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Fintan woke up slowly when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway of his icy prison. He listened for a moment before recognizing the footsteps of Bronte.
“So are you here to ask me more pointless questions about the Neverseen that I don't know?” Fintan asks without looking at Bronte, he clears his throat
“No, I'm here because the council has officially decided to grant your request to mentor Marella Redek. But the council will be monitoring your meetings and sending nobility members to question miss Redek after each session so don't get any ideas for recruiting her to the Neverseen, or teaching her to spark everblaze.” Fintan's eyebrows raise, he didn't expect them to come to a decision this quickly and if they did he thought it'd be denied. He puts his hand on his chest in mock offense
“Me? Recruit people or teach them everblaze, how preposterous. I've never done that in my life.”
“I don't believe that for a second considering what happened with Jolie Ruewen.” Fintan goes back to tracing patterns in the ice
“I assume that you voted against this?”
“I did, considering that when we had Sophie heal your mind you killed one of my colleagues, and friends-”
“Bronte has friends how shocking,” Bronte's voice cut off his sarcasm
“But the girl needs to learn proper control and restraint,” He heaves a sigh not looking at Fintan “and as much as I hate it you're the only pyrokinetic alive and willing, but that doesn't mean I won't be keeping a very close eye on you to make sure you're not doing anything like manipulating her.” and without waiting for his response he turns around and walks out of Fintan's prison. That didn't stop him from yelling back
“Oh, I would never my dear Bronte.”
He had his first ability session with the girl in about thirty minutes. Contrary to what Bronte probably thought considering his last words to him, he didn't have any plans to try to get the girl to spark everblaze or join the rebel group that failed him.
But the council wouldn't have to worry about the last one because thirty five minutes later the girl appeared outside his prison with a black swan necklace around her neck.
“So I see that you've sworn loyalty to the swan group miss,” he already knew the girls name but he would rather give her a chance to introduce herself.
“Marella Redek, and yeah, it's to assure Forkle that I won't be consumed by my craving for fire, plus it's probably smart to have them on my side if the council decides to come after me.” Fintan laughs a little
“Finten Pyren, though you already knew that. I would shake your hand but the ice wall prevents that.” He looks away from the ice wall meeting the girls eyes for the first time, the same blue as her mothers, “it appears that you and I have more in common then I thought, miss Redek.” and though he was a pyrokinetic he could feel how much colder the room got after that sentence, and how the goblin guards clutched the hilt of their swords, this was going to be interesting.
It was the day of Marella's weekly meetings, but instead of the usual hushed whispers between the guards he heard two voices, after a moment of listening he realized one belonged to his prodigy and the other to another girl. He didn't have to wait long for an answer. As they come into the view of his ice prison and the other girl had silver streaks in her hair, the girl of many floods. He coughs as he sits up
“Well if it isn't the girl of many floods, maybe Marella can melt the walls and you can flood this place.”
“My name is Linh Song.” She corrects him
“Yeah, and we would never help you escape.” Marella says
“And there's the council way of thinking, they and the blackswan have convinced you that I'm a bad guy.”
“Because you are,” Marella cuts him off before he can give them another speech, he waves his hands like he's fanning away the words.
“Never mind that, then why is she here?” He points at Linh with the last words.
“To make sure that no fire's get out of control, because you seem to have a history of that.” he scowls
“Fire and water can not work together they are opposites, like shades and flashers.”
“If that's true then why do elves need shades and flashers to work together to make illusions?” Linh asks
“Plus we're already working on combining our abilities.” Marella says crossing her arms with a smirk, Fintan rolls his eyes.
“Fine she can stay,”
“That's not your decision.” one of them interrupts.
“But,” He says ignoring them, pointing at Linh “do not interfere unless I tell you to.”
“she'll interfere if the flames get out of control.” Marella corrects, Fintan grit his teeth
“Fine, today we will be discussing balefire vs normal flames.” and the lesson began
“What would it take for me to convince you to open your cache?” Fintan sat up and stretched
“Hello miss Redek, how are you on this freezing day on the mountain.”
“Answer the question.”
“Freedom.” He told her tracing symbols shaped like fire into the frost on the floor
“That's not possible, and you know it.” She said crossing her arms, he rolled his eyes, she acted like he wanted to burn down the lost cities and dethrone the councilors for revenge of what they did to him. She was right but how dare she assume.
“Well it seems like my knowledge of how to open the cache is lost to my mind like my freedom is lost to this prison and your council.” He looked up at her hoping his eyes conveyed his hatred towards the council for keeping him here, for denying him his flames, his power. Branding him as a talentless.
“Even if I could get your freedom even though we both know the council will never agree especially after what happened to Kenric. I would never let you out because you would just burn everything to the ground.”
“And what ever gave you that idea?” he asks going back to the frost
“Uh, maybe because you caused the death of a councilor and burned a city.” he shrugged
“Sometimes things need to burn to come back better and stronger, like phoenixes, isn't the city much more beautiful now? Plus he was going to die eventually, after all the security there was murder.” He grins into the floor remembering saying the exact same thing at the peace summit to Oralie.
“How can you make jokes about the man you murdered?” Marella yells at him
“Because he ruined my life so I ruined his!” Marella shakes her head
“I would say I couldn't believe you but, this seems in character for you.” and without she walks out of the room
“Running back to your moonlark?” Fintan asks, the only response he got was her flipping him off.
“Would noxflares be enough to convince you to open your cache?” Marella asked in the middle of their ability session.
“Well that came out of left field.”
“That's not an answer.”
“No, it's not.” Fintan takes a breath “Do you have noxflares, better yet do you have my cache or the fake that the Sencen boy foolishly stole?”
“Yes to both your questions.” Marella says.
“Then I would except your deal.” Fintan tells her. After the noxflare was moved in Fintan held out his hand for the cache “I get to choose what memory I show you.”
“That wasn't part of the deal.” Fintan shrugged
“You also didn't say you got to choose which memory I showed you.”
“How do I know that you're not going to burn the cache the minute I give it to you?” She asks
“I guess you should've thought of that, you'll just have to trust me, clocks ticking.”
“What?” Marella asks
“Oh, I didn't tell you? This is a timed offer, fifty seconds left.” Fintan mimcks a ticking clock for about ten seconds when Marella gives him the cache
“Fine, but this better not be a waist of my time.”
“That depends on how much you pay attention.” Fintan tells her before whispering under his breath as he selects the memory “Here we go.”
“Hello Fintan.” Bronte's voice cuts through his sleep,
“What is it with you people and coming to talk when I'm finally asleep?” Fintan grumbles
“You opened your cache.” Fintan yawned
“Why is it your business?”
“Because I am a councilor and those where forbidden secrets, and you where supposed to open it for the council, not your prodigy.” Fintan sat up gathering his hair into a ponytail the motion muscle memory because he had done it so often.
“Why does it matter? She probably showed it to the moonlark and isn't she your regent? Or do you not trust her?” Bronte ran his fingers through his cropped hair, Fintan remembered when they where on the council together and Fintan would help him cut his hair despite the fact that Fintan would tell him that he looked good with curly hair.
“Fintan, are you even listening to me?” Bronte was snapping his fingers in front of Fintan's face, well as close to his face as he could get with the ice wall. “Did you even her what I just said? Sophie Foster, Keefe Sencen, Fitz Vacker, Maruca Chebota, and Marella Redek all went to Elysian with Vespera.” Fintan shrugs, and Bronte's mouth drops open “Do you not care?” Fintan sighs
“Bronte, those children have gotten me arrested multiple times, caused my mind to be broken once, and ensured that I will be stuck in this ice prison for the rest of my life. Plus there smart kids they'll get out of this alive, plus Vespera's with them which means they probably have an alliance I ensure you they will be fine. Relax, sit down do fancy paperwork, you're freaked out over nothing.” He heard Bronte's footsteps fade as he walks out, maybe Fintan will finally be able to get some sleep without people talking to him.