“Now, before he shifts,” Jazz demanded.
She was surprised when Trevor stood his ground and said softly, “Go ahead, little Fios—do your worst.”
Frankie hesitated, and Jazz encouraged her. “Hesitation can get you and those you love killed. Never hesitate.”
Frankie put out her hand. The sparks started making their circle over her palm, and she stared intently at those sparks. This time the ball the sparks created was much larger than the one she had shown Jazz.
Trevor grinned and produced a low whistle, obviously impressed. Then he said, “Very well, then, you have a Fae in your sights, Frankie, but he has seen you create your ball of fire. Perhaps you have intrigued the Fae enough to study it for a moment, but only for a moment. Perceiving an unknown threat, this Fae will most definitely shift away. What then do you do? You must know that when he reappears, it will be at your back. Remember that, little Fios.”
Frankie threw the ball, and it headed directly for Trevor. It appeared that he waited for as long as he could, trying to choose the last possible moment an unknown Fae would wait, and then he shifted off.
The ball of fire vanished with him!
When he reappeared, it was attached to his chest. He growled with his discomfort, and then the ball of fire exploded, shooting flame all around him before vanishing.
He stood and looked himself over, putting a hand to his chest, but no burn marks had been left behind. Trevor pulled a face and said, “That was not pleasant.”
Jazz and Frankie went to him and hugged him before Jazz stepped away and said, “Do you feel different?”
“No,” he answered doubtfully, “but then, I haven’t tried to use magic.”
“Go ahead—try,” Jazz encouraged.
He blinked, calling out loud for his Death Weapon. They waited and watched his open hand, but the Death Weapon did not appear.
“What? What is wrong?” Jazz asked.
“I can’t seem to use my magic,” he murmured. “Evidently my ability to use my Fae magic has been suspended.” He then quite suddenly grinned. “But, we must remember, Fae have many abilities beyond their magic.”
“Like what?” Jazz asked curiously.
“Like this,” he said. Taking both her hand and Frankie’s, he shifted them back inside the house.
“Right. Magic gone, shifting ability still present,” Jazz said thoughtfully. “Which means we still cannot outrun a Fae should one choose to follow.”
“Yes, but there may be a difference on how it works on Dark Fae. A Seelie’s resistance is greater than an Unseelie’s.”
“What about an Unseelie prince’s resistance?” Jazz asked.
“Ah, we shall have to wait and see,” Trevor said and turned to Frankie. He and Jazz had been taking turns giving her a couple of hours schooling, picking up where her mother had left off on her lessons.
“Frankie, time for you to finish your writing assignment.”
She pouted and objected, “But I want to stay with you and Miss Jazz.”
“Indeed, and we shall see you in an hour’s time, but for now, I wish to speak to your Miss Jazz privately—adult matters.”
She eyed them for a moment and smiled. “All right, then.” She started off, turned halfway around, eyed them once more with a wider smile, and then skipped off.
* * *
“How long do you think you will be without magic?” Jazz asked him curiously when Frankie had left them alone.
“I was without it a full five minutes. It has, however, returned,” Trevor said as he took Jazz into his arms. “Stay in my arms, Jazmine Decker … this time, stay,” he said softly.
She did, and he continued to chat her up as though they were simply conversing on the sofa. “The effects of Frankie’s fireball lasts five minutes.” He stared hard at her as he bent and kissed her cheek.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.