Ember by Tess Williams

don't want me here, that you haven't wanted me here since the beginning. But that doesn't give you the
right to say whatever you want to me!” I stood up till I was
looking down at him. “And as for Ikovos, he seems plenty happy to
be spending time teaching me!”
    Jaden jumped up and pointed a finger. “I
think I know my best friend a little better than you do!”
    “Is that so? Well, then, maybe you should
take some pointers from him! How about noticing that I'm in a new
place, with a bunch of people I just met, trying something I've
never done before, and possibly offering a little support?! No! Instead you just test me, ignore me, insult me,
then tell me I can't do anything just because I'm a girl!”
    He grabbed my shoulders. “Look! The only
reason I had you meet me here in the first place was to tell you
that I think you can use offensive magic!”
    I opened my mouth to argue until I realized
what he had just said. He just stood there staring at me, inches
away from my face.
    My chest was heaving drastically and my heart
was racing, I could still feel his hands on my shoulders.
    In that instant the door creaked and we both
turned our heads to see it open.
    I didn't get the chance. Jaden practically
knocked me over letting go of my shoulders and widening the space
between us. He adopted a cool face and cleared his throat as the
door opened, when it did all signs of serenity left him. I looked
over and saw why.
    There in the doorway stood Thoran. A look of
utter annoyance backed by determination resided on his face.
    He turned first to Jaden. “Go get the horses
and bring them to the side door.”
    Jaden gave a curt nod then walked out of the
room past Cornelius, who was standing behind Thoran. It must have
been because I yelled, but I felt upset when I saw him go . . .
    Ugh. Focus, Evelyn.
    “And now to you.”
    I turned my attention back to Thoran. The
fight I'd just had with Jaden leading straight into this was all a
bit much for me. I felt like I was in a daze, or maybe I was just
trying to deny the inevitable.
    “I am not going to play games with you,
child. It is time for you to go home. “
    My heart sank. “What am I doing wrong? Why do
I have to leave?”
    Thoran sighed. “This is no place for you. It
should never have been an option.” He spared a glance at Cornelius.
“It was unfair for some to let you think that this was ever a
possibility.”
    I looked down again, then quickly back up to
search Cornelius’s face for support.
    There was nothing but sorrowed
acceptance.
    After all the fighting, all the close calls,
it was over, I was going home.
    *
    Moments later I found myself outside with
Thoran and Cornelius. I guessed we were waiting for Jaden to bring
the horses. The weather was nice, contradicting my own condition.
It was a few hours past midday and the wind was cool.
    I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned
around to see Cornelius.
    “It will be alright, my dear, you will see. I
know that there is a great destiny ahead of you.”
    I glanced back up at him and forced a smile.
“I hope so. . . . Thank you, Cornelius, for everything.” Before
emotion could overtake me, I turned around to face the forest.
    Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jaden
approaching with two horses. The smaller one was from the day
before. The other was different, speckled with grey and silver.
When they were close enough, Thoran hopped onto the latter.
    Part of me didn't know why I was giving in so
easily. Maybe because I didn't think I stood a chance with Thoran.
Maybe after arguing with Jaden I felt that everything was just too
much. . . .
    I walked over to the horse. Jaden offered a
hand up. I took it, flipped onto the saddle, and grabbed the
reigns. Thoran was talking quietly ahead with Cornelius.
    “Well, it looks like you got what you
wanted.” I glanced back at Jaden after I said this, but his face
was expressionless, he wasn't even looking at me.
    I heard Thoran clap his heels and, in that
moment, was