54. Rae
RAE
Pulling the sleek, long-sleeved workout shirt over my head, I stared at myself in the mirror. I’d pulled my long, blond hair into a high ponytail. It looked spunky. The rest of my face? Not so much. I was still a little pale and had dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep.
My gaze dipped to the cut on my finger. I traced it with my thumb. So tiny. Not deep at all. But it had been enough to tilt my world on its axis.
The memory of last night flashed in my mind. Nyx’s lips closing around my finger. Sucking gently. Heat flared between my legs as I gripped the bathroom counter, and my eyes flew open.
What the hell is wrong with me?
A knock sounded on my bedroom door.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Come in,” I called, my voice a little too high. I cleared my throat as Odin gave me a look from his spot on the bath mat. “I thought we had a judgment-free friendship.”
“Hey, Butterfly,” Kian called. “Where are you?”
I stepped out of the bathroom. “Just getting ready.”
His violet gaze swept me from head to toe. “You look like a sexy ninja assassin, and I’m here for it.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped free. And, gods, I needed that. “Maybe dressing the part will help me get there.”
Kian pulled me into his arms and rested his chin atop my head. “You’ll get there. Give yourself a little grace. This is a whole new world.”
It was, but I couldn’t help feeling like time was running out. “Thank you,” I whispered.
He brushed his lips across my temple. “Always. Now, want to tell me why you didn’t finish your breakfast?”
I glanced at the tray sitting on the coffee table, taking in the half-eaten breakfast sandwich. “Nerves.”
The idea of training day two going as poorly as day one had my stomach in knots.
Kian grunted as he released me. “At least drink this energy cocktail. You need fuel.”
He handed me the pink drink, and I chugged it down, hoping I wouldn’t upchuck on anyone later. “Happy?”
Kian grinned as he tapped my ass. “Very.”
“Let’s get this over with,” I grumbled.
Kian took my hand and led me into the hallway, Odin following at my side. “We’re in Nyx’s training facility today instead of outside.”
“Bonus points for not freezing my ass off, I guess. But why do I have a feeling that Nyx’s idea of training could be more like torture?”
Kian let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
I bumped my shoulder into his arm. “I’m glad I have you in all of this.”
He looked down at me, emotion swirling in his intense gaze. “Me, too.”
With another few turns, we made it to a massive gym with countless windows. You could make out the ice trees outside in the low light, but the room itself was brightly lit from some artificial source.
As we stepped inside, I instantly felt like I was in trouble. Everyone else was already there. Rhys and Pax. Nyx and a man I didn’t recognize. Kyrie and Olympia. Izzy and Calloway.
Cal’s gaze dropped to Kian’s and my joined hands, his jaw hardening.
Crap. This was about to be all sorts of awkward.
Kyrie bounded over to me, oblivious to the tension in the air. She gave me a hug and then Odin a rub. “New plan for today.”
I let out a breath as I released Kian’s hand. “Hit me with it.”
“I think we need to work on your physical stamina along with your magic. Your strength should feed your abilities. So I talked with Rhys about a training regimen.”
I couldn’t help the way my jaw went slack. “You talked with Rhys?”
The grumpy Nocturnae in question scowled at me.
It stung that he would talk to my little sister and not me. We were from the same family, so we should hold the same wounds for him. But perhaps the fact that she wasn’t his fated made it easier.
Rhys crossed muscular arms over his chest. “You need to be able to defend yourself. Physically and magically.”
Channeling Kyrie, I jutted out my chin. “Give me your worst.”
Mistakes were made.
Because Rhys’s worst included the treadmill, the stair climber, a jump rope, and weights—over and over and over again.
“Time!” Rhys called.
I jumped off the treadmill, bending over and trying to catch my breath. Kyrie handed me a water bottle, which I chugged a good portion of.
Kian strode forward. “Don’t you think that’s enough? We’re trying to train Rae, not kill her.”
“Someone will kill her if we don’t push her,” Rhys shot back.
I let them fight it out and handed the water bottle back to Kyrie. Maybe their fighting would give me a chance to fully catch my breath. Peeling off my long-sleeved shirt, I tossed it toward the corner.
As I turned back around, I realized my mistake. My marks were on full display—the ones I’d meant to keep covered.
Calloway’s jaw was as hard as granite as he stared at each one.
“Witch boy,” Rhys bit out. “You keep staring at her like that, and I’ll be happy to remove your eyeballs from your skull.”
Calloway’s gaze cut to him as he lifted a hand, energy crackling between his fingers. “You could try.”
A ball of fire gathered in Rhys’s palm. “Want to say that again?”
“Enough!” My voice cracked out like a whip, stronger than anyone here had likely heard it before. “This is hard enough without you two acting like idiots.”
Olympia crossed to my side and patted my hand with hers. “My girl is right. We need positive energy in this space. If you can’t give us that, there’s the door.”
Nyx arched a blond brow. “Giving orders in my home, Olympia?”
“You bet your sweet ass,” she shot back. “Got a problem with that?”
He chuckled. “I find it rather amusing. Just watch your step.”
I couldn’t bring myself to look at the man for longer than a second, and he was certainly keeping his distance from me. Last night had clearly impacted us both.
Olympia turned to Kyrie. “What do you say we switch to the magic portion of today’s events? Not that a good sweat sesh isn’t helpful.”
Kyrie nodded. “Let’s—”
“Isadora should give her a lesson,” Calloway cut in.
The hurt was evident on Kyrie’s face, and I wanted to punch the Prince. Izzy, on the other hand? She preened at the suggestion.
His voice gentled. “It’s just that they learned together as children. Rae’s magic might recognize Izzy’s.”
Izzy lost a little of her shine then.
I bent my head closer to Olympia’s and dropped my voice to a whisper. “Are Cal and Izzy together?”
She snorted. “Izzy wishes.”
Just another reason for my sister to wish I hadn’t returned.
Izzy stepped onto the thick mat at the center of the room and beckoned me forward with her hand. The last place she looked like she belonged was in a gym. She wore a gown stitched in shining thread that made her look like she glowed.
“You don’t need to change?” I asked as I walked forward.
“I don’t need to dress inappropriately”—she glanced at Kyrie—“or like a boy to wield magic.”
“All right, then,” I muttered. This was going to be a barrel of laughs.
Izzy straightened her shoulders as she kicked off her delicate silk shoes. “Can you feel the light coursing through you?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
She scoffed. “That’s what happens when you’re away from Lumaria for too long.”
“You say it like it was my choice.”
Her expression gentled slightly. “Of course it wasn’t. But there are ramifications.”
Izzy began walking me through the same sort of exercises Kyrie had—trying to recognize how light brought life to everything around us, trying to access that pool of energy.
It didn’t work.
The longer we went at it, the more frustrated Izzy became. “You’re not even trying.”
“I am,” I ground out, sweat breaking out across my brow.
“Maybe it’s best that your fateds are taking you away from Luminary leadership. It’s clear you aren’t cut out for it.”
“Izzy,” Kyrie hissed.
“What?” she clipped. “Being untruthful isn’t going to help anything.”
My hands fisted at my sides, frustration and anger building. “Seems like you’d be dancing a jig either way. You clearly can’t wait to step into my shoes.”
Izzy gaped at me. “The last thing I want is to be you. You lie down with beasts. What will that mean for your future? Selling your soul to monsters instead of honoring your lineage? No wonder Father and Mother want to disown you.”
Hurt and fury mixed inside me in equal measure—hurt that most of my family wanted nothing to do with me if I didn’t side with their backward ways and fury that she would judge my fated, especially Kian, whom she’d known all her life. And for what? Status? A crown?
“Don’t talk about them like that,” I growled, my hands clenching so tightly my fingernails bit into my palms.
Izzy let out a huff. “That’s all you care about now, isn’t it? You’re slutting yourself out to monsters, to abominations, and your soul will burn for it.”
The surge hit me so hard and fast that I moved on instinct. It wasn’t a ball of energy this time; it was a wave of pure power, an invisible force field. It hit Izzy like a train, sending her flying into the air.
I gasped, trying to reel it in, but it was too late. She hit the floor with a thud. Calloway was at her side in an instant, asking if she was okay. She groaned as she tried to sit up, clutching her head.
I could’ve killed her. She could’ve hit something or landed wrong, and her neck could’ve snapped. My gaze locked with my sister’s for one frozen moment. There was fear in her gaze. And I didn’t blame her.
That was all it took. Whirling on my heel, I ran for the doors. I hit them full force and didn’t stop. I didn’t know if I could.