The days went by, and no one demanded a plan. The sadness didn't fade off the ship. The winds didn't blow.

The world was stuck.

And with it, so was Kat. She'd thought she could move past this, look inside herself, and accept who she was. Embrace her magic and the twisted fate and return to who she used to be before she'd shot the fire spiral.

Life didn't work that way. Her nights were plagued by bodies and blood, and she often found herself screaming and waking up drenched in cold sweat. No one came to comfort her.

No one trained her. No one spoke to her, except for Leila, unless she started the conversation. They left her alone. They let her heal.

It didn't work. As much as she tried to push herself past her fear, past her pain, she found herself taking refuge more often in the crow's nest. Curled at the bottom of the tub-like structure, she could cry all she wished without Leila encouraging her, without the others giving her sympathetic glances, without Cage acting like she wasn't there.

From her vintage point, she could also stare into the distance for enemy ships. Her dreams were plagued with them. Without wind, they hadn't moved far away enough from Principala. They could still be captured or killed. Every time she remembered the danger, her heart jumped into her throat, beating painfully.

But she did it, kept to herself. She needed to keep them safe.

Dark clouds twisted above their ship as Kat lay in the crow's nest, hugging her knees to her chest. Thunder rumbled, and tendrils of lightning made their way among the lines. She wondered if Cage was doing that, if his mood had also fouled the weather. That would be immense power, and it frightened her.

She'd been laying there for hours, and her body felt numb. However, the static nature of it allowed her to breathe, to act as if nothing truly mattered. Then, her heart skipped a beat. She scurried to her knees and leaned her elbows on the edge of the nest, looking out into the distance. Thick fog surrounded them, so she squinted, expecting to see the shadows of enemy ships or the reddish light that preceded a cannonball.

There was nothing. Just emptiness and silence.

The tension in her muscles eased. It only lasted a second before the sea itself caught fire.

Burn down the world. Burn it down.

Kat yelped and scurried away until her back hid hard wood. The flames in front of her eyes vanished, leaving behind a cold wind. But it had felt so real, just like it had when the flames had engulfed her mirror back home.

Back then, she'd been scared, sure, but she'd felt safe because the fire was just that. Fire, and imaginary one at that. Now, it had a completely different meaning. It could be her doing. The raging voices inside her wanted her to destroy the world.

No, that's impossible. And foolish. I don't have enough power for that.

But even her thought flickered with doubt because she knew it was a lie. She'd proven what she was capable of. And if Leila was to be believed, this was just the beginning.

Leila... How could she be so certain that Kat had to embrace this? Didn't she see the danger? Maybe she didn't, seeing as she had no magic of her own. There was no way to explain the foreign feeling inside her body, the unnatural way in which her pulse twisted to create fire out of nothing.

Why fire? Out of everything she could have wielded, every possible curse she could have bared, why fire?

"Are you okay?"

Kat jumped and looked above her head. Trix rested with his elbows on the edge of the nest, watching her with a concerned air. His green eye was visible this time.

"I guess," she said, but she sounded out of breath.

"I don't think you are." He hopped inside and sat down next to her. "What's going on?"

She stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"You've been hanging out up here for days. That's usually my job. I know that what happened hit us hard, but..." He heaved a sigh. "Life can be a lot worse than losing someone dear."

She was aware, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. Losing someone dear was the worst. She knew it could have been even more dire if their ship had sunk and they'd been captured by Wolfbane's men. But at the same time, Ferdinand could not have died. They could have been successful. Tears filled her eyes.

"Oh, Kat." Trix wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. "With all the love, you have been fairly protected from the wrongs of the world."

"That's... not true," she sniffed. "I was poor and... struggling for sustenance."

"You had your father. You had a roof over your head. You were not abused."

His words silenced her, and she merely continued to sob. She knew he was right. Trix, Jinx, and Jazz seemed to be the kind of people who had become what they were after escaping a fate worse than death. While she'd struggled, she'd at least had her father.

"The first time life really hits you is the hardest. It's then that you get your first taste of true strength."

Yes, like when she'd taken matters into her own hands after Cage had almost killed her, and she'd had to lock him up in the dungeon. The rebellion, the decisions she'd had to make, the orders she'd had to give. That was still going on. Regardless of their mission to save Ferdinand, she was still involved in a rebellion against the king. Cage was still leading it, and everyone was waiting for his return.

But it had been easier then. She hadn't been afraid and guilty. She'd been a proud survivor. The memory made her feel even smaller, so she buried her face in Trix's shoulder. This was different.

He squeezed her against him, rubbing her arm. "This is not going to be easy, but if there's one thing we've all learned, it's that wallowing in self-pity won't do. It fixes nothing. You need to train."

"Did you see what I did to that ship? Who'd want to be on the receiving end of that?"

"Don't underestimate us, Kat. We're not inanimate objects." He grinned at her and pulled back. "The only way to stop being scared is to master that which scares you."

He made a very good point. That was how she'd gotten over her fear of the beast. By defeating it using its own weapons.

Except it was a lie.

Kat pulled away, hugging her knees to her chest. Ever since they'd returned from Principala, she'd gone back to wearing dresses instead of trousers, and her skirt felt like a comforting cover. Just like it used to be when she was innocent and cold. It was something small, but it made her feel more like the old Kat. The one who appeared to be much braver than this one.

She'd been through so much. Trix was right. She should have faced her fears and overcome them. But the truth was, she hadn't. She was still afraid of the beast, and seeing it again made it almost impossible to glance at Cage.

Trix sighed and got to his feet. "Look, you can't keep doing this."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Exactly. Trust me, it was brutal for me, too, but wallowing in self-pity won't solve anything."

"I'm not... You don't understand!"

"Don't I?" He lifted his eye patch and glared at her with both eyes. "You always have this thing where you feel misunderstood. You're a human being, Kat. You're not that complicated or unpredictable. What you're doing now is hiding from your grief."

Heat crept up to her cheeks. "Just leave me alone, Trix."

He shook his head. "Both you and Cage need to figure out how to handle this. Until then, get out of my crow's nest."

The thought of going down and facing everyone made her shudder. "Look, I understand, and you make a good point, but can't I stay here a little longer?"

"No. I'm done enabling any of you. I hid the rum, and now I'm throwing you out of here."

Kat was tempted to ask if Cage was sober now, but staying where she felt safe was more important. "Please, Trix."

"How many times do you want me to tell you no?"

She joined her hands together in prayer. "Please. It would mean so much to me."

"Kat, get down here."

Jinx's voice rang from down on the deck, making Kat's skin crawl. She no longer sounded meek or worried, her voice filled with the bossy tone which had always rubbed Kat the wrong way.

"Can't I pretend I'm not here?" she whispered to Trix.

He didn't accept her plan to avoid something unpleasant because he leaned over the edge of the nest. "I'll get her down for you."

"She should get herself down. What is she even looking to achieve up there?"

"Maybe I want to learn to navigate," Kat mumbled.

"You're hiding, Kat. Come on, down you go."

"I don't want to, and you can't make me."

The moments the words were out, she instantly regretted them. Trix quirked an eyebrow, then grabbed the chord around her waist and lifted her off the floor with too much ease. The chord dug painfully into her stomach, but before she could wriggle her fingers under it and loosen the pressure, Trix moved her out of the crow's nest and let her drop.

With a scream, she waved her arms and caught on to the ropes keeping the sails in place. Her palms burned from the friction, and she sucked air through her teeth.

"Get your ass down here, Princess," Jinx called, as if it was perfectly natural to toss people from incredible heights.

Kat gritted her teeth, fighting to secure her position. Once her feet found support on the beam of the top sail, she knew it was useless. Trix wouldn't let her go back, and Jinx awaited at the bottom.

Just show them who they're dealing with.

She shook her head, trying to push the voice back. No, she couldn't. Her heart started hammering inside her chest.

"Any day now!" Jinx yelled from below.

Why was it back? Why was the voice back now when she felt so fragile and ready to break?

Because you need the strength. You are strong. I am strong.

"Kat, I truly don't have all day."

Jinx's voice felt like nails digging into her skull. Gritting her teeth, Kat made her way down to the deck. The other woman was alone there, her hands propped on her hips, looking annoyed if anything.

"We've wasted enough time for your pity party."

"My pity party?" Kat spat out. "Harrison died!" I might have killed him. "Ferdinand died! Do you know what that means for Iride?"

Jinx gave the slightest flinch at the mention of Harrison. "Believe it or not, I'm well-aware of what happened. But we will reach Iride soon, and you can't set foot on land being a barrel of uncontained magic."

Kat scoffed. "There's no wind. We've barely moved in days. There are higher chances of Wolfbane's ships catching up with us."

"Then what would you like to do? Stare while the rest of us do the fighting? Cower in a corner scared because you refuse to learn how to control your power? Hide behind Cage again?" Jinx's tone was vicious, and it made Kat tense.

Of course she didn't want that. She hated being defenseless. But her magic was too dangerous, and she'd be damned if she hurt anyone else.

"I'll use my sword and bow. I can help in other ways."

Jinx heaved a sigh, and the fight seemed to go out of her. "Look, I can understand that you're afraid, but running away from it won't solve this particular issue."

"I'm not running away!"

Because she really was not. Her life had been one struggle after another, and she'd long learned to deal with it. She'd thought finding Cage would make things different, but it only changed the nature of the struggle. Made it worse because of the stakes and the consequences.

Jinx broadened her stance. "Then prove it."

"I don't want to hurt you," Kat whispered.

The other woman tilted her head, and for a second, something akin to pity shone in her gaze. Kat hated it. She was not pitiful.

"That's what you don't realize. You can't hurt me. That's why I'm the perfect person to train you."

"What makes you think that I can't hurt you? Didn't you see what I did? What if I throw something like that at you?"

Jinx narrowed her eyes. "You seem to forget that you've had your magic for less than a fortnight. I've been honing mine for years. If I say you can't hurt me, you can't. And it's time you got it through that thick and stubborn skull of yours. Suppressing your magic won't make it go away. You have to accept it, and you have to use it in order to be able to control it."

At the sound of her words, Kat could feel sparks igniting under her skin. Yes, the magical vortex inside her agreed. It wanted out. It only made Kat not want to let it have its way. She hugged herself.

"It's too dangerous."

"You're too dangerous!" Jinx stomped her foot, looking more annoyed than Kat had ever seen her. "I've seen who you really are. There's real power behind this frivolous good persona you're trying to portrayal. Stop hiding that part!"

"Frivolous?" The magic under Kat's skin started burning even more, beginning to come out and prove Jinx wrong.

She shrugged. "Call it what you like. Frail, a wounded bird act, weak."

"How dare you?" Kat was not weak or frail, and it definitely wasn't an act.

"Prove me wrong, then. Step away from your mask. Let the real you shine through."

You need to step out of your cage.

Show them your power, who you really are.

I'm better than this.

Step away from the mask.

The voices swirled inside Kat's mind with dizzying speed, all of them egging on the magic. Leila, Jinx, Cage, herself. The creepy, murderous voices, which were her own.

They all wanted the same thing.

You won't know who you really are until you accept yourself. Your magic included.

What was she afraid of when there was so much power inside her?

Kat raided her hands, and they caught fire. Jinx widened her posture again and lit her own hands.

"Let's see you, Princess. With control."

Her words were barely out before Kat launched the fire at her. It was much lighter than what she'd directed at the enemy ship, easier to control. Jinx sent her own flames towards her, and the conflagration point lingered somewhere in the middle of the space between them.

"Okay, that's good," Jinx said. "Now up the intensity a little, try to push my flames back."

She truly was trying to teach Kat, so she obeyed and dialed up the intensity the tiniest bit. Jinx seemed pleased because she nodded and pushed back harder.

"Okay, a little more."

Kat complied. It felt so easy, so natural. Why couldn't she have done this when she'd tried to ensure their escape from Wolfbane's lair? Why had she exploded like that, ended it all in disaster?

"Let's try to tone it down now," Jinx said.

Kat's ears buzzed, and the sparks inside her rebelled at Jinx's instructions. "I'm not done, I can go harder."

"I know you can go harder, you broke through a ship, remember?" Jinx said between her teeth. "That's not what we're doing right now."

This wasn't helpful. It was too soon and too easy.

"You said you could take my force, that I couldn't hurt you."

"You can't hurt me."

This presumptuous little peasant girl from a tiny village in the mountains! Does she have any idea who she's dealing with?

No, Jinx didn't. She thought she was fire. She wasn't.

Step out of your cage. Step away from your mask.

I've seen who you really are.

Frivolous. Frail. Wounded bird act.

No, that was not who she was. She was better. Than Jinx and than everyone who tried to keep her down and make her feel inappropriate.

"Watch me," Kat said under her breath.

Then she let it all loose.

The flames didn't become a raging spiral this time. They burst out in a wave of incredible heat. Kat could see the widening of Jinx's eyes a moment before she burst into flames, her hair floating above her as if she had dunked herself in water. She pushed back, sending her own flames forward. It didn't even faze Kat.

"Weak, am I?" she said between her teeth. "Frail?" She increased the force of her flames.

Jinx drew her hands back and let out a cry of pain. The sound drilled into Kat, snapping her out of the magic-induced haze. She was hurting Jinx.

"No!"

She tried to yank her hands back, to pull back the magic, but it was much too strong, keeping her in place, paralyzing her.

"No, I don't want to do this. Jinx!"

But Jinx couldn't help. She fell to her knees, holding her hands in front of her face as if that would protect her.

Your power! You magic! Your legacy!

You're going to burn down the world.

"No!"

Tears slid down Kat's cheeks, instantly drying by the heat of the flames she couldn't control.

Burn down the world.

This is my power, my legacy. To burn down the world.

"No!" The word was a strangled sob as she closed her eyes and looked away.

Then, something happened. She could feel a pair of cold hands on her face, and the madness inside her seemed to clear just enough for her to take control. The moment she did, the voices fizzled and disappeared, together with enough energy to bring her to her knees.

Another yell broke through the dizziness, so close, it pierced her soul. The sound of a falling body, moans, heavy, quick footsteps.

When her vision cleared, she found herself glancing at Trix. He was on the deck, unmoving, his limbs at an odd angle as if he'd collapsed. He wasn't wearing any gloves.

"What the fuck?"

Jazz's voice had her jumping and turning in the other direction. He'd knelt on the deck next to Jinx. She was no longer on fire, and even if she was only partially visible, Kat could see her singed clothes, the blisters on her skin. Weak moans came from her, which proved she was at least still alive.

Her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh no, I'm so sorry."

Jazz raised his black eyes to her, and she'd never seen so much anger in them, so much hatred.

"What happened?" Cage rushed towards them and stopped next to Jazz, his eyes moving from Jinx, to Trix and then resting on her.

"They... They wanted me to train... They..." Her teeth were clattering together, so the words were barely discernable.

Jazz left Jinx's side and, giving her a wide berth, stopped by Trix to check on him. Her heart beat so hard, it seemed moments away from crushing her rib cage.

"I didn't mean...I..."

"I want her off this ship. Now." Jazz said, his voice low.

"Is Trix okay?" Cage asked instead.

"No, he's obviously not." Jazz stood, his posture tense and dangerous.

Cage looked from Trix to Jinx, and then to her. "Kat, what happened?"

He hadn't said her name in days, hadn't addressed her directly. Now it felt like a life-raft being thrown her way. "We were training. We were--"

"I don't give a fuck!" Jazz's scream had her swallowing the little words she still knew how to use. "Off my ship. Now!"

"Be reasonable," Cage said. "We're in the middle of the ocean. We wouldn't make it to shore."

Jazz shook his head. "You don't understand. Not you, Cage. You had nothing to do with this. Her."

"That's impossible. You know we're bound together by magic."

"Unbind yourself."

"Uncurse yourself," Cage snapped back. "If it were that easy, none of us would have magic."

"I didn't..." Kat whimpered.

Jazz turned his narrowed gaze towards her. "I always sensed there was something off about you."

"Jazz..."

"Oh, no, I did."

Cage stepped forward and grasped his shoulder. "Stop it. This is not her fault."

"You see, here's the difference," Jazz said, breaking loose from Cage's hold. "I don't give a shit this time. She hurt Jinx. Trix is an inch away from death."

His words had Kat's bones freezing over.

"You don't know that."

"I'm the captain, and my word is law."

Cage seemed to have no argument for that because he turned to her. "Go to your cabin, sweetheart, and stay there. Don't let anyone in. I'll come to you soon."

In normal circumstances, she would have argued, demanded that she stayed to defend herself. But there was nothing she could say to make this better, so she just nodded and scrambled to her feet, then down the stairs and towards her room.

Once there, she closed the door, hugged herself tightly, and started pacing.

What had she done? She'd burned Jinx, the girl who could set herself on fire, and somehow almost killed Trix. He'd obviously touched her to take some of her mad energy, but instead of borrowing her power, he'd almost died.

This wasn't who she was. It was those damn voices inside her head. They weren't hers. She didn't want to burn down the world. As much as she'd tried to deny it, to bury them, they were real, and ever since her magic had manifested, they could take control.

"No. This isn't my fate," she said. "I will not burn down the world."

She kept repeating it like a mantra. It was the only thing keeping her from going insane.

"This is not who I want to be."

But this is who you are.

Tears slid down her cheeks, hot like the flames not even Trix could put out.

🌟🌟🌟

Well, this took a dramatic turn. And as you may expect, we're coming close to a new climax and to the end of the book. There is still some to go, but things have inevitably went to hell.

What are your thoughts here? What will happen? Can Cage talk some sense into Jazz? And is it safe to keep Kat on the ship? Only the next weeks will be able to tell so stick around for the exciting finale!

Thanks so much for your support and don't forget to vote and comment.