Book of One 04: A Child of Fire Read Online Free PDF Page B

he had found the threshold of how much power was helpful and how much would be harmful. He felt Kasha's power begin to hum in unison with his own and a moment later he tasted it, the sweet cool blue of the poison. He recognized it at once, having tasted it on the tip of his finger when the healers had been trying to wean Lexi from it. This was stronger, more concentrated, almost like a syrup and Aaron wondered how much of the potion the traders had given the lizard girl, but his thoughts were interrupted when he felt its power run through his body and gather behind his eyes. The world shifted to a bluish tint and Aaron felt the elation of the potion, the rejuvenating sensation it gave and he felt its soporific effect begin to cloud his mind.
    "Very good," Kasha said. "Now touch your fire, but only a little, just like you did with the water."
    Aaron reached for the river of fire that burned within him and tried to gather only the smallest amount. It was difficult since the fire wanted to flow within him and it burned so brightly it was nearly blinding to his thoughts, but he pushed it back and allowed only the smallest stream to flow to the surface.
    "Send the fire to the blue of the potion that flows within you," she said and Aaron did as she instructed and he felt the poison begin to burn away. He suddenly felt angry and wanted to let go of his fire and float upon the glowing blue ocean that had infected his mind but he heard Kasha's voice cut through his thoughts. "Do not stop burning the blue."
    Her voice resounded in his mind and he realized she had not spoken aloud. It was similar to his magical conversations with Ariana, though tinted with warmer colors and a powerful sensuality that was far beyond anything he had shared with the princess. He refocused himself on the fire and the blue liquid that now began to burn away as he continued to draw the poison from Kasha's hand. After a short time, Aaron began to feel nauseous and his body started to ache as though he was bruised everywhere, even in his bones, and he began to wonder how much more of the feeling he could take.
    "It is enough," Kasha said, finally. She could tell that Aaron was nearly overcome by the strain and the effects of the poison. "Take no more of the blue, but burn the rest of it that flows within you."
    Aaron did what she told him and he felt almost a sense of longing as he stopped taking the blue liquid that flowed from Lexi through Kasha's hand and into his. He focused on burning the rest of it from his body and his vision began to clear again as the blue tint faded, but he became dizzy and felt his stomach begin to turn. Unable to take it anymore, Aaron rose from the side of the bed and ran over to the corner of the room as the bile rose in his throat. He felt his stomach churn, violently now, and he bent over and vomited on the floor. Thick, black liquid that was almost like tar spewed from his mouth and spattered into a pool on the floor. It tasted sickly sweet upon his tongue and Aaron spit the rest of it out but its cloying scent clung to the insides of his mouth and permeated his nose.
    Disoriented, he began to crawl toward the tray, gasping for water but Tash was already there and she brought a cup to his lips. Aaron took the clean liquid into his mouth, swirled it around then turned to the side and spat it on the floor. The dizziness began to fade and he took the cup from the girl and rinsed his mouth out again.
    "Thank you, Tash," he said and rose to his feet. He saw Kasha sitting at the edge of the bed where Lexi lay with her eyes still closed, but he could tell that she was breathing more peacefully now.
    "She sleeps," she told him. "Much of the poison still flows within her, but we have taken enough of it that her body will deal with what remains. It will not be easy for her until all of it is gone, which will take some time."
    "We can take more," Aaron said, eager to taste the blue once more even though his stomach turned at the though of