46 #2
In this moment, while our eyes lock and we burn together, there’s only us. The world around us falling away and fading.
“Now guide it,” he orders, startling me out of my stupor.
He’s holding me with both hands now, his fingers gently curled around my ribs, his fingertips just underneath my breasts.
Old gods, I’m going to erupt. Lightning bristles, dancing along my skin and, for a brief second, I’m afraid it will hurt him.
But it doesn’t. It snakes over his arms, twining around his shoulders and neck.
I stare at him in shock and fascination as it keeps sizzling around his head like a crown of silvery light.
“Guide the light inside me and order the lightning over the outside of my skin,” he murmurs. His eyes flit to my lips again. His fingers slide a touch higher at the same time I push back against him once more. He clenches his teeth.
“Melody,” he rasps, but it sounds like a plea.
“What?” I ask breathlessly. My heart is aching. He must feel whatever it is between us too. Or is it just the magic? Just a certain kind of attraction he feels for me but nothing more?
He steps back, only his hands staying on my body, coming to rest on my shoulders again.
He stands before me in a shimmering black, deeply cut linen shirt that reveals far too much of his chiseled chest. His sleeves are rolled back, exposing his strong arms. It presses against his muscular chest in a way that’s distracting, drawing my attention, but I refuse to let myself appreciate it.
“I’m here to train you,” he says, voice rough, eyes still alight with me, as if that was some sort of damn answer. It isn’t.
“That’s what we’re doing, isn’t it?” I challenge, but he doesn’t rise to it.
His eyes flash. “Wield that lightning. Make it flare along the wall of flames around us. Guide it. Command it.”
It still dances over him, and I watch it, unable to grasp it and get it under my control. It’s like an unruly dog that’s not listening, running off and doing what it pleases. At least it’s not biting Riven, and I’m so grateful for that.
“It doesn’t listen to me,” I whisper.
“It does. It will.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I say with frustration, while I try to catch it and wrangle it back under my control. But now I’ve unleashed it, it doesn’t want to go back into the cage I put it in.
“It’s only because you don’t accept it as yours. But it is yours, and with that power you wield, Melody, you’re going to be one of the most powerful fae that walks this world.” He says it with awe in his voice.
I stare at him. “Even more powerful than you?”
To my surprise, a smile tugs at the corners of his lips. Lips I desperately want to feel on mine, but I don’t dare move. “Probably. If you hone it.”
I’m so surprised that he doesn’t sound at all angry about that. Normally, fae are all about power and enforcing ranks and climbing up the food chain.
“That doesn’t bother you?” I ask, searching his eyes, his face.
“I would give you all my power if you asked me to, Melody,” he says, so sternly and honestly that my heart staggers. No hesitation in his voice. What?
“Now, don’t lock it away, Melody. You’ve been locked away by Lyrian. Don’t do the same to your magic. Grasp it, that power, and let it flow. Own it.”
“But I’m weak and fragile. Only a half-fae. Breakable.” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I’ve felt so weak, so often in my life. And when Caryan forced his magic into me…he broke a part of me. The last part I held on to.”
Tears well in my eyes and fall before I can stop them. I shudder as I suddenly remember Caryan’s tongue and how he licked them away.
I avert my eyes, turning my head and letting my hair fall into my face, but Riven gently grabs my chin.
He tilts my head back to his, and his fingers brush away my tears so softly, leaving a trail of heat that sets my whole body alive again.
It reminds me of his magic that’s still locked deep inside me, while my silvery one still runs through him. Twining and curling around his magic.
“Yes, he broke something, Melody. But sometimes we have to break entirely to be forged anew by fire. It’s your decision what you want to become, don’t you see that? You can deny it and hold on to those broken parts forever, or you can decide to become something new and whole.”
I let his words sink in deep while I watch the lightning magic still dancing over Riven, as if to show me that I have no control over it.
But…is it true? Yes. I did lock it away.
I wanted to smother it. Bury it so deep it would never see daylight again.
But it’s mine now, and the way Riven said it, with so much adoration. ...
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to my magic. “I know you tried to save me. I know it’s not your fault that you’re now a part of me.” I say the words mentally and, Abyss, I feel the magic listening. Actually listening.
Riven again steps closer, his hands brushing over my bare arms. “Let it become a part of you, Melody. Allow it to heal and merge all the shattered parts and become something new. Rise like a phoenix from the ashes and prove them, show them how powerful and glorious you can be.”
He’s so close I feel his breath on my lips as he speaks those words. Own it. Become one with it. I accepted my silvery magic but never that lightning.
I swallow hard. “Do you want to become my magic?” I ask carefully, because, suddenly, it seems that this is the right thing to do. Maybe this magic never wanted to be mine either.
I wait, the chains of lightning still dancing over Riven, and I know it likes him. Likes his magic. Then, suddenly, it returns, gently prowling and snaking over my own skin.
“Is that a yes?” I ask carefully, staring as it twines around my hands and arms.
And then it seeps into me.
I gasp as it melts into my bones, but this time, I let it.
I let it seep into every inch of me. I feel Riven’s magic retract as my magic fills me more and more and more.
Winding around my bones and undulating along my skin.
I call my silver light back, too, and this time, the two of them merge and separate in an ever-flowing movement.
Naturally. Two kinds of magic. My two kinds of magic.
Riven still smiles, but this time, pride lies in his face. “Now turn my fire silver.”
I twist away and focus on my silver light.
It answers my call and flows out of me, weaving like tendrils of silver smoke over Riven’s flames.
Behind his wall, I hear the other students gasp, and all at once reality crashes back in with the full, overwhelming force of a tornado.
Riven takes my hand again. “Now let the lightning dance around it too,” he says gently.
I freeze, tensing up. “I’m afraid I’ll kill them.”
“You won’t. Because you’re good, Melody. You’re the purest, kindest person I’ve ever met. And it’s your magic. It hasn’t hurt me. It won’t hurt them either. It’s yours. It’s you.” He turns to me, still holding my hand. “Do you trust me?”
I pause. Trust. I’d trusted Caryan. But Riven…I want to trust him. With all my heart. He vowed to never hurt me. He swore an oath to me so Caryan couldn’t force him to harm me. He’d rather die than lay a hand on me.
Finally, I nod.
He squeezes my hand tightly. “Then let it flow.”
And I do. I let the lightning surge. My lightning.
Let it dance along Riven’s flames and weave around my silver magic.
The wall flickers, then slowly lowers, and all my friends’ faces come into view again.
They stare in awe at the three kinds of magic—shadowfire now burning low on the ground and weaving through the air above.
Finally, when I feel the well in me emptying, I call it back and turn to Riven, only to find his face hewn into the same fascination and adoration as before.
“What is it?” I ask. “It’s just magic. Nothing I did,” I add, because I just can’t understand why everyone is staring as if I’m some walking enigma. “Everyone here can do this.”
Riven frowns, but the look in his eyes stays as he says slowly, “No. Not everyone here can do that, Melody.”
I cross my arms, not sure what he’s saying. “But you can.”
“I’m over two hundred years old and a high elf. It took me a very long time to control my magic, let alone wield it like you do. With thought alone.”
My mouth dries out, and I take a step back from him. “But why let me do this if you thought that I might not be able to control it?” I snap, white fury suddenly blazing through my veins, twin to the lightning in my blood.
A damn smile appears on his face. The bastard is actually smiling at me when I could have mowed down the whole classroom, damn it!
“Because I knew you could do it.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“But I wasn’t wrong,” he counters smugly.
My hand suddenly bristles. I look down at the lightning licking over my fingertips and, with half a thought, will it to sizzle out again.
Then I lift a finger right up into his face. “That was reckless and stupid and dangerous. I could have blown up the whole classroom.” Killed my friends.
He relents when he seems to read my thoughts. “But as I said—you didn’t. And I’d have been there to contain your magic,” he says finally.
“You could have warned me.”
“And then? Look at you—even now, you haven’t turned me to cinders,” he purrs quietly, giving me a look through his lashes that normally makes my knees wobble.
I shake my head in disbelief. “Who says that I won’t change my mind and do it?” I ask.
He gives me a wide grin, then leans in and snaps a strand of my hair, twirling it around his finger. “There she is. I look forward to when you change your mind, my little pup.”
“I’m not your little pup anymore!” I grind out, flashing my teeth.
“No? What are you then?” His eyes glisten with a challenge.
I swear part of me really would like to punch him right now, just to wipe the haughty expression off his face. That this has been yet another game for him makes me see red. Because, somehow, I’ve had enough of being played by him and Caryan and a mean, damn old priestess.
“I’m a woman who will fry your balls if you play me again!”
“Oh, I’m well aware that you’re a woman, believe me,” he says, watching me through his lowered lashes, his voice so quiet only I can hear, although I know he’s long thrown up a silencing shield. “A very beautiful one. And as for the latter—I might even be looking forward to seeing you try.”
What ?
I pull back and snarl at him. “Don’t tempt me. And if you ever ward my room again without asking me for my permission, you’re gonna be in big trouble. Now remove them.”
I spin on my heel and stalk off. If I were a dragon like Aris, I’m sure I’d be fuming right now.
“No, I won’t, my little pup. And since you’ve decided to attend classes after all, Melody—warding might be yet another one you’ll want to visit.
You might even learn how to remove my wards yourself,” Riven calls after me, entirely unapologetic.
Then he adds, far too casually, “But you should do it anyway. You know who’s going to be furious if you don’t pass—or if you fail to earn a proper grade. ”
I spin around, throw out my hand out of sheer reflex, and lightning jumps to life in a ball. I throw it at him with all my force.
Riven smiles lazily as shadowfire envelops it a split second before it can actually singe his groin. The bastard didn’t even have to take his hands out of his pockets.
“Remove those wards!” I spit. “That’s an order.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I only take orders from Caryan.” He gives me a cocky grin.
I explode. “Remove them!”
“Or what? You think I’m gonna let you sleep unguarded—helpless as you are?”
Helpless? Lightning cracks down from above, a streak aiming right for Riven. Hells, I’m no longer afraid to kill anyone. I actually want to hit him.
The streak misses, and he chuckles. Another cracks down, hitting the ground just shy of his right arm.
“You should still work on your aim, darling,” he drawls.
I come for him, summoning ball after ball of lightning in my hands and throwing them at him as I move in his direction. He blocks them all with his damn shadowfire.
A halo of lightning starts to crackle around me, but before I can reach him, black flames douse it, and I feel his magic clamping down on mine, willing it to surrender in my veins.
I stand three steps away from him, my whole body covered in sweat from the strain of fighting him.
“Push me out,” he says, his face cool and haughty again.
I will the lightning up and out, but against his flames, my magic is powerless.
I clench my teeth, fighting with all I have. “Let go!” I snarl, but his magic just tightens around me, starting to weave around my hands and legs, holding me in place so I can’t lunge at him.
“Let me go,” I growl.
“So you can attempt to punch me? I don’t think so,” he drawls, amused. “Now put an end to your little hissy fit and promise to be a good girl, then I might let you go.”
I scowl at him. At his belittling tone. Gods, I’m so done with them. I hunt for my magic inside me, finding that silvery light flowing below Riven’s magic, seemingly unbothered by it, while his magic sinks its teeth deeper and deeper into my lightning.
“Let me go!” I say one last time.
He just leans down, right into my face. “Make me, darling.”
And I erupt in silvery light, casting the whole room in radiant, sparkling energy.
It cuts through Riven’s magic like a honed blade through sisal, chopping off my restrictions.
The light burns his magic away inside me, and it leaves me with a kind of screech only I can hear as it retreats and pulls back into him.
It takes everything I have to shove him out and, once I’m done, my skin stops glowing in silver. The last streams of my light flicker out.
Riven just stands there, his face set as he looks down at me, as if what I did was nothing but a nice little circus trick. But hells would I show him that it depleted me completely.
I straighten my chin and shove my sweaty strands of hair out of my face. “If you restrict me one more time,” I spit at him, “you’re gonna end up tied to a post all night long.”
“What a succulent thought,” he drawls.
But I’m done biting back at him. I’ve burnt through every last bit of my reserves, and now I’m wrung out and spent. If he decides to come at me again, I’ll be truly as helpless as a little pup. Honestly, I’ve had my fair share of humiliation for the day, so I decide to leave.
I’m glad he lets me stroll out with my head raised high, as if this hasn’t bothered me at all. As if the derisive way he looked at me and talked to me hasn’t pierced my insides like hot pokers. But fuck him. Fuck Caryan.
Fuck them both.