Small flames have big appetites.
A Tale of Fire
After we finished eating, the silence between us grew comfortable, with only the faint sound of the city outside breaking it.
"Lil," I said, breaking the silence, my voice quieter than I intended. She looked at me, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of curiosity and concern. "I want to know about your past."
The surprise that flickered across her face was brief, replaced quickly by an expression that was hard to read—somewhere between curiosity and guardedness.
"Why?" she asked softly, the question hanging between us like a promise and a challenge.
"I want to know who you are," I admitted. "Not just the mage. You. The person behind it all."
Lil's lips curled into a soft smile, a hint of something wistful in her eyes. She leaned back, the tension in her shoulders easing as she started to speak.
"I was born in a quiet village, far from here. A place where magic was as natural as breathing but also feared. My family had always been known for their connection to the old magic—the ancient things that predate even the earliest mages. I grew up knowing that I was different."
I found myself leaning into her, my head finding its way into her lap. The familiar scent of her enveloped me, and I felt a strange sort of calm. Lil's fingers brushed through my hair, her touch gentle and soothing. She started speaking, her voice low and steady, weaving the fragments of the past into something I could hold on to.
"Different how?" I asked.
Her eyes met mine, "Because I could hear them, the elementals."
I closed my eyes, letting her words wash over me. The tenderness in her voice made my heart ache in a way I hadn't expected. I was silent, processing what she said. The elementals were known, of course, but hearing them? That was rare—almost mythical among the fae who were closest to the elementals.
"When I was young, the other children would say I was strange, that the fire didn't speak to anyone else. They'd call me out for playing with shadows and listening to the flames as if they were friends. I didn't mind, though. I'd sit by the fire and talk back, asking questions, hearing answers that only I could understand."
A soft smile curved her lips, her eyes distant for a moment, as if she could still hear them now, echoing in the silence between us.
"And when I came of age, I left my village to train under the only mage who was willing to take me on. Not everyone believed I could control that power. Some feared that the elementals' voices would consume me, that I was too close to something wild, too untamed."
"Did they?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Lil looked at me, a glint of fierce pride in her eyes. "No. I am too stubborn for that. I learned to be strong enough to embrace it and use it."
I let that sink in, feeling the weight of her words. There was so much more to her than anyone could see at first glance, more than even I had dared to guess.
"Thank you," I said, the words rough, but genuine.
Lil just smiled, the faintest hint of a laugh in her voice. "Anytime." And with that, she continued to run her fingers through my hair, the world outside continuing on, but in this moment, it felt like we had a small slice of peace.
I reached out slowly. Flamma who seemed to dance with a mind of its own was hovering nearby. A warmth radiated from it, an invisible pulse that hummed through the air, and it was like touching a living heartbeat.
"I can kinda feel Flamma, you know," I whispered, the words brushing the air between us. It was a strange thing, this sensation that had been with me since I got back my memories.
Maybe it was the fae blood that ran through my veins, a touch of something older and wilder than I could ever fully grasp. Or maybe it was just another part of what made me… me.
Flamma moved closer, its tiny, incandescent form becoming visible, hovering over my hand like a breath of fire. I held still as its warmth licked at my skin, not hot enough to burn but enough to send a tremor through my chest. Flamma blinked, tiny embers sparkling like stars before the elemental came to rest, suspended in the air, right above my palm.
"You really are something, aren't you?" I murmured.
As if Flamma could understand, it flared, a sudden pulse of warmth that nearly made me pull back. But I didn't. I stayed, letting the heat seep into me, grounding me in the strange, indescribable moment where fire, fae, and something deeper intertwined.
Flamma flickered, tiny embers spinning in the air as if the elemental were somehow content. It wasn't a conversation, not in words. But there was an understanding.
Lil's chuckle was soft, almost playful, and it brought me out of the haze that had settled over me. I pulled my hand back slightly, glancing at her with an eyebrow raised. "What?" I asked, the curiosity sparking in my voice.
She leaned back, her smile widening as she met my gaze. "You know, I didn't just persuade Flamma to be my partner. It wasn't exactly a quiet, peaceful moment."
I tilted my head, the corners of my mouth lifting in a smile. "I figured. Flamma doesn't exactly seem like the type to just obey and follow anyone."
Her eyes twinkled with the hint of a mischievous secret as she started to speak, the words falling into the space between us like whispered embers. "It happened when I was young. I was out in the woods near my family's estate—getting lost, as usual," she said, her laughter mingling with the memory. "I was a kid with more curiosity than sense, and one day, I found myself deep in the trees, surrounded by shadows and whispers. I didn't know what I was doing there, but I didn't feel scared."
The grin on her face widened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the old fire that still burned in her. "That's when I found Flamma," she said, voice dropping to a whisper. "It wasn't just a spark. It was a wildfire, raw and hungry. It wanted to devour everything in sight—trees, the earth, the very sky. My family's village wasn't far from those woods, and I swear, for a heartbeat, it wanted to gobble up the whole place."
My eyes widened, a mix of shock and intrigue taking over me. "It wanted to destroy everything?" I asked.
Lil nodded, a spark of amusement in her eyes. "Oh, yes. Flamma was wild and unpredictable. It surged toward the village with a hunger that would have reduced everything to ashes."
Her eyes sparkled as she continued, a smirk tugging at her lips. "And, of course, Flamma didn't exactly appreciate my interference. When I stood there, arms spread yelling at it to stop, the flames paused. But then, oh, it decided it had to eat me. One moment, it was fire raging like a storm, the next, it was a wild, flame-wreathed monster, creeping toward me with a crackling hunger."
I gasped, suddenly seeing the image in my mind. A tiny, brave Lil standing before a towering inferno that would have made even the bravest mage hesitate. "What happened next?" I asked, unable to keep the tension from my voice.
Her laughter was soft, but there was an undeniable fondness in it. "It lunged toward me like it wanted to swallow me whole. I thought, 'Well, that's it. I'm going to be the first person to be roasted by an elemental wildfire.'"
Her expression shifted, eyes distant for a moment as she recalled the memory. "I had to fight it, Shay. I didn't have any spells prepared, no clever tricks—I just had raw will and a voice that was louder than my fear. I stood my ground, screamed at it to stop, and after a whole day of fighting, it did."
The room seemed to quiet, the intensity of her story pulling me in. I glanced at Flamma, who, in that moment, looked every bit like an innocent, misbehaving creature rather than the tempest she described. The elemental glared at Lil as if reminded of its shameful past, the flames crackling with what almost felt like embarrassment.
"And after that... what did it do?" I asked, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I pictured it.
"It tilted its head and puffed out smoke like a sulking puppy that just got caught stealing food. A moment later, it circled around me, small flames whirling, almost apologetically. And that was how it decided I was the one it would follow."
Flamma's flame flickered, burning brighter for a moment, as if in protest to the story. Its eyes darted to Lil, the playful glint in them now clouded with mischief, a silent reminder that it was still a force to be reckoned with, even if it had grown attached to her.
"Flamma, you're still a menace," Lil said, reaching out a hand that the fire elemental happily brushed against, a spark leaping in delight.
A grin spread across my face as I looked at Flamma. The elemental's flickering flames dimmed slightly as if noticing my attention. Reaching out, I let my fingers hover just above the small, crackling creature. "You know, despite your fiery temper and tendency to want to scorch everything, you're kind of adorable," I said.
Flamma's flames shifted, the color deepening to a warm orange as it swayed closer, the small sparks seeming to dance with delight at the unexpected compliment. I couldn't help but chuckle at the contrast between its dangerous past and its current playful demeanor.
Lil watched me with a soft smile, her eyes filled with a mix of amusement and affection. "Even when it wanted to roast me alive, it was still just a wild thing looking for a connection," she said, her voice fond.
Lil's smile grew tender as she spoke, eyes glistening with memories. "Flamma was lonely, Shay. It was fierce and wild, so uncontrollable that even other elementals avoided it. It was like fire itself—beautiful, but deadly and impossible to touch without getting burned. It wanted someone, anyone, who could handle the danger."
Flamma shifted near her, the flames flickering in a way that seemed almost bashful like it understood the weight of her words. I could see the unspoken truth in the way its light dimmed when it looked at her as if she was the only one who had ever dared to see past the heat and chaos.
Lil reached out to stroke Flamma's form, and it responded with a low, purring crackle. "When it tried to swallow me whole with the wildfire. It was almost like it needed me to fight it, to prove I was worth having around, even if it couldn't understand why."
"And yet here he is, a little bundle of warmth and mischief," I said, meeting her gaze.
Lil laughed, the sound rich, full of affection, and just a little smug. "You know, Shay, I beat you to Flamma by a couple of centuries."
I blinked, frowning at her, genuinely perplexed. "What does that even mean?"
Still chuckling, she pointed toward Flamma, who was now twirling around my hand in a flickering, almost joyful dance. "If I hadn't found it first, Flamma might've ended up following you."
I arched a brow, unconvinced. "What makes you say that?"
Her grin widened, a mischievous spark in her eyes. "Because he calls you the Master of Destruction."
I froze, staring at her before shifting my gaze to Flamma. The little elemental spun innocently, radiating an aura of pure glee, completely oblivious to the scandal it had just caused. My frown deepened. "What? Why would it call me that?"
Lil leaned back, arms crossed, clearly enjoying this. "You tell me, Master of Destruction. Maybe it's your aura. Or the fact that you attract chaos wherever you go."
Flamma emitted a crackling sound, almost like laughter, as if it agreed with her assessment. I glared at the elemental, but the effect was lost when it darted happily around me, leaving streaks of light in its wake.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered, more to myself than to her. "I'm not—"
Lil interrupted me with a playful shrug. "You are. And Flamma seems to think so too."
I sighed, rubbing my temples, while Flamma bobbed closer as if seeking approval. Begrudgingly, I extended my hand again, and the elemental floated down to hover just above my palm.
"Adorable little menace," I muttered under my breath. Flamma flickered brighter, almost as if preening at the comment, and Lil's laughter filled the room again, warm and full of life.
Lil's laughter softened into a knowing smirk as she leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, and Flamma also really liked those flames you offered earlier."
"Really?" I asked.
Lil nodded her head, still grinning. "Flamma is picky, Shay. You can't just light a campfire and expect it to care. It's drawn to power, to fire that carries magic. And what you gave it earlier? Flamma loved it."
I stared at the little flame bobbing happily in front of me, like an overexcited puppy waiting for a treat.
Lil leaned back. "That wasn't just fire—it was you. Your energy, your strength in the flames. Flamma doesn't see it as chaos or destruction; it sees a kindred spirit born to rule. And now it's wondering why it didn't meet you centuries ago."
Flamma emitted a playful crackling sound, bouncing in the air like it was agreeing with her. I stared at it, baffled. "This thing tried to gobble you up, and now it's wagging its metaphorical tail at me because of a little fire?"
Lil's grin widened. "It's how elementals work, Shay. Flamma was drawn to my control, my resolve to tame it. And it's drawn to you for… well, other reasons. You're not taming it. You're just…" She gestured vaguely toward me. "You."
Flamma darted closer to my hand, its warmth brushing against my skin like a tentative nuzzle. I sighed, letting my fingers hover near it again. "You're a strange little thing," I muttered. "But fine. If Lil can forgive you for trying to eat her, I guess I can put up with you thinking I'm some 'Master of Destruction.'"
Lil laughed again, the sound like music, as Flamma flickered brightly as if it were grinning.
I glanced at Lil, the corner of my mouth quirking upward. "Alright, if I'm the 'Master of Destruction,' what does Flamma call you?"
Lil's grin didn't falter, but her eyes gleamed with mischief. "Oh, you don't want to know."
"Try me," I said, folding my arms.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying this far too much. "It calls me the 'Infernal Mistress.'"
I blinked, then let out a short laugh. "The Infernal Mistress? That sounds... grand."
Lil smirked, tilting her head dramatically. "It's earned. Unlike you, I didn't just wave a little fire around. I fought tooth and nail to earn Flamma's respect."
Flamma, now hovering between us, flickered and crackled, clearly pleased with the memory. I snorted, shaking my head. "Infernal Mistress and Master of Destruction. We sound like villains in some bad opera."
Lil chuckled. "Speak for yourself. I think it suits me just fine."
I gave her a mockingly exaggerated bow. "Well, I hope Flamma doesn't decide to change allegiances anytime soon. You might find yourself out of a title."
Lil rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. "Don't count on it, Shay. Flamma and I? We're a team. You're just its shiny new fascination."
Flamma danced around my hand like a mischievous spark, as if enjoying the banter, and I found myself smiling despite myself.
I sit up, brushing my lips against hers in a kiss that wasn't hurried, but deliberate. Her breath hitched against my mouth, a moment of stillness before she leaned into me, her fingers brushing my jaw in the softest of touches.
When we finally pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright with something I couldn't quite name.
"Well," she murmured, her voice quieter than I'd ever heard it. "That was unexpected."
I smirked, trying to ignore the heat rising in my own face. "Guess I'm really not that predictable after all."
Lil let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. Flamma, who'd been hovering nearby, flickered brightly as if it was laughing with us—or at us. For once, I didn't mind the interruption.