Spark

The girls follow Professor Werrin to a noisy dining hall swirling with activity. The room contains obstacles, climbing walls, and ladders. Students and beasts are encouraged to chase each other through the different elements to expend energy. While Jyx is breathless with excitement, Mina is anxious and worries about whether she belongs. When they pass the library, she spies the small man from earlier. At their room, Professor Werrin explains the routines, and Mina notices that everything is fire resistant. There are even rubber pits where the beasts sleep. One entire wall is a window, which doubles as an external entryway for Pixit and Chauda when they grow to full size. Professor Werrin leaves the girls to settle in before the lights are turned out. Mina draws to keep her hands from shaking and eventually falls asleep.

At breakfast, Mina grabs some food and retreats to the quiet of her room. Pixit stays in the dining hall. Later, she treks to the practice field where the landscape is bleak. Jyx and Chauda join them. Their instructor is the small man from the previous night: His name is Professor Dano, and he is a noted historian who requested to work with Mina. They will begin their studies with lectures until their beasts are strong enough to fly with the girls on their backs. Jyx is disappointed, but Mina is secretly thrilled because Professor Dano is quiet and seems similar to her. For the first time, she feels like she belongs at the school.

In class, Dano teaches them about the founding of Alorria. Ravaged by storms, people struggled to grow crops. Then, a man discovered a giant egg. Two years later, the first rain beast emerged and bonded with the man’s daughter. Together, the pair learned to control the rain. Later, Alorria withdrew from the rest of the world—an act called isolationism—to better control the weather within its borders. This marked the start of a perfect national climate. After finishing the story, Professor Dano declares that the weather everywhere is connected. Mina wants to ask what happened to those outside of Alorria but does not.

Three weeks later, Pixit reaches his full size. Jyx celebrates because now that their beasts are grown, they can begin flying. Even though Mina enjoys Professor Dano’s lectures, she, too, is excited. On the practice field, they mount their beasts. However, after they walk in a circle, Dano ends the lesson. While Jyx protests, Mina senses Pixit’s readiness to fly. Dano instructs the girls to come inside. Remembering the letter at home, Mina mentally suggests to Pixit that they show Professor Dano what they are thinking. Sprinting down the practice field, Pixit leaps into the air. Holding tight, Mina marvels at the sound of his wings and the silence of everything else. She sees the school and hills below but feels a pull toward the wild, untamed mountains. Her thoughts, however, have inadvertently led Pixit toward the mountains, and even though they both wish to see what is out there, they turn back toward school.

The landing is rough. Although she will be in trouble for disobeying Dano, Mina is proud of herself for “speaking up.” Jyx marvels at her roommate’s bravery. Dano and the headmistress, though, are irate. When Dano growls that it is Mina’s “responsibility to obey,” she whispers that it is her “responsibility to learn” (103). This silences the man, and when Mina sneaks a glance at him, she sees that he is suppressing a smile. Professor Werrin, however, is not moved by her argument and assigns her an essay about obeying school rules and Alorrian laws.

After Werrin strides away, Dano quietly wonders what could happen if Mina learns to question other things, too. Then, louder, he demands that only she follow him. They proceed to the top of the north tower where Dano unlocks a tiny chamber filled with books: This is his private library. He gives Mina several books and advises her not to remove them from this room. Then, he departs, promising that she can begin flying lessons.

Mina spends the entire day in Professor Dano’s library, poring over journals penned by the original storm guardians. They expressed fear and uncertainty because, even though they tried to improve their environment, they caused problems elsewhere. These accounts move Mina to tears, and she wonders about the world outside of Alorria. However, the lights out bell rings before she can explore any other books.

The next morning, Mina discovers that Professor Dano will no longer be their teacher. Vira, a practicing storm guardian, will now instruct them, with two boys named Zek and Ferro. When Ferro shouts a greeting at Mina because he thinks she is deaf, Jyx stands up for her friend. Zek and Ferro then banter back and forth before the latter apologizes to Mina. Vira redirects them to their lesson: summoning electricity from their beasts. Once they do this, they fly. Mina does not know what to do. The boys spread their fingers, so Jyx and Mina do the same. When sparks fly between the fingers of the other three, Mina begs Pixit to tell her how to do it, but he, too, is lost. Vira insists that this is easy and instinctual. All Mina must do is think like a lightning guardian. However, she cannot summon sparks, and Vira grows impatient. As the others fly off, Mina begs Pixit for help. Despite their efforts, Mina remains unsuccessful and doubts she is meant to be a lightning guardian.

That night, Pixit and Mina lie awake. Despite Mina’s uncertainties, he knows she is a lightning guardian. They try again, unsuccessfully, to transfer sparks. The next morning, while the group flies, Mina fails again. Battling her doubts, she remembers the letter: “A true heart is never a mistake” (121). Mina and Pixit know they are meant to be together but acknowledge that Mina is different. Vowing to find another way to succeed, they fly to the others. Ecstatic, Jyx assumes that Mina can spark. Mina does not correct her friend. Then, Vira explains how they will train with a lightning relay: Jyx and Mina must draw sparks from their beasts and hurl them to their lightning rod for points; Zek and Ferro must score on a different lightning rod. Before Mina can say a word, Ferro draws sparks and the game begins. When Pixit panics, Mina reminds him that they will find a different way.

After Zek and Ferro score, Mina and Jyx confer. Mina suggests that instead of guarding the boys, they shield the opposing rod and catch the bolt when the boys throw it. Because no one does that, Jyx insists instead that they charge Zek from opposing directions to knock the lightning free. When they enact this plan, it works, but Ferro catches the lightning and scores. Jyx is excited, though, and declares that they try again. Mina ignores her friend and directs Pixit to wrap his body around the opposing rod so he can absorb the lightning. When Ferro launches the ball at him, Pixit swallows it. Everyone is stunned. Jyx apologizes for not listening to Mina.