Jace couldn’t help it, that buzz-y thrill that used to live just underneath his skin had come back with realization that he had himself a bonafide audience for a trick. Sure, it wasn’t the level of performances that he used to do in the city, before the infection, but it still got him some attention, and if he did it right, awe. It was for reasons like these that he loved parties like this. Even if it brought a couple of the adults down on his head, he was cool with explaining himself.
“Rock on,” he said with a grin, ushering his little entourage over to a big empty spot on the outskirt of the courtyard and showing them precisely where they could stand and still be safe. He was going to blow most of it up, but it had been a while since he’d tried this particular trick, so better safe than sorry.
He dropped the knapsack at his feet, and poured some of the corn starch that he had into his mouth, holding the small makeshift torch he’d put together about a foot and a half from his face, then he tipped his head back and blew the corn starch up towards the flame. The flames plumed up another two or three feet from there; not nearly the largest he’d gotten them, but hell, he could probably guarantee that none of his audience had seen fire-breathing in person before so he was content with the result.
“Well?” he crowed at Nick, a self-satisfied smile on his face. “I dare you to do something cooler than that, doll.” Yeah, he was basking in the awestruck faces of the pre-teens just a little, and he laughed when one kid urged him to do it again. Maybe it was immature to challenge a teenager, but it was out in the air now, and he curious to see if she’d take the bait or relent that the fire-breathing was hard to beat.