Ilia was shaking, but she tightened her grip on Lola's hands, jaw set determinedly. When his head came to rest against hers she found herself pushing back against him, trying to focus on keeping her breath even as the burning spread up from her palms to race through her arms and down into her core.
A soft cry struggled passed her lips. "I--I can't! It hurts!"
Varryn winced, his jaw clenching, but he continued the chant. The spell was almost completed, just a few more seconds...
The fire suddenly raced through every inch of Ilia's skin, lighting her up from the inside, and she screamed.
Then it was gone, as suddenly as it came, and she collapsed forward into Lola, gasping and trembling.
Varryn dropped the smoking bowl, his own hands shaking slightly as he moved forward to place a hand against his daughter's back. "Shh, shh." He stroked her hair and looked up at Lola, searching the younger man's face with concern. "It's alright, it's over..."