Inkflame by Jenna Vaara (best contemporary novels txt) 📕

Chapter 1


This life isn't easy. You know. Being in a book. It takes away some privileges. I used to be Cydney Aniwell. Now I am Flamefeather. You want to know why? Well, I'll tell you exactly why. Dustfinger. Dustfinger is the reason why I am now Flamefeather.
He put on a fire show at a carnival in my world. He played with fire. He loved fire. Fire seemed to love him. He ate fire. He drank fire. He was a son of fire. He impressed me. It was sort of scary. But, unfortunately I got used to it. The reason why I said unfortunately is because I got the hang of it. Dustfinger taught me many things involving fire.
"Think of fire. Put a face to fire. Be a feather of a flame." Dustfinger would always say.
"How could I give a face to fire?" I'd ask back.
"Give the fire a soul. Sell your soul to fire. Become a child of fire." Dustfinger repeated every time I would ask the question as if the answer would never get old.
Today was the day of testing. He would test me on my fire skills. See how far I could go in training. It truly was amazing what you could do with a simple flame. For example, I could throw fire into the air and watch it dissolve into wet oxygen. Dustfinger could make fire by rubbing his hands together and blowing. Almost as if by magic.
I asked him multiple times if it was all a fake. Or made by special magic. He said it wasn't fake. He also said it was special. But, he didn't answer the question "Is it magic?" I wondered why. He still didn't reply. Nothing soon was going to convince him.
One time, Dustfinger held her hand. And she got burnt. She didn't know why. He was smiling the whole time and blushed when he saw my hand. Like he wasn't surprised. I was definately surprised. At the time, I did know about fire and what we both could do with it. But, that kind of thing never happened before.
"Very rare occasion when I burn someone's hand. It means a certain thing. I will tell you later on in your training. When I believe you are ready, I will tell you. But, for now, you will just have to wait." Dustfinger assured her.
I always felt weird taking orders from Dustfinger. He was only a year older than me. I was fifteen. He was sixteen.
At first, he was strict. He didn't seem too happy or thrilled to be teaching me about fire. Then, after the day I turned fifteen, he always smiled, started being mellow and calm. He was barely ever strict unless danger was involved. Of course, danger for me. He couldn't care less about his safety. He only cared about mine. I thanked him for that. But, I worry about him. He could get in big trouble.
"Hey, Flamegirl! Time for your testing!" Dustfinger called from the training area.
Time to do my very best. I just hope my very best is good enough.

"Good." Dustfinger replied. "So, what did you want to show me?"
Flamefeather looked around and realized she had no idea
where they were.
"First, I'm going to need you to show me a way out of this place."
Flamefeather instructed. "Then, I will show you what I wanted to show
you. Fair?"
Dustfinger rested one leg and leaned against a tree. He
didn't seem to thrilled to see what she was going to show him. Maybe
he is just acting? Maybe.
"Well, there is only two ways out. One way," Dustfinger pointed to one
direction behind the house and wall, "Is there. Now, that is a very hard
way out for people such as you."
Flamefeather almost screamed. What a jerk! What kind of girl
am I? A helpless one?
"Oh yeah? Is that right?" Flamefeather challenged in a snappy tone.
Dustfinger smiled, and had wide eyes.
"Yes, it is right. You have no idea what ways you can use fire. You almost
died trying to jump off a fire-path, you probably couldn't get used to all the
woods, and plants, and wilderness. You're a city snail." Dustfinger was
cracking a small smile.
What a freak! What a SMILE freak!
"I do know how to use fire! I did not almost die jumping off the fire-path!
It wasn't the fire-path at all! I almost died walking around when I got off of it.
I could definately get used to the forest where you live! What do you mean
by city snail?" Flamefeather wasn't even finished when Dustfinger went right up
to her and kissed her on the lips!
What the heck! I am mad at Dusty, why is he kissing me? Actually why
is he kissing me at all?
"I know all those things. I was just trying to test you! It was part of your test. You
did magnificent!" Dustfinger broke away from her.
"Oh. Well, I guess that solves that problem. What about the part where you kissed
me? Was that a test?" Flamefeather crossed her arms and tapped her foot, waiting
for a reasonable answer.
"Yes, it was part of a test. The test to see of you like me." Dustfinger's cheeks got pink.
Flamefeather was so surprised her jaw was hanging from her face
as if it was only attached by a string.
" I do like you. The question is do I love you. And the answer to that is....." Flamefeather
spun around.
There was three big men. She looked at the wall. It was crumbling.
"Hello, charming Dustfinger. Miss me?" One guy growled.
Dustfinger gulped.
"Dusty, who is....." Flamefeather got attacked from behind.
She felt people tie her feet and hands with hard rope.
"Help! Dustfinger..." Flamefeather couldn't talk anymore. They had put a hanker-chief
over her mouth and tied it.
"Flamefeather! Hold on!" Dustfinger ran over to her.
The same guy who greeted him rudely, whipped a fire whip and hit Dustfinger
on the shoulder.
Dustfinger fell to the ground and winced. That's going to hurt.
"Flame!" Dustfinger called to her. "Stay away from Capricorn! Go to the village!"
"No, I can't leave you here Dusty! Your my best friend!" Flamefeather burned the hanker-chief
on her mouth, with a move called fire-breath.
Dustfinger smiled warily.
Dustfinger dragged himself quickly over to her. He burned the rope off her hands and feet.
"Get away you scarred mongrel!" One guy tried to kick Dustfinger in the stomach but Dustfinger
rolled over just in time. Flamefeather could tell he was offended by the rude name the mean
guy just called him. Sure, he had scars and two across his eye. Not on his eye. Just above and below,
lucky not to have damaged his eye. It was awesome looking though.
Flamefeather ran her fingers over Dustfinger's scar around his eye.
"The answer is yes." Flamefeather finally said.
"What?" Dustfinger asked, quietly.
"The answer is yes. I do love you." Flamefeather grabbed his hand and heaved them both off the
ground.
"I love you too." Dustfinger looked straight into her eyes and grinned that small grin he always did.
Okay, its official. I have fallen in love with my best friend.


END OF PART ONE