“Why didn’t anyone tell me all the council members were Magicians?” I managed to bite out, trying to control my rapid breathing. “And lift the damn void!”
Alastair appraised me for a moment, completely ignoring my question. I wondered if he was taking in the crazy look I in my eyes and debating whether it was safe for me to have access to my magic again.
I honestly didn’t care what he thought right now as I stared him down, almost daring him to challenge me.
His eyes twinkled as he pulled on his own magic, and the pressure of the void eased off my shoulders.
My mind quickened, allowing me to push my magic out into Raena once more, seeking her injuries. They healed before my eyes. I had never actually looked when I had healed anyone. It was strange watching the bruises fade to green, then yellow and then disappear and see the cuts magically seal up, all scars gone.
My teeth snapped together, the pain excruciating
“So how much did you see?” I began, unsure of where to start. Blake had followed me back to my room where Elanora lay fast asleep in my bedroom.I had checked on her before coming back out into the lounge to see Blake staring at his hands, his expression odd. Of course, he had his wall up, so I was unable to read anything from him. I wondered if he did it on purpose when he was near me.“Do you like him?” he asked suddenly, his eyes darting to my face.Frozen where I stood, unsure of what to say, my mind seemed to go blank. Did I really like him? Or was it a way to forget Deakin, to forget his betrayal and to really live a little before I possibly died? I didn’t know. Every time I was in his presence it was like I was overcome, almost intoxicated by him. Did that mean I liked it?“It’s complicated,” I chose to say, not meeting his gaze. He knew I was avoiding answering the question properly. He always
The next day, I woke with a pounding headache and my insides like jelly as they swirled around.I could barely think straight. Whatever the hell was happening between Alastair, Blake and I, the energy required to sort through that mess was certainly not within my reach.Most of it was so unexpected that a huge part of me was left paralysed. Could I trust either of them, or anyone for that matter, with my heart again after what Deakin had done?Would I even be able to physical with someone without completely breaking down?When Alastair ran his hands down my body, it sure felt like I could, but afterwards, my skin almost felt like I needed a shower to scrub away the horrible feeling left behind.Just the memory of their lips on mine had my face burning, the emotions rolling through my stomach.Eating breakfast was extremely difficult. Something I hardly ever went without, as my stomach was too busy swirling around and making me feel unwell.
“Great job, Kida,” Raena called out as I managed to get a good hit in at Pollis with the Bo in my hand.After my dismal attempt at using a sword, they had decided to give up on the idea and focus on another weapon in the hopes that I could manage to be successful.I ran my hands along the long, wooden staff as Pollis turned, his teeth bared in anger. He didn’t like me beating him. It didn’t help his case that I had so much going on right now, that this was the only way I could deal with it – with weapon in hand. I felt in control while I was training, whereas in every other part of my life, control was slipping very quickly out of my hands.My conversation with Alana had been interesting, and almost insightful. Her words played on repeat in my head for a solid few hours before I had to do something to take my mind off them.Pollis swung his own Bo, trying to take out my feet. But I jumped it easily, bringing my own weapon aro
I glared at Enda, allowing my fury to pulsate in the room. Many of the Council members were sitting right back in their seats, their eyes wide with worry. There were only four people that would meet my gaze – Enda, Blake, Alana and Alastair. It was the first time I had been in the same space with Blake and Alastair together since the incident between them, and the tension was palpable. “When were you going to tell me about the scouts?” I tried to keep my voice calm and level, trying to control the anger that was swirling around in my chest, but it tinged my words, giving them a sharp edge. A flourish of emotions fluttered across my skin, too many for my magic to determine. The Council remained silent. I glared at Alana, who lowered her eyes, her shame shocking me. I had come to her literally only a few hours ago, and she hadn’t bothered to mention it. Being treated with kid gloves was getting old now. As I scanned the members
“Grab your things,” I said softly to Elanora. Her red locks flowed down her shoulders as she gave me an angry look. After I had finally calmed myself down last night, I had told her about the plan. She wasn’t happy, just as I expected, but the decision was my own. “I am responsible for you and your welfare,” I had said to her, all the while she screwed her tiny nose up at me. I just want to stay with you, she had argued. You will keep me safe. After this similar argument, which she had been stubborn about for over an hour, she had finally given in, but not easily. Her condition was that she stayed with me until it all began. I had begrudgingly agreed, but only to get her to accept the plan. I brushed her hair back gently and braided the strands into one long rope so that it resembled my own, just much longer. “Keeping you safe is the only important thing to me right now,” I said softly, trying to coax her from her bad
My nerves were shot already, and the battle hadn’t even begun. I couldn’t remain still. My legs jiggled, or my fingers twitched – anything to keep my mind occupied Tori had informed me through mind-link that there was a huge army, led by a sole horseman, and they were approaching from the west of Callad. I shivered, knowing just who it would be. Tynan. This was something he couldn’t leave to chance. He would want to do it himself to make sure that it wasn’t messed up. Too many mistakes had been made already. I swallowed the panic that was beginning to build in my throat. Under me, Amber shifted nervously. I relayed Tori’s message to the others, who each reacted with differing emotions. Alana’s eyes darkened, her knuckles tightening on the reigns she held in her hands. Alastair had shuffled in the saddle, his emotions so blocked off that I couldn’t reach them even I wanted to. Jax was highly anxious. Part of it came from not knowing Tor
Once Elanora had let loose her power and revealed her identity, everything changed. A thick air of tension blanketed over the battlefield, and desperation tinged everyone’s movements. Now there was more at stake that simply driving off the enemy, for our side, it was protecting the next Earth Magician. For the other side, it was about capturing her, or worse killing her. Out of nowhere, one of Tynan's soldiers launched at me, his sword drawn. My fingers clamoured for one of my blade and he was mere metres from me when I finally managed to throw it with with deadly accuracy. Before I could move to retrieve my blade, a strange weightlessness overcame my body. A sliver of pain began in my head before it spread throughout my body, burning me from the inside out. It wove through every muscle, every fibre of my body, sending the searing pain exploding to the forefront of all my rational thought. The world wavered in front of me, pain smashing again and agai
For the next few days, I clutched at anything I could to continue breathing. The dream that I wished would be a reality, the one tiny sliver of a thought that I could fix this, was so small and out of reach. And none of it was true. The world pivoted and twisted in my grasp as memories wound their way through my dreams, changing them into nightmares. Each morning I woke screaming out her name, tears blurring my eyes and my throat raw and in agony. Every inch of it burned with a fire so excruciatingly painful, I thought it would kill me. And each time I opened my eyes from the continuous nightmares, the new reality of my world would sink in. Tynan had taken Elanora from me. And Alastair had been the one to help him do it. Alana’s smooth voice would pop into my head to update me at least once a day on the search for her and on any important information relating to her disappearance. It kept me informed but allowed me my time to wallow in my own inferior