Jessen's eyes widened at the burning cottage, stepping back as the flames caught on the thatch and the roof ignited.

"Is everyone out?" From behind him, he heard Pat approach out of breath. Jess didn't look back, mesmerized by the blazing dance of fire and smoke, unable to move or speak.

Pat's hand landed hard on his shoulder shaking him from his stupor and he looked up at the older boy. "Is everyone out?" Pat repeated, eyes wild.

Jess shook his head, "I- I don't know." His voice was hoarse. Everything felt so faded and distant.

His eyes were pulled back to the house. The fire had consumed almost the entire roof now. Thick smoke billowed from it, stinging his eyes and scraping at his lungs.

He looked down at his hands, black with residue from the spell, and trembling violently.

His chest ached. What had he done?

"I have to go back in," Jessen growled as he started to run toward the blazing house.

Pat caught Jessen in his arms, holding him back. "You can't go in it's too dangerous!"

A scream from the house pushed Jenssen's mind away from him, he reacted without thought. He elbowed Pat in the ribs, leveraging the older boys surprise to break free from Pat's hold. Jessen sprinted toward the immolating house, focusing all of his will on becoming cold. Pat screamed behind him, but he didn't care. This was his mistake, he was going to fix it.

Jessen burst through the open door of the house, vaguely aware of the warm flames lapping at his body. Jessen followed the sounds of his little sister pleading for help as she chocked and gagged on the thick smoke. He found her huddled in a corner with a blanket pulled over her, she seemed relatively un-harmed. Jessen knew the only way to get Sara out of here. He placed all his attention on Sara, imagining her frosty and shivering. suddenly the air inside of the building became seething hot. Jessen cried out in pain as he lifted his little sister, stumbling back toward where he'd come in. All of a sudden Jessen was accosted by the strangest sensation he'd ever felt, as if all the air in the room had been sucked out, along with his breath in a forceful exhale. The fire in the house sputtered and extinguished, filling the room with so much smoke Jessen couldn't see anything around him. He felt his consciousness waned as he slumped to the ground.

Jessen awoke to Pat kneeling over him, Pat's eyes were closed, he seemed to be concentrating. As Jessen stirred Pat opened his eyes---his face flushing with relief.

"y-you're alive," he stammered. "I tried to rouse Sara, but she won't wake. I don't know how to focus healing very well... I can't help her.

Jessen sat up. His head was splitting. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, or where he was. Slowly it came back to him---The spell, the fire, his sister. He stood up, alarm setting in.

"We have to get her to Annabella, she's the only one who can heal Sara," Jessen said.

"I know but---it's a days journey---she'll never make it," Pat whimpered.

"We have to try. Run ahead, call to gamby, you're good with horses, he'll come to you."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll carry her as har as I can, meet me on the way once you find gamby."

Pat looked ambivalent, but he turned and raced away toward the path they always took toward Escalier---where Annabella lives.