Chapter 46
My mate.
The hairs sway on the back of my neck. I peer around the statue to see the tall, dark, and handsome male sauntering my way.
I’m jealous that his uniform is all black; he looks far too handsome in it, and you’d hardly know if there was a lick of blood on him.
I suppose if my power was controlling shadows, I’d have black leathers too.
The layers of his soft raven waves framing his chiseled face twirl in the soft breeze, shimmering iridescent shades of violet and indigo.
His arctic-blue eyes will always be striking against his umber skin.
The golden star on his neck glitters brightly in the sunlight, tugging on the shadows that dance along my chest.
A tattooed hand lowers in front of my face.
Pip flashes onto my arm, knowing it’s time to go.
I place my hand in his. White light flares, blinding me.
Celestials, I don’t have the patience to deal with one more thing today. I slowly open my eyes, expecting my hand to be missing, but my skin is humming in his with a soft glow of pastel light. I immediately let go, and it fades away.
“What was that?” I ask, standing up on my own, leery of whatever just happened.
“You’re always full of surprises. It’s your magic, not mine; I was hoping you could tell me, but I can feel you’re just as clueless as I am.” He arches a brow.
I can’t understand how he’s still managing to flirt with me when I could have just ripped his hand apart.
“Whatever it was… didn’t hurt. It was quite the opposite sensation.” His voice is low as he brushes a knuckle against the back of my hand.
“What did it feel like?” I’m not entirely sure we felt the same thing.
“It felt like you, Luxsula.” He smirks, starting to walk towards the southern field. I hurry to catch up to his long strides.
“Are you going to tell me what that word means?”
“Some secrets remain mine to keep,” he hums. I can sense that he only plans to tell me if I accept the bond, but I guess he doesn’t want to say that aloud, to make me feel like he’s holding it over my head.
We walk the rest of the way in silence, and I’m grateful for the quiet. A rare, peaceful happiness we both share.
We make it through the archway to the southern field. The air roars with the raucous sound of beating wings and different creatures growling and snapping at one another. No one is enjoying the close quarters as we prepare for aerial flight maneuvers.
Calais and Scáil tower above the rest of the creatures; the majestic sight of them still steals my breath away.
My mind flooding with the memory of their wings wrapped around us.
I still can’t believe they risked their wings to keep us safe from my own magic.
I’m sure they were not hurt; otherwise, Calais would never let me hear the end of it.
My lips curl into a smile. S?las is with us today, and I won’t have to suffer interrogation from the rest of the Zenith again.
My legs and arms moan with the ache from yesterday. I don’t even want to think about how they’ll feel after today. Yet the thrill of flying quickly blots out the pain; it’s worth every sore muscle.
S?las’ hands work along Scáil’s feathers. There’s such a closeness to their bond, a deep respect and love. I sense he has known him for much longer, the strength of their connection forged well before Celestial Bonding Day.
Iridescent strands tickle my nose, gliding on gusts of my swirling air magic to my mounted position on Calais. Rather than my power being drained from my storm of chaos, it’s stronger. It nips and claws. Growling in the confines of my marrow with a bristling ferocity to be unleashed.
“You’re awfully quiet today,” I jab at Calais.
“Someone asked me to give you space under the ridiculous assumption I might overwhelm you.” She shoots a rainbow side-eyed glare to Scáil. I smile at him, bowing my head in thanks. He kindly returns the gesture as Calais lets out a grunt.
I have the perfect view of Professor Reska taking the dais from this height. Her metallic silver fur shimmers in the sunlight, matching the silver that dusts the powder-blue feathers of her Bladed Coata, Argenta.
“Today, we will warm up with escalating maneuvers, quickly moving into switching formations with other Wings while continuing to mirror my movements. Hopefully, today will be a little more… graceful than yesterday. We will be staying closer to campus due to the attacks that occurred last night. This means you all need to tighten up your transitions.” Professor Reska’s air magic waves through her sparkling fur as she glides on top of Argenta, who’s already taking flight.
Calais’ four massive wings lift, lunging us towards the sky. She may be larger than everyone else, she but flies like she’s as light as a hummingbird. We take our place at the point of the star. My head tips over Calais’ side to see Scáil and S?las flipping and spinning through the air.
“Show off.” I smirk.
“I can’t help but feel free up here.” His happiness entangles my heart into a flutter.
A serrated scream rips from my throat as Calais plummets out of formation to twirl around Scáil. Threading through the clouds in a summersault, mirroring his movements.
“I couldn’t let the males make us look bad.” She huffs.
My lashes flutter shut, magic unfurling, stretching out to be my sight.
I sense the hairs on Kissa’s neck bristling, snarling at us, creating another spectacle in front of everyone, while a stupid smile pinches my cheeks.
I feel free. The worries of the day whipping away as the wind weaves through my hair.
Argenta and Reska tuck tight, diving towards the ground.
Calais and Scáil do the same, spinning around one another.
Our tether floods with their love. A love so profound, it transcends time.
The magic of their mated bond drawing them together by forces stronger than gravity.
They will find one another in any life, in any universe.
I wonder if this was what S?las felt when he realized the bond.
I suppose I can imagine him accepting it without thinking.
The magic of a love that transcends this plane of existence is all-consuming.
My mind flashes with memories, swelling my heart… They found one another flying in the sky.
Our dragons tear through the ground in sync as I gaze over, arctic-blue eyes locking with mine.
The intensity of him presses in on me, makes me shift my weight, yet I can’t look away until we’re taking off back to the sky.
Yet a thought lingers in the background, a constant pecking, needling every happy moment I try to hold on to—why isn’t my acceptance of the bond as effortless as his?
“Time to focus, Nebulight,” Calais warns.
We’ve reached cruising altitude. My eyes drift shut again, power fanning out, lighting up every molecule of energy around me. Calais settles into her assigned position as we ready for maneuvering around formation shifts.
My magic crackles, greedily feasting on the ensuing chaos unfolding around us.
The air rumbles with roars, grumbling growls, and high-pitched squawks.
Scáil shifts with silent grace, disappearing into a cloud of shadows, avoiding the collision path of a tumbling wyvern, Shadowwalking into their new position.
The swirl of S?las’ stomach dips down the bond.
I silently appreciate that Calais doesn’t have that power; I’m not sure I could stomach it.
We practice again and again. Each time becoming more fluid.
Professor Reska’s voice whips on the wind, carried by a gust of magic. “Tomorrow, we will be practicing active mounting and dismounting, so come prepared.”
Then Calais’ claws are digging into the southern field. My legs ache as I slide to the ground, but thanks to today’s shorter lesson, the walk back up the hills to campus is slightly less perilous.
My skin tingles as we enter the magic of the Warded Hollow with the rest of our class for Combat Magic Practice. Professor Layla Emberleaf walks to the center of the space. The only color peeking out of her snow-white Arabellian coloring: unmatching eyes of blue and lavender.
“Today, we have set the Warded Hollow to mimic last night’s attack.
You will be overrun with monsters and hordes of Wuvon.
I will remind you that they are not real and cannot cause actual harm if you fail.
Many of the Ellian Knights did not make it to their flying bonded creatures in time because of the attack.
This will test your teams’ ability to work together on the ground. ”
I swallow, worry over my Chaos Magic tumbling into a boulder in my throat that I struggle to force down. S?las’ ribbons tighten their grasp on my wrists. I’d forgotten they were there, no longer feeling foreign in my mind.
“Just like we practiced, Luxsula,” he hums. His words are grounding, anchored by the prideful smile pinning his lips. Yet it does nothing to mask longing as I search his eyes.
“You need to let me go in order to wield magic at your full strength,” I whisper down our bond. His smile falls beneath the fear flooding him.
“I won’t block you out. I promise,” I admit.
Suddenly, he’s right in front of me, arctic eyes wavering as they peer deep into my soul. My heart skitters into a mess under the intensity of his closeness.
“Promise me?” he whispers, not breaking my gaze.
“I promise,” I breathe.
Shadows storm, blotting out his moonlight gaze as the ribbons uncoil, hesitantly slipping from my wrists and ankles. Rather than feeling free, an ache lingers in their absence.
I leave open the arched window stained with the night’s sky while I raise another layer to my mental shields. His emotions still trickle through, but they’re dampened now.
S?las’ jaw clenches, knuckles white, worry twisting him up, worry I’ll break my promise. Before I can reassure him, darkness falls.
The room shifting as we all go eerily still in wait.