“You’re not trying hard enough!” Kieran snapped.

“I’m trying as hard as I can!” I yelled, biting back the insult lurking on the tip of my tongue. I was exhausted. Last week, he drilled me on transporting. By the end of the week, I managed to move myself from the bottom of the cove to the top of the cliff. I was impressed; Kieran was not.

This week, he was teaching me weather control. A fluffy, white cloud floated above us. He told me to make it rain. As if I could make that silly thing do anything. I asked Kieran how to do it, and he told me to picture it like a sponge filling with water, then wring the sponge cloud in my mind and watch it rain. Ha! Like anything was ever that easy.

He blew out a breath and stalked over. His face was inches from my own. I could feel the heat radiating off his body. I wanted more than anything to take a step back, but I held my ground. I wouldn’t let him see that he affected me.

“Clear your mind.” He drew out each word between clenched teeth.

“I am. I did.” My tone mimicked his.

He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. I watched him with some level of fascination. Did I really have the ability to make him this frustrated or was this just his normal personality? Temperamental and irritating.

He smiled at me. Too bad it didn’t reach his eyes. They still looked p–ed. “Let’s try again, shall we?” he murmured. “Close your eyes, Meara.”

I did as he said. With my eyes closed, I could feel his breath on my cheek. Couldn’t he back up a pace or two?

“Picture the cloud.”

I saw the small cloud in my head. Not much bigger than a cotton ball, wispy and soft like one, too.

“Can you see it filling?”

I did. I saw the wisps growing heavy with dew, the white turning dark with moisture. The air cooled around me, and a breeze raised my hair off my shoulders.

“Good,” Kieran whispered. “Good.”

The edges of the cloud grew black in my mind, saturated to the point of bursting.

“Now, release it.” Kieran’s voice was a sharp command. I started and saw the cloud puncture like a water balloon. My eyes flew open when the rain drenched my skin.

Kieran beamed at me. “You did it!” His arms circled my waist, and he spun me around. I raised my face to the sky in awe.

I made it rain. I. Made. It. Rain.

Kieran set me down, but he pulled me into a tight hug. “You’re amazing.”

Without thinking, I slid my arms around his waist. My body fit against his easily. I missed this closeness with another person. My fingers brushed against his T-shirt. He rested his cheek on my hair.

My euphoria began to fade, and I stiffened and jumped back. What was I doing? This was Kieran, not Evan.

Kieran dropped his arms to his sides. I crossed mine over my chest. We stared at each other in silence until he cleared his throat. “That was good,” he said. “You caught on faster than I expected.”

“You were yelling at me before,” I grumbled.

He shrugged and picked up his cap where it was laying on a boulder nearby. I tried not to notice how good he looked, even in basketball shorts and a faded T-shirt. “I’m not the most patient of teachers.”

“You can say that again,” I mumbled under my breath.

He turned back and grinned at me. “But I won’t.”

He was so infuriating! I tried to think of a smart reply. Nothing came to mind. I watched as he placed his cap on his head, adjusting it slightly.

“Oh, and Meara?”

“Yes?”

“Part two of your lesson today…” He paused until I motioned for him to go on. “Transport yourself back to Ronac.” He winked and disappeared.

I stared in disbelief. Really? This was the best teacher my dad could come up with?