Mother Knows Best

Mother Knows Best
Brigid talked at length. She explained that Quinn had a forger’s fire in her. She was capable of creating and manipulating the flame. Once she learns to control it, the fire can be her greatest gift or her deadliest weapon. It all depended on how she wields it. Being fireproof was a benefit of being able to manipulate the flame. Brigid burst into flames before Quinn’s eyes. She stood still like a witch set aflame atop a funeral pyre. When the flames died down, Brigid smiled, laughed and smoothed her robes.

“All you need is control,” she nodded at Quinn. Quinn’s eyes were fixated on her. Amazement made them twinkle brighter.

With a snap of her fingers, Brigid set Quinn on fire. The flames licked at Quinn’s skin but left no burns. Quinn began to panic, patting her arms repeatedly trying to put the fire out. The flames would subside then ignite again. Quinn thought the fire seemed to burn brighter each time she tried to put it out. Her chest began to heave. Her breathing became more rapid. Quickly, she felt light-headed and started to sway on her feet.

Brigid quickly grabbed Quinn around the waist and held her steady. The flames died instantly. She hugged Quinn close until her breathing returned to normal. The room grew quiet. The only noise came from the shushing sounds Brigid was making to calm Quinn.

“My sweet girl,” she whispered as she smoothed Quinn’s hair. “I did not mean to scare you.” A mother’s comforting smile lite up Brigid’s face. “We should start small.”

A small fire flicked at Quinn’s fingertips. Quinn watched it dance from one finger to another and rest in the palm of her hand. She stared at the entrancing light that glimmered and waved in her hand.

Brigid whispered, “Make it grow.”

Quinn stared at the flame and it slowly consumed her hand. The fire curled around her wrist. It rose up to her fingers and bent beautifully until all of Quinn’s hand was consumed by the flame. When Brigid was satisfied that Quinn was no longer terrified of the fire she requested, “Put out the flame and ignited it again.”

Quinn drew a questionable look on her face. Was Brigid not controlling the fire?

“Oh, my child, you are the one controlling the flame.” Brigid answered as if Quinn had asked the question out loud.

“But h-h-how?” Quinn stammered the words out. Her thoughts still engrossed in the fire dancing between her fingers.

“You have the power of pyrokinesis. You can create, control and transform fire.” Brigid swept her hand through the fire Quinn was now concentrating on. “You have other powers, as well. But since you have already discovered this one, I thought you should get comfortable with it first.”

In a hushed tone, Quinn inquires, “Other powers?”

“Yes, my dear. There is so much I have to show you.” Her voice was gentle. “First, put out the flame.”

Quinn turned her attention back to her burning hand. She closed her eyes and willed the flame to die down. When she opened her eyes, the fire had vanished.

“Now, start it again.” Brigid requested.

Quinn closed her eyes again. This time when she opened them, the flame again was twirling around her fingers and flickering at her wrist.

“Make it grow.” Brigid urged.

This time Quinn stared at the fire instead of closing her eyes. She trailed the fire's movement up her arm and giggled as the flames tickled her neck. She smiled as it engulfed her chest and consumed her other arm and hand. Soon her whole torso was engrossed in the flame.

“You are doing wonderful, sweetie.” Brigid beamed with pride as she watched Quinn’s eyes sparkle with her achievement.

Quinn blinked and the fire died. “That was fun.” She laughed. “It’s really cool when you know the fire won’t hurt you.”

“Now, try to set something else on fire.” Brigid glanced around the room looking for something insignificant to burn. Before she could make a suggestion, the large chair in the corner of the room burst into flames.

Brigid looked at Quinn with surprise. “That’s an interesting choice.”

Quinn cackled with satisfaction. “Alroy sat in that chair with that smug look on his face.” She sneered. “I will burn everything he touched to ash.” In seconds, the chair was just smoldering embers on the floor.

“My dear,” Brigid’s eyes lingered over the pile of ash. “I know you are angry, but please do not let the anger control you.” Her words took on a pleading context. “If anger consumes you, your powers will do more harm than good. I don’t want you to regret what you might do.”

“I will never regret anything I do to that monster,” Quinn spat.

“You say that, but I know in your heart, it is not true.” Brigid gives Quinn a sad smile. She then shakes her head and puts on a beaming face. “Besides, let’s concentrate on finding my grandson. I cannot wait to meet the little one.”

“How do I do that?” Quinn questions.

“If you close your eyes, you already know where he is.” Brigid swooped her hand over Quinn’s eyes. “Us mothers just have a sense of these things.”

Quinn held her eyes closed. In her mind, a scene of a winter landscape formed. She saw trees dead and covered in ice. The ground was white under a thick layer of snow. A castle stood in the background. Its walls shimmered. The blue of the bricks reminded Quinn of ice cubes glistening in a glass. Quinn opened her eyes and turned to Brigid.

“I saw a frigid land where everything was dead. There was a castle made of ice there.” Quinn indulged Brigid with the image she saw.

“Damn the Cailleach,” Brigid swore. “She must have taken the baby. She took him back to her corner of the Mag Mell.” Brigid crossed her arms over her chest. “Such a dreadful place for a child. When I get my hands on her.” She shook her fist in the air. Her eyes were suddenly consumed in rage.

“What is a Cailleach?” Quinn took in the dramatic spectacle before her.

“An absolutely wretched thing. The Cailleach is the goddess of winter.” Brigid gathered her composure then sighed. “She is also Alroy’s grandmother. I should have suspected she was involved.”