Chapter sixteen

Lyra's POV

“Arghh!“

I hit the tree hard enough to rattle the leaves. Purple sparks exploding around me mid air, my aura flaring instinctively as the bark of the tree scraped my shoulders and the impact jolted straight through my spine.

For a second my ears ringed and my vision whitened.

Then my feet found the ground.

I slid back two steps, boots carving shallow lines into the dirt, and my knees buckled under me as i knelt on the ground, the impact making my teeth grind but I stayed upright managing to quickly get up, panting hard.

I rolled my shoulder despite the sting, straightening my neck. “Is that all?“ I asked with a rough voice.

Across the clearing, Maria nodded once, lips twitching like she was holding back a smile.

Richard crossed his arm assessing me with that alpha stillness of his. After a few seconds he inclined his head, “That's all”

Something inside my chest loosened.

Seven days ago that hit would have flattened me. I would have blacked out with my magic exploding the tress again and feeling weak for days. But now.. It was far better, hurtful yes but even better than before. I was more powerful, stronger.

I grinned before I could stop myself.

Behind us the Lancaster wolves were still training, shifting into their wolf form and running around competing.

Jasper was busy yelling something dramatic as he got knocked flat again.

I walked over to Maria, wiping sweat from my brow, “So...“ I said lightly. “On a scale of embarrassing to survivable—”

“You didn't die” She said, “I'd call that progress”

I snorted, “High praise”

She handed me a water flask and I grabbed it gulping down it's content greedily. I could still feel my magic in my hands at my fingertips, but this time it was more controlled and more... Receptive rather than destructive and stubborn.

I lowered the flask hesitating.

“Maria” I said, quieter.

“Mm?“ She turned to look at me, brows raised.

“There's.. Something weird”

She waited for an explanation and I scratched the back of my neck suddenly feeling self conscious. “My uh... Tampons, the used ones? They keep disappearing”

*Silence*

“W... Wait what?“

“Wait... I mean...“ I wiped my brows, “Like... You know, at first I thought I was just miscalculation, or maybe Richard's estate has some weird eco friendly witch disposal system I didn't know about” I gestured vaguely, “And honestly... My blood is not normal, so I figured maybe it's just... Just taking care of itself? Like magic recycling or something?“

She stared at me before something flickered in her eyes like recognition. Her mouth opened then snapped shut.

“Oh” she said faintly and I raised a brow.

“Oh, what?”

Before she could answer the air changed faintly, and Caspian appeared. He stood in the clearing like the world had made room for him. His posture was loose as he walked, his presence commanding attention and hsi aura was noticeably... Stronger.

I froze, confused...

Was he always like.. That?

I felt my magic reacting strongly, like a pull ony skin, not in fear though, more like, awareness. Like two storms sensing each other from a distance.

He hadn't even been training with us and yet...

I swallowed. “Caspian have you been busy?“

His lip curved faintly as his eyes looked into mine, “Observant”

Maria made a sound between a gag and a growl. She turned to look at Caspian, eyes narrowing, “You didn't”

Caspian met her stare calmly and smiled,

“Oh yes” he said in an unapologetic tone, “I did”

I blinked confused, “Did what”

Maria dragged her hand down her face, “Uh.. Your missing.... Supplies” she said tightly, “They didn't vanish”.

I stared at her, then at him, then back at her.

“.. No”

Caspian shoulders shook slightly.

“You used my—” I stopped, heat flooding my cheeks. “You fucking used my... Tampons”

“Hey, at least I helped you disposed of them, they were saturated with your blood” he said mildly, “And you weren't using them, how can you ask a vampire to see such a powerful meal and not take advantage of that”

“I WAS USING THAT” I snapped.

“Briefly, besides it's better than biting you, not like you'd allow me”

Maria gagged outright, “I can't believe I loved two centuries just to witness this conversations”

My brain struggled to catch up, my cheeks red, “You…why would you... What kind of vampire does that”

“The kind trying not to lose control” he replied evenly.

That sobered me instantly. Maria's gaze sharpened. “You could have told me”

“And risk you burning them?“ he asked, “Very unlikely”

Her eyes twitched.

I crossed my arm, “So. You've been training with... My blood?“

“Yes”

I didn't know whether to scream or cry.

“No wonder your presence feels like to can snap the forest in half”

“Does it bother you?“

I opened my mouth, unable to retort. Did it bother me? Maybe? Maybe not... I didn't know...

“No, it doesn't”

“You're not allowed to do it again”

Maria said.

“Your gag reflex is noted” Caspian said a she turned away walking in amusement.

“I need wine” Maria said

“I need therapy”

Both of us laughed.

“Come on, let's go before we collapse”

“You mean I collapse? Cus I was the one being thrown around”

“Yeah yeah”