THE tasks grew rapidly harder as time passed, Asmeen progressed in making Alda's scarf, and her arguments with Aven got even worse.

As they were now spending nearly the entire day in that field, she and Aven were getting to know each other rather well. By that, she meant she knew which insults would barely annoy him, and which would really bother him. And he seemed to know the same about her.

Their taunts had become more personal as a consequence, now including dressing sense, hygiene—they both claimed the other smelled, even though obviously they didn't—and much more. Asmeen would've been ashamed of her behavior if it was with any other person, but since it was Aven, who did the same...she couldn't find it in herself to feel sheepish.

It seemed Elyn and Wylla were ashamed on her behalf, though, now that nearly all of the older pairs knew of their bickering. No one would say anything to Dara or Osoric, of course, but they were asked to shut up multiple times. At which point they would simply glare at each other. Until they began bickering again. It was a cycle, really.

Still, they were falling into a consistent rhythm—argue, get scolded, glare, argue, repeat—and Asmeen would never admit it, but some part of her was growing to enjoy it. Aven was rather creative with his insults, so she was growing to be as well.

They were continuing with their pattern one day, making a more difficult potion together. Not that Asmeen could find much fault with his potion-making methods anymore—the insults were more general in nature.

Still, they were making significant progress, and Asmeen could tell that they were, in fact, one of the fastest pairs in the field that day, given that their potion had turned light lavender, which meant it was almost done, in contrast with most of the others', whose were still transparent.

Winds had started blowing quite harshly, whipping Asmeen's hair out of its braid, and she could see dark clouds gathering above.

She exchanged a worried look with Aven instead of returning an insult.

His face, for once, was serious. "We have to hurry. If it starts to rain before this potion turns dark..."

Asmeen pressed her lips together. "It'll be bad. But what can we do? It has to boil, and we can't make it boil any faster."

Aven sent her a dirty look. "I know that. Just—help me shield the fire." The wind had begun blowing their fire, making it flicker. Some others' fires had already gone out. Asmeen could hear the groans.

She crouched down beside Aven, her loosened hair brushing his extended arm, and the two of them tried to block the winds from reaching the fire. Asmeen kneeled, bringing her palms closer. While the fire was warming her hands... "This isn't really working."

Aven scowled. "Not much we can do, is there?"

"Just pointing it out," Asmeen said, her voice strained. She glanced at the front of the field, where the two leaders were studying the sky intently. Surely Dara and Osoric wouldn't blame them now, if something went wrong? They couldn't control the weather.

"Cover your cauldrons!" Dara yelled, as if reading her mind. "And run!"

As soon as she said that, the skies opened.

Asmeen looked at Aven, whose head whipped to her—she clasped his wrist and pulled them both back instantly. They stumbled back. But it wasn't far enough

As soon as the first few drops of rain hit the surface of their uncovered, lavender potion, it exploded.

Asmeen threw herself into Aven instinctively, and she felt his arms come around her as fire burst out from the surface of the potion, burning steam curling around them instantly, a heatwave rushing over them.

Asmeen clutched Aven tighter, his hands digging into her, as the air around them grew hotter and hotter. Her skin was burning.

And then, all of a sudden, they were being pulled away.

Asmeen looked up slowly, still holding on to Aven, to see Dara standing over them, her usually calm face worried.

"Are you two alright?" She asked.

Asmeen was still processing the question when Aven answered. "Yes."

"Stay right there." Dara said before rushing off.

Asmeen looked around. Three other cauldrons had burst, Osoric pulling one pair out of the flames, Dara helping another. The last pair was already sitting on the grass, just like they were.

The rain pouring down was cold, and it soothed her skin. The rain helped extinguish the fires, producing even more steam. Asmeen squinted her eyes. She could see most of the other pairs huddling under the trees at the edge of the forest. She couldn't find her sisters through the heavy sheet of rain.

"Are you alright?" Aven muttered.

Asmeen glanced at him, finally realizing that her hand was still around his. She nodded, letting go. "I think so. You?"

He nodded mutely, staring at the trees.

"Thank you," Asmeen said softly.

Aven finally turned to her, his face only fingertips away. "No, thank you. If you hadn't pulled us away, it could've been much worse."

Asmeen let out a breath, thinking of what could have happened. "I wasn't thinking. I just...moved."

"Well, it's good you did," Aven observed, somewhat shakily.

Asmeen looked up to see Dara approaching them. "Both of you, can you get up?" She offered them a hand, and they pulled themselves up. "Alright, I want you to come to the infirmary with me. Your families will be informed."

Asmeen nodded, looking back at the trees. Apparently Osoric had asked all the other pairs to go home, without exception, so she knew her sisters wouldn't be there. At least they probably wouldn't worry once they were informed.

Dara and Osoric walked the four pairs to the infirmary in silence. Asmeen stuck close to Aven, because she only knew the others vaguely. He stayed right next to her as well, and Asmeen was grateful that their mutual annoyance hadn't extended to this.

They reached the infirmary in still pouring rain, and Asmeen was sure, whatever the consequences of the exploded potion were, she was probably going to get a cold or something because of the rain.

Once they reached the thankfully warm building, Dara and Osoric explained what had happened, and nurses were bustling around them immediately, wrapping them in blankets and leading them to a large room, with comfortable-looking beds lining the walls.

Asmeen was settled on to on. She caught sight of Aven on the one next to her before the curtains around her bed were drawn, and a nurse handed her a towel and a dry, shapeless dress before standing outside.

Asmeen pulled off her soaked clothes eagerly, shivering. The rain was more harmful than the potion, really. She dried off and put on the clothes eagerly. She was still somewhat cold, but the extra warmth was welcome.

"I'm done," she called, sitting on the bed.

The nurse came in again, this time with a cup of tea. She waited until Asmeen was settled in the bed, covers drawn around her like a soft fire. Asmeen could feel herself warming up as she took the tea and held it carefully.

"Can you open the curtains?" She asked.

The nurse did so, giving her another towel to tie up her hair. Asmeen leaned back on the pillow, looking around.

About half of them were done changing, watching the room like her. Asmeen offered them some smiles and then turned to Dara and Osoric, who were talking to a tall woman, wearing a healer's robe.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Aven's curtain open, and she turned to find him similarly attired in a shapeless gown, tucked into his bed with a cup of tea, and she offered him a tentative grin.

He grinned back, raising his cup of tea in a silent toast. She raised hers as well, and they took a long sip in unison.

"Everyone!" Dara said, once all the curtains were open. She pressed her lips together, and Asmeen suddenly realized that neither her nor Osoric had changed, though they both had towels draped around their soaking clothes. "First of all, we would like to apologize for what happened today. We should have been more careful."

Asmeen wanted to say that it wasn't their fault, that they shouldn't apologize, but she didn't. No one else did either.

"Second, you are all excused from training until you are fully healed," Osoric said. "It will not affect your final ranking in any way."

"Do not pretend to be healed when you are not," Dara said sternly. Asmeen could see a few of the trainees look away. "This was an accident, and as such, you will not be eliminated. You will remain equal to all the other trainees in our eyes."

"If that's understood, we'll leave now," Osoric said. "Your families will be informed. Don't worry about them. Stay here until you are fully healed. Lelitë and Bjóll be with you."

With a nod, the two healers left. The room remained in relative silence until the woman they'd been speaking to, the healer, said, "It would be best if you get some rest. You will be served dinner, after which I request you to go to sleep. If anyone has additional complaints, or wounds, or any kind of injury, please tell your nurse."

Asmeen assured her nurse that she was completely fine, but was still slathered with some sort of cream on her neck and arms, which had taken the worst of the heat. One trainee had sprained her ankle while escaping the blast, but aside from that, they were all relatively unharmed.

The nurses left and came back with trays of how stew. Asmeen took hers gratefully, taking a sip immediately. She hadn't realize how hungry she was before smelling it.

No one talked much, except amongst themselves. Asmeen guessed that they were all still shaken by what had happened. She was, herself. Steam had risen from her stew and her heart had jolted. She just hadn't expected something like that to happen in training. She'd probably feel better after a good night's rest.

And, indeed, after they'd finished eating, she could feel sleep creeping on her, emphasized by the stinging of her eyelids. The others, beginning to yawn, seemingly felt the same way.

The nurse took her tray away, and Asmeen lied down fully, pulling the heavy blanket completely over herself, except her head. It was different, to sleep in a bed without Elyn or Wylla, to not have to fight over the blanket or wake up to Wylla's snores in the middle of the night and exchange a tired look with Elyn.

Asmeen couldn't say she'd miss it much, especially just for a night.

She turned onto her side, pulling the towel off her wet hair and handing it to the nurse. She spread her hair on the pillow, away from the rest of her body. When she was done moving around, she caught Aven's eye.

He offered her a smile, and Asmeen grinned at his hair, shooting up in small spikes because it was still wet despite his impressive attempts at drying it. "Goodnight," she whispered.

He mouthed it back, and she closed her eyes. She was warm, she was dry, and she was tired. It was all too easy for her to fall asleep.

I've been waiting to write this part! I've had this scene in my head for a long time and I think it turned out well. What do you think?

See you next chapter!