“Let me guess,” I interrupt, bitterness coating my tongue. “Help me.”

Isolde takes a long, deep breath, as if to remind me how much patience it takes to put up with me. More angry words bubble up in my mind, but they can’t find their way out. My mouth has forgotten how to let them. I stand, flick my braid over my shoulder, and step out to retrieve Raze without another look back at my sister.

The weather is infuriatingly lovely, the sky a dreamy, cloudless blue, and the sun kissing the earth with just the right amount of warmth. It settles golden on my skin, clashing with my gray mood.

“Good morning.” Olani doesn’t look up. She’s settling the last glass vial into its carefully formed leather case, her touch incredibly gentle.

She must be getting used to me, because it doesn’t seem to bother her that I don’t reply.

Finally, as she rolls her medicine case up into its neat coil, she tilts her head up to meet my eyes. I look away quickly. She follows my gaze to the distant shape of Raze, nestled in the pine needles.

After a moment, Olani speaks again. “I’ve never seen him be a bird for this long.”

“Hm.”

“Someone should probably do something before he starts trying to eat raw mice.”

I shrug. Maybe raw mice will do him some good.

She looks me over, then stands with a long, lazy stretch, pushing herself up with one hand on her quarterstaff. “I don’t know you very well, but I’m pretty sure you’re better than this.”

That startles an offended sound from me. She’s right—she doesn’t know me.

Olani studies me in that odd, still way, like a big cat. The intensity of her gaze makes me squirm. “Listen, I don’t care what you want. I’ve tried to be nice, your sister tried to help, and I don’t know what happened with you and Raze last night, but he’s doing his best, too. He probably understands how you feel about all this better than anyone. So you need to stop fighting everyone—and yourself—and try as hard as the rest of us to make this work.”

I think that’s the most I’ve heard Olani say at once, and it catches me so off guard it actually makes sense. I let out a sharp breath, willing myself not to burst into tears. I have been acting like a child, defiantly refusing help. I don’t have to like my magic: I just have to coexist with it enough to guarantee I’m not going to catch anyone else on fire. What if it was Isolde next time? What if it was more than just Raze’s eyebrows?

I’ve been treating them all like a cornered, snapping animal, ignoring the fact that my bites still bleed. I feel so flushed with shame it sends chills down my scarred arms.

Finally, I find my voice, quiet and raw. “Fine,” I whisper.

“Great.” Olani swings her staff through the air, letting it rest at her side. Her whole face lightens, and just like that, I’m forgiven. “Lessons start today. Now, go apologize to Raze for whatever idiotic thing you said to him, so he can apologize for whatever idiotic thing he said to you.” I let out a small protest, but she cuts me off. “You know, there’s something I always used to do when my brothers fought.”