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"The bigger you go for in the beginning, the more it'll take out of you, yes." Jeremiah watched as Zac made another light appear.

"The more you practice the more you're able to do. You've got to work with the magic." His fingers rubbed together, fire sparking along the tips of them and forming into a ball. It was not at all warm, instead a cold fire, but that was something he was already aware of.

His hand waved in the air and the fire disappeared. "You'll get the hang of it, I'm sure."

"We can come whenever you'd like to practice. I'll help." Jeremiah meant it, mostly because some part of him would worry otherwise but it was not like Zac could not come on his own.

He blinked a moment at the question, blue-green eyes glowing faintly here without him realizing it. The pause was telling before he sighed and replied. "I can make fire that burns but it's cold. In fact, most of what I do has some sort of chill to it."

Jeremiah tilted his head slightly, if only because Zac's expression was slightly different. Concern was obvious, but the fascination-

"Is there something?" he asked and then, let out a breath, a soft sigh. "Not here, no. It's not something I've been able to do. Even if I make a shield, a barrier, there's a cold wind with it."

"They were?" Jeremiah blinked, not quite expecting to hear that. He knew about the shine but that they glowed? That was-

It was unexpected.

"I don't worry about it so much anymore." A hand was raked through his hair and then rubbing the side of his neck. "Not the cold, at least, as Alg helps keep it away and the pain-" Jeremiah shrugged. "It's a part of me for the time being, unless something else happens."

He reached out and grabbed a hold of Zac, pulling him in for a real hug. "... and it's not like I need thanks or appreciation for any of this, Zac."

Jeremiah snorted at the mention of fox fire. "Not sure if that's an intentional pun or not but good to know all the same."

He kept Zac in a hug for a bit longer. "No, I suppose not. Though there's nothing stopping someone from figuring it out on their own or speaking with Heliodora." A brief pause. "Pax as well but it teaches herbalism." Which he only knew a little of because of Autumn.

"I imagine that someone figuring it out on their own would lead that way. Especially if they go big instead of starting out small." Jeremiah shook his head. "The only reason that my first magic was so overwhelming," the water that had flooded Heliodora's demesne, "was because Sunny lifted me up."

Then his lips were twitching into an amused smirk, shaking his head ever so slightly. "Zac, that isn't a nickname that either one of us uses for each other." Though a certain redhead was referred to as little fox but that was neither here nor there.

"However a popular term for people with hair like mine is silver fox." His eyes glinted with mirth. Leaving out that there was also a certain level of attractiveness involved. Eve came to mind as well.

"A literal and figurative silver fox?" Jeremiah was too amused really with the way his eyes were crinkling at the edges and his lips twitched up towards a smile.

At the mention of Sunny, he shook his head. "I've no idea. After we came back then, my-" He snorted. "I don't think that her doing that is the cause, nor Heliodora. She actually apologized for Pax's actions." There was a release of breath, a soft exhale. "It apologized as well not too long ago but I've not thought to ask if there's something that can be done."

"Hellbine has been taking her books every now and then, I think." Jeremiah shook his head, scratching at the back of it briefly. "She would like any books you can bring her."

Mention of Gaiman books got an amused lip twitch, if only because he had gone on a mission to make sure Zac had several first editions that were signed.

"You are useful, Zac, never doubt that." His fingers squeezed his son's shoulder lightly. "There's a lot we would not know if you hadn't gone looking for it."