"Firestick" by Nelli J. Vanderburg

Rachel's fist was still clutched around the thing in her pocket. It was the magic fire stick Giller had given her. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at it.

'Don't you throw my doll in the fire or you'll be sorry!'

The princess spun around. 'What did you say? How dare you speak to me in that tone of voice! You're just a nobody. I'm a Princess.'

Rachel touched the magic fire stick to a doily on a small round marble table next to her. 'Light for me,' she whispered.

The doily burst into flames. The Princess's face looked surprised. Rachel touched the fire stick to a book on a short marble table. She looked quickly to the Princess's eyes to make sure she was watching, then whispered again, and with a roar it, too, burst into flames. Princess Violet's eyes were wide. Rachel picked up the book by a corner and threw it in the fireplace while the Princess watched her. Rachel spun around, took a step, and put the fire stick against the Princess.

'Give me my doll, or I'll burn you up.'

'You wouldn't dare...'

'Right now! If you don't, I'll set you on fire, and your skin will burn up.'

Princess Violet pushed the doll at her. 'Here. Please, Rachel, don't burn me. I'm afraid of fire.'

Rachel took the doll with her left hand, hugging it to her, still holding the fire stick against the Princess. Rachel was starting to feel sorry for her. Then she thought about how much her face hurt. More than it had ever hurt before.