"I'll think about it."

Which, honestly, is about what I expected.

It was better than a 'no', though. So I nodded and smiled and left her to her thoughts. My Dryad was snoozing, roots growing from her back and her legs; they were connected to the tree behind her and sinking into the ground below. Her hair had begun to grow out, a multicolored fuzz atop her skull.

I looked out into the forest, moving to the edge of Alva's vision. I doubted she would object if I went further, but I didn't want to test the limits of her trust. I would keep close, and practice here.

I closed my eyes and remembered the events of the day, of the two times power had leaked from me. It had been more frequent than ever before, and had nearly been on purpose. At least one reason seemed clear, to me, it was the first time in months that I'd been well-fed. It was the first time in months that I'd have had the energy to burn.

The second reason I could think of was that there'd been a trigger. And on this day, so long and filled with twists and turns, the trigger had been the same both times.

Rage.

It was a familiar emotion to me, more-so than most young men.

It was easy to call up, to send my thoughts through the past and summon up the indignation.

Green eyes in the crowd, accusing and fearful.

I breathed out, letting my gorge rise.

A blade descending, cleaving, ruining. Blood flying, like precious rubies. Warm spots spattering across my face, dripping down. Orphaned in a heartbeat.

I felt my teeth clench, my jaw cracking.

Silver flashing, tearing through spared flesh. Making my choice pointless, making my words lies. A beautiful face fixed in a cold mask.

The anger was there, ready to burst forth. But anger alone couldn't be enough, else everyone would be magic. I lifted my hand, my lifeforce alight with fury, and remembered the need to destroy. This too was something familiar to me, deeper than instinct. I focused on it and imagined flame, bursting forth like a firework. My vision fuzzed with the strain, and suddenly I found myself on my back.

My face felt sunburnt and my arm felt cold, and a terrible ringing filled my mind. It squealed like a nail on glass, at once dim and deafening, and for a moment there was only pain. An indistinct shout reached me and I **** myself to sit up. My vision was black on the edges, but I could see smoke and some flames before me. I looked at my hand, shaking and pink and puckered, and swallowed a curse.

"--------!" Alva skidded into my view, furious. I could see her mouth moving, but I couldn't hear the words. "--- --- ----? ------?!"

"Shut up a second." I think I said. "Fuck, that hurts."

I screwed my eyes shut, touching my reserves of energy. What was it she had said? That my body wasn't entirely physical, that my wasting nature was part of my mixed blood? I reached out to the energy with my demonic parts, and consumed a part of it. The ringing cut out, and suddenly every sounded almost too clear. My eyes snapped open and Alva stumbled back in surprise, hand going under her cloak. I touched my horns with my newly healed hand, my stomach aching, and **** the demon back down.

After a few minutes I had burned through half my reserves, glad for the Dryad's abundant energies, and once again looked human. I gave a smile as Alva tore into me, calling me reckless and foolish and threatening my life. "Sorry, I made a mistake."

"You don't fucking say." Alva snapped her mouth shut, shaking her head. It was the first time I'd heard her swear, in was almost cute how mortified she looked at it. She reached down and grabbed me by the collar, her marked eye blazing, and shook me. "You're lucky you didn't blow your arm off; you put too much magic into it, and turned all that magic to fire. And you called me reckless."

I was painfully hard, from both our proximity and my recent draining. I tried to ignore that, and gave her a mocking smile. She was right, probably, but I wasn't about to concede the point; There was profit to be had from the conversation, I felt, and that was the reason I'd give.

It wasn't the truth, not fully, but it was true enough. More palatable than the simple admission that I'd rather dig my heels in than kneel. "Well, magic is complicated, you know. Bound to make a few mistakes in learning."

"Give it time. There are proper mages among the Exciser." Her eyebrows drew in, and her eyes grew suspicious. "Let me guess, you're about to spin another web of nonsense. Turn me about and leave me confused, agreeing with the letters of your words while hating the spirit of them."

"Guess we're getting to know each other." I said flippantly, my eyes flickering to her lips.

"Goddess, bless me with patience." She let go of my collar and stood, eyes closed. She opened them a moment later, lingering on the tent in my trousers. "Typical."

"You said you didn't know much about magic. That you only had the one spell." I flashed her a lascivious grin. "Well, beautiful, that only means you know more than me. So teach me the basics, so I don't blow myself to fucking pieces."

"I'll think about it." She rolled her eyes and stalked off, leaving a mutter in her place. ". . .annoying sex demon. . ."

I laid back on the ground, my tattered travel clothes half-destroyed, and fell asleep in the dirt.