Sari sighed and shook her head lightly.
"We'll do this tomorrow. Your core's formed, but it'll take time before your body fully syncs with the flow."
She stood up, brushing off her skirt as she turned away.
But just as she did—
Flick!
A sudden warmth sparked in Alaric's palm.
He glanced down, and there it was.
A flicker.
A faint glow.
Then it brightened, and intensified.
And then—
Boom!
Sari instinctively took a step back.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Huff!"
Alaric exhaled, a small wisp of smoke puffing out of his mouth.
His hair was disheveled, bits of soot clinging to the ends, and his face had a faint ashen smear like he'd just crawled out of a chimney.
He blinked a few times, eyes adjusting after the sudden little explosion, then glanced toward her.
Sari pinched the bridge of her nose and gave a small shake of her head, a subtle smirk curved the corner of her lips.
"I told you not to force it," she muttered dryly.
