Istand under the shelter by the atrium, at the start of the footpath that’s always kept as clear of snow as possible. My eyes are fixed on the other end of the atrium, the part I’m trying to get to without the heavy snow bearing down on me.“Remember,” Felix says, “concentration matters above all. Your powers will go wherever your attention directs it.”I nod and glance up at the sky. The snow is falling as heavily as usual, and a hint of insecurity makes me hesitate. I’ve learned how to fuel my fire, but I have yet to fully master air—though not for lack of trying. For Elaine’s plan to work, I must access my air powers. I must be able to feed air into my flames to spread the fire rapidly.I bite down on my lip and let my eyes fall closed, taking a moment to feel everything around me. The heat of Felix’s body, the wind that moves my air, the small disruptions the snowfall is causing in the natural direction of the wind. I wait for the buzzing in the air to become clearer, and then I take hold of the energy around me, channeling it for my own purposes. I push it up, creating an invisible shelf above me, and I breathe a sigh of relief when it works.I watch as snow collects above me and hold my breath as I take a step forward, willing it to move with me. I exhale in relief when I stay dry, not a single snowflake reaching me.“Keep going,” Felix quietly murmurs, and I nod.Fire never requires this much concentration. It always comes with ease, flowing where I want it to go without any resistance. Air is different. It doesn’t want to be harnessed; it wants to flow freely. When I tried explaining that to Felix, he didn’t seem to understand. In his experience, air is controlled purely by alchemy, and it has no will of its own. It has never been like that for me.noveldramaI take a careful step forward, trembling just slightly. I need to get this right. I can’t let Elaine down. The very least I must do is ensure her plan succeeds.I gasp when a pile of snow falls on top of me, instantly making me ice-cold. I groan loudly, and tip my face up at the sky. “Fates!” I yell, beyond frustrated.Felix chuckles and uses his own powers to flick all the snow off me. I let my fire powers warm me up, and a thin trail of fire envelops me briefly. “Have patience, Arabella. It has only been a few weeks. You cannot learn this overnight.”I shake my head and turn to him. “I must,” I whisper, desperation rendering my voice hoarse.Felix walks up to me and cups my cheek, his thumb brushing over my lips. “Why must you, my love? There is time.”I grab his cloak and slide my hands underneath it, clutching the lapels of his uniform. “The people of Eldiria have waited so long already. I cannot fail them. To some, I might be their last hope. I must try harder. I can’t… I can’t let Elaine down. Isn’t it bad enough that we aren’t trying to break the curse? How could I live with myself if I don’t try my very hardest to adhere to her plan for the atrium?”Felix nods in understanding. “I was wondering what it is that occupied your thoughts this morning. I suppose she told you about Raphael?”I nod and look away, my heart aching. “I’ve been thinking about their story for days now, and I can’t think of a way to bring him back. We must break this curse, Felix.”Felix sighs and leans in, pulling me into his embrace. I rest my head on his chest and inhale shakily, unable to keep my chest from aching. I’m filled with sorrow, and it isn’t even mine to carry.“Beloved,” Felix whispers. “You might well be the most wonderful thing I have ever come across. Your heart… it’s unlike any other.” He presses a kiss on top of my head and tightens his hold on me. “Arabella, my love, it is not your responsibility to break this curse. People might have expectations of you, but you need not meet them. They were imposed on you without your consent, and as such, you may step away from them at will. No one could possibly ask more of you than you already give.”I shake my head and lean back to look into his eyes. “It’s not enough, Felix. Surely you understand? If there’s more we could do, then we must. These are our people. They are our responsibility.”He stares at me, his eyes widening ever so slightly. “Yes, my beloved Empress. They are our people, but are we not giving them all of us already? Tell me honestly, do you think there’s any more we could do?”I shake my head and drop my forehead to his chest. Felix twists his fingers into my hair and sighs. “Raphael was my best friend, Arabella. Perhaps my only friend, bar Elaine. Seeing them together brought me such joy. They gave me hope that perhaps true love does exist. I want nothing more than to have him back, to shake his hand and drink one of the vile drinks he ferments himself. I miss him, Arabella, every single day. But I also know that I’m doing all I can. You are, too. The only thing we can do for them is to keep learning, to keep growing stronger, to keep fighting. That is all we can do, love, and we do it every single day, don’t we?”I nod and swallow hard. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “This has been so much harder on you than it ever could be on me, yet I—”“No,” he cuts in. “There is never any competition between you and me, my love. You have every right to feel what you do, and I adore you all the more for it.”I nod and pull out of his embrace. “If all I can do is try harder, then that is what I will do.”Felix brushes my hair out of my face and nods. “Very well. I will be here every step of the way.”I smile at him and take a step away, letting my eyes close once more. This time, the air comes to me with more ease. It still resists my call, but not quite as much. It’s almost as though it agrees with my intended purposes for it, offering me quiet assistance. I bite down on my lip as I try to keep my snow cover above my head, taking slow steps down the footpath. It stays intact, and I smile to myself in relief as I keep my eyes on the fire at the end of the way. It has been my target all morning, and keeping that burning was far easier than it was to call upon the air around me. I exhale when I reach it and swallow hard. This is the real test… keeping the fire burning and the snow cover above me, while also pushing air into the flames to make it burn bigger.“Please,” I whisper, before inhaling deeply. I exhale and channel the air around me, pushing it into the flames the way I envisioned, and much to my surprise, it works.Felix laughs as the flame grows bigger, and I turn toward him with snow piled high above me, a wide grin on my face. “I did it,” I say, my voice soft, as though speaking too loudly might make it all fall apart.“You did indeed,” Felix says proudly.One step at a time. That is all I can do for now, but I will do it to the best of my abilities. The people of Eldiria deserve that much.