Chapter 26
Ipanted as I threw myself to the ground to dodge another ball of light that would’ve burned my eyebrows clean off my face.
“I thought you didn’t hate me anymore,” I panted, rolling onto my back to catch my breath.
The sun loomed high above Daegal and me, making my top stick to my sweaty back. I blew a few strands of hair from my face that’d escaped my braid.
“I must’ve forgotten. My apologies,” he smirked, stepping in front of me.
The sight of him, not a bead of sweat on his skin, reignited my willpower.
I got up, without the help of his outstretched hand, and bounced around on the balls of my feet.
He grinned, stepping back to watch me. “Remember what I’ve told you—”
“Yeah, yeah. Enough yapping.” I closed my eyes, willing all the power from my heart. Then I snapped my fingers as I pushed the boiling energy through my veins.
When I opened my eyes, Daegal stood as he did before, his hands shoved carelessly into his pockets. I lifted my arm and huddled the orb in his direction. At the last second, he lifted his hand and deflected it with a lazy sweep. “Not bad,” he said.
I rolled my eyes at him. “You stopped it like I tossed a pinecone at you.”
“A pinecone might’ve actually hurt a little—” he grunted in pain, rubbing the top of his head.
I’d bent down, picked one up, and hurled it at his face. I smiled in triumph. “What did you say?”
He stopped rubbing the sore spot and closed the distance between us with a few long strides.
“Remember what Verena said about respecting your peers. You have to obey all the council members,” he smirked, tilting my head upwards with a fingertip under my chin. “That includes me.”
He smiled sweetly at me, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary on my lips. It was a different smile than the one he had offered me when he’d loathed me. This smile reached his eyes. It had a playfulness to it.
I raised slightly on my toes, lightly brushing my body against his as I grabbed his hand from underneath my chin. “What are your orders then, Councilman Daegal?”
“Master your powers.” He pushed me backward, looking way too satisfied with himself. I had to wipe that smirk off his face.
With a snap fueled mostly by my determination to show off, I had him surrounded by the strongest light I could muster. A circle of light. I did it!
Now, I was the one smirking at him. “Is this when I get my revenge?” I asked, creeping closer to him with newfound confidence.
He rolled his eyes mischievously at me, then conjured a, to my annoyance, much stronger circle around me. We stared at each other, neither of us containing our glee.
“Very good,” he applauded, careful not to raise his arms too high and risk getting burnt.
I gave him the tiniest bow.
The circles around us almost touched. “I think I like having you cornered like this, Dae,” I teased, looking him up and down.
“Is that so, Prue?” His brown eyes shone with amusement. My nickname on his lips. Then he lunged, startling me enough to distract me from channeling my power. He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him, pinning my wrist to his chest.
“What did I tell you about losing focus?” he asked teasingly.
“What did I tell you about distracting me?” I shot back.
His eyes flicked from my eyes to my mouth. “I don’t understand you.”
I cocked my head, waiting for him to say more. It seemed out of place with the lighthearted taunts we’d hurled at each other all morning.
“It was like a part of me begged for your innocence. Begged for you to have a good explanation for working with that monster. And when you did, something inside me erupted.”
“Dae—” I said, suddenly confused by his seriousness.
“I thanked all the Gods and Goddesses when I realized I didn’t have to hate you.”
I felt his heart hammering faster under my touch. His free hand trailed the dip of my waist, then gripped me firmly.
“How is it that you’re the fire igniting all of my strongest emotions?” His head dipped dangerously close to mine, eyes darting to my mouth. “All my anger. All my fears. All my desires.”
His other hand tightened around my wrist as if he didn’t want to let me go.
I curled a fist into his hair, tugging him closer to search his eyes for the sight of hatred I’d grown so used to. I found nothing but the burning desire undoubtedly mirrored in my gaze.
I raised to my toes and pressed my lips to his. My heart skipped a beat, dazzled by my own valor.
I waited for him to push me away. But he didn’t.
His hand left my wrist to cup my face. A gentle thumb ran along my jaw, slightly tilting my head up further towards him.
The tip of his tongue teased my lower lip, asking for permission. I parted my lips slightly, and he deepened the kiss, holding me firmly against him.
His skin was burning hot, but that didn’t stop me from wrapping both my arms around his neck, needing him closer.
He squeezed my waist and pulled away slightly to lean his forehead against mine.
“So… this is what you call a truce?” I asked breathlessly, and he laughed. A genuine, rumbling laugh that sent sparks through my body.
“Is that what this is?” He ran the tip of his nose down my neck. Shivers erupted all over my body as he peppered tiny kisses from my neck to my jawline.
My hands found their way under his shirt, fingertips trailing over his sculpted abdomen. A throaty growl escaped him, traveling up my skin.
Then our mouths collided again, his lips firm and hot against my own.
He nibbled at my lip hard enough to make me gasp. “Perhaps you do still hate me,” I said, earning a low chuckle from him.
“That depends on what you’re planning to do with that smart mouth of yours next.”
The little hut I used to call my own was packed when I entered. I smoothed my hair nervously over my shoulder and found a stray twig tangled in the ends. Tossing it quickly behind me, I closed the door.
Lili and Archie sat in a corner chatting with Elvira, her long pink hair cascading down Archie’s shoulder as she leaned on him.
They hadn’t been awake when I’d left for my session with Dae.
“Morning, sleepyheads,” I said as I sat down beside them, kissing Lili on the cheek and ruffling Archie’s hair. He swatted my hand away and ran his fingers through the strands.
“You were gone bright and early,” he said, reaching out to pull another twig out of my hair. He held it up between us with a questioning, quirking brow.
I snatched the twig from him, stuttering. “Yes, I went to train with Daegal. We’re working on my sun powers every other morning.”
He eyed me suspiciously as Lili giggled beside him. Now, it was my time to lift my eyebrows at them.
“It’s all good, Prue. We saw you two at the bonfire last night,” Archie laughed. I shushed him as his voice easily carried through the entire hut.
“Okay, but could you simmer down?” I hissed, clapping a hand over his grinning mouth. He shrugged, and I removed my hand. “Thanks.”
“Let’s go for a walk,” Lili said, jumping to her feet. I could only imagine the freedom my sister must’ve been feeling here at the base, where I wasn’t pestering her about staying home.
I felt a twinge of guilt at the thought. As it turned out, she did just fine without me there to protect her.
In fact, she’d managed something I never did. She’d found the rebels in Erobred, and she’d traveled across the entire country to be here.
The moment we stepped outside, a soft, warm breeze caressed the bare skin of my neck. My cheeks burned as I was reminded of another touch, hot and passionate, trailing the edge of my jaw with—
“As much as I love being away from the city and the Defenders, nothing beats the fresh air out on the ocean.” Archie’s words cut straight through my thoughts, dampening my heating mood. He wiped his forehead and frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I suppressed a nervous laugh and tried, instead, to focus on what he’d said.
The only time I’d been on a boat wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience. I shrugged. “To each their own, I guess.”
We walked towards the forest, seeking relief from the sun under the shadows of the trees.
I’d told them everything now. I’d even told Elvira most of the truth as well.
“He’s promised to take me sailing,” Elvira whispered happily in my ear before snaking her arm around Archie’s bicep.
“You’ll feel as free as a bird,” he chimed. “No. Freer than a bird.” He pulled her closer as they walked, kissing her cheek.
Elvira had been stuck in Orken for seven years, ever since she was about Lili’s age. If anybody deserved to feel freer than a bird, it was her.
Archie talked us through the pure joy that was sailing. “The wind stroking your hair, the fresh breeze caressing your skin, the—”
“The smell of old fish when you take your boots off at home,” Lili interrupted, speaking in the same dreamy tone as Archie before scrunching her nose up in disgust at the reeking memory.
“Hey, I caught your dinner every day,” he protested, poking Lili in the stomach. “Without me, you’d be nothing but skin and bones.”
“If I have to eat one more grilled fish with salt, I might prefer that,” she said, shrugging.
“Okay, that’s it, young lady,” Archie said, letting go of Elvira to tickle Lili mercilessly. She shrieked and wriggled free. They started chasing each other down the winding path. I laughed, watching them with a sense of pure contentment.
“It’s okay, isn’t it?” Elvira asked, giving me a timid smile that I returned with some confusion.
“What?”
“Me and Archie,” she clarified, blinking her blue eyes rapidly and catching her lower lip between her teeth.
“Oh! Yes, yes, of course, El. Archie and I were never together. He’s my oldest friend.”
Her face lit up with relief. “Good. Prue, I swear I’ve never met anyone that makes me feel like he does.”
“Even with your line of potential suitors in Orken?” I joked, and she gave me her signature eye-roll.
“I’m really happy for you,” I assured, giving her hand a little squeeze as we walked side by side.