"I tried telling him as much, but he wasn't very willing to listen," Ember replies. And he's also terribly stubborn and not that bright, she thinks to herself, but doesn't say anything. The kitchen fire will probably learn it for himself quickly enough.

Something about the way he phrased that rubs her the wrong way, but she doesn't dwell on it. "It's more that I have a certain level of control over metal, so I can make it do what I like. If you know what you're doing, though, I'd be happy for help with some of the more basic work."