the woman’s hands in a cool, wet towel seemed to be a good start.
“I’m so sorry. Why on earth did you do that? What were you thinking?”
Dumb question, she obviously wasn’t thinking, because she’s insane. I moved to her quickly with the wet towel, but I had to slow down, suddenly feeling dizzy. My legs wobbled and I dropped to the floor on my knees. I wasn’t the fainting type, but if anything was going to cause someone to faint, this whole scene probably would. Angus was at my side licking my face with his rough tongue. Riley joined in, too.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fit as a fiddle in no time. You’re going to feel sickly for a minute or two. I’m sorry that escalated the way it did. I never dreamed you’d be able to draw that much of the power so soon.”
“That’s enough, guys.” I pushed the dogs away and pulled myself onto the chair. The bubbles of queasiness still remained, but the room wasn’t spinning anymore. Using her foot, Aunt Ila pulled a chair next to mine. She sat down facing me. She was close enough that I could smell the mangled flesh again. I held my breath.
“Look at my hands. Do you see how they’re burned? Now look at yours,” Aunt
Ila ordered.
I automatically held out my hands and compared them to hers.
“How can this be? My hands were closer to the flame than
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