212 The Night Circus, Part 2

"Hel no!" I roared. 

In desperation, I stomped my foot hard on the ground, directing my magic into the earth, turning it into a bed of lava that sent an explosion of golden flames and molten ash into the air. 

As the fairy dust burned in the atmosphere—starting a flashfire that spread around our formation like a fiery wall—the harlequins screamed. Some cried in pain, but most were just upset that I'd foiled their plan to drug us. 

"My field amplifies flame magic," I reported. "So, go crazy, Zen!"

"Happy to oblige, Will!" Zen replied. 

The gray-furred yeti raised his sorcerer's staff high and then began a chant to invoke magic that made me wonder if I shouldn't attempt to specialize as a sorcerer myself. 

"The Fire king's spark hidden in dust," Zen chanted, "Unveiled, the mighty flame makes all combust!"