After a while, Kael said, half to the flame and half to Bruce:
"I am going to learn fire properly. Not just techniques. The theory. Whatever the old soul did with cooking, I want to do with fire. Find what fire really is, in this realm, beyond the throwing of fireballs."
"That's good," Bruce said.
"It will take a long time."
"It will."
"I want to do it anyway."
"Then do it."
Kael nodded to himself. He extinguished the small flame. He lay back on his bed, hands folded across his stomach, and was asleep before Bruce could say anything else.
Bruce did not sleep immediately.
