Rayne of Fire Read Online Free

staring at the fires. He raised his hand in a
sweeping motion. Water sprouted from the ground and sprinkled down from the
surrounding trees, gradually saturating the flames. Within minutes, only wisps
of smoke and a few glowing embers lingered. A charred path lay ahead of them.
Keegan brought his horse next to hers. “Are you all right?”
    “Aye,” she
answered, dumbfounded. “Where did all that water come from? I thought you only
controlled water, not created it.”
    “That’s
correct. Even though you can’t see it, water is everywhere—deep in the ground,
in the clouds, even trees and fresh wood contain a certain amount of water. I
can summon and manipulate that water, no matter how minute the amount.” His
tone was even, but Rayne could tell he bit back a triumphant smirk.
    She cursed
herself for being so careless with her abilities. Although grateful for his
intervention, part of Rayne hated that Keegan had rescued her. At least she had
cleared a decent route enabling them to travel at a less tedious pace. Rayne
had no idea where they were going, yet she urged her mare a half-body length
ahead of Keegan.
    Without a
word, Keegan picked up his pace until he was ahead of Rayne. She coaxed her
horse into a canter. When he matched her pace, she kicked her mare into a full
tilt run.
    Keegan
matched her speed. “I know where this path ends. Do you?” he called to her.
    Rayne didn’t
care. There was something exhilarating about the race. She leaned forward and
surged into the lead, leaving Keegan in the trail of kicked-up mud. At the
faint sound of her name, a grin spread her lips as she glanced over her
shoulder. She returned her attention forward a moment too late. Rayne yanked
the reins. Her mare stopped, turned, and reared in protest, sending Rayne
soaring. The river broke her fall. She slapped the surface of the waist-deep
water and shrieked in shock and rage.
    Keegan
chuckled. “I tried to warn you.” He dismounted and stretched out his hand.
    “Leave me
alone.” Rayne splashed water at him. The water hovered in midair for a moment
and then plummeted back into the river, never touching him. Furious, she tossed
a flame at his feet, which he easily stomped out with his boot. Getting out of
the river proved difficult as she wrestled against the weight of her saturated
dress.
    Again, Keegan
crouched by the riverbank and extended his hand. “Let me help you.”
    For a second
time, she swallowed a lump of pride and accepted his hand. He pulled her onto
land. She untangled her legs from her dress and scrambled to her feet. “You did
that on purpose!”
    Keegan rolled
his eyes. “I can’t command water to create an entire river. Your own ego landed
you in that river.”
    She stomped
backward and gathered up a portion of her skirt to wring it out. “Can you
command this water away so I’ll be dry?” It wasn’t exactly a polite request.
    Keegan folded
his arms over his brawny chest. “I can .” His tone made it clear that can and will were very different.
    Rayne planted
her hands on her hips. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
    “And what’s
that?” Keegan asked with raised eyebrows.
    “Trying to
show me that fire needs water. Riding for hours so I’d crave a drink, allowing
my fire to burn a path while your water kept it under control. Next, you’ll
probably take me to a village blacksmith, where fire heats metal to mold it,
and water solidifies its shape. I know there are a million examples, but it won’t
work. The problem is that in every instance, water ultimately squelches the
fire. It overtakes and destroys it, never allowing the fire to maintain its
properties.” Rayne plopped onto the ground. “I won’t allow a husband to smother
me.”
    Keegan sat
beside her. “Is that what you think? That I plan to change you into something
you’re not?”
    “Isn’t it? I’ve
heard Aquarian women are dainty and elegant. I’m not like that.”
    Keegan
smiled. “I understand exactly who you