Magic in His Arms (An Obscure Magic #17)

Chapter One

Krys was standing next to Sable, and she grinned. “They are on their way. Don’t worry. You get to start learning by watching today.”

Vaia walked out wearing leggings and a sports bra. “They are coming up the drive.”

Sable said, “I thought the dancing was fun, and you wore pretty costumes.”

Vaia chuckled. “That’s when we are performing or learning a new costume. Why?”

“It’s just pretty.”

“You will see the pretty costumes tomorrow. Tonight is to check our movements, placement, and how hard it will be for one member of our troupe to give the blessing.”

“Will it be you?”

“No. It is usually someone trained in luck and blessings. That is Jakada. Her father is a woodland elf, and she’s spectacular to look at.”

“Why?”

“Rich brown skin and ebony hair that hangs to her ankles. Her eyes are leafy green.”

“And I have a bad temper and punch people for a living.” A tall female elf with her dark hair up in a long ponytail came in, her green eyes glittering. Jakada put her gym bag down and smiled. “Hello, you are Sable, right?”

Sable extended her hand. “Hello.”

Jakada closed her fingers around the stone and smiled. “You have a lot of life in you for a dead girl.”

Sable grinned. “You feel like I am touching a tree on a warm day in spring.”

“Why, thank you. Flirt.” Jakada grinned.

Krys laughed. The other ladies arrived, and Jakada pulled a speaker out as well as her phone. “Where are we doing this?”

Jakada grinned at Sable. “So, I hear you want to learn this?”

“The stone body is great, but I think learning to dance will help my confidence and balance.”

“It will.” She grabbed a filmy piece of fabric from her bag, wrapped it around her hips, and then put a jingling belt on top of it. A heavy necklace that covered her breasts went over the sports bra. Shoes came off, and she started to move over the grass.

As the other ladies got ready, Krys wrapped her hips in the coin wrap, and Vaia did the same. At the edge of the property, a small gathering of men came together.

As the other ladies got ready, Krys wrapped her hips in the jingling fabric and noticed that the audience had arrived.

Benko had parked a lawn chair, and the other of Neekil’s brothers arrived and took seats.

Azreen and Reynal were seated on chairs near the patio.

Krys blushed a little, but Jakada started up some warm-up music, and the ladies became focused on moving and swaying.

Then the music got sharp, and isolated motions became part of the game.

Krys loved this part as they all whirled and wove together with differences in body size, shape, and grace. They were all women in this moment, and it was extraordinary.

Jakada changed the music to the performance songs, and they all stopped fooling around and got serious.

The magic started under their feet and swarmed up and over their skin, coming out in bright sparks.

When they finished the final graceful meeting and their fingers touched, a star began at their fingertips and flew up to explode, raining tiny glittering bits of magic.

They froze, smiled, and then laughter and hugging with a lot of jingling occurred.

Krys saw Benko standing next to Sable with his hand on her waist. Benko asked, “Krys, you will dance like that tomorrow?”

“Yes. With matching costumes, though. We have something a bit more wedding-appropriate.”

Jakada took her finery off and dropped it in her bag. “So, how many dark elves are there going to be tomorrow? I mean, aside from the four brothers, the groom, and the priest lurking in the bushes?”

Krys looked at the midnight skin filled with moonlight glyphs walking toward them.

Benko jolted. “Elder Hav-sha? I didn’t know you were here.”

Krys stared at a very nicely built elf who was wearing a wrap low on his hips.

Jakada said, “See you tomorrow night, ladies!” She waved and walked out, her ponytail swaying past her knees.

Elder Hav-sha stared after her. “Damn.”

Benko looked at him. “Elder?”

“She was the one I should have treasured, but instead, I followed obligation, and she cut all ties.” The elder sighed. “We should have been together.”

Sable frowned. “Then what happened?”

Krys watched Benko pull her back.

“The elders were asked to help in matters of fertility, and I volunteered because who wouldn’t?” He looked toward where Jakada had gone. “She entered the chamber when I was busy. The woman with me offered to have her join us, but Jakada turned and walked out.”

Sable winced. “Oh, that isn’t good, but she showed restraint.”

Hav-sha frowned. “What?”

“Well, if I guy I had been seeing had time scheduled with me, and he knew I would be coming there, and I found him balls deep in another woman who was very relaxed about sharing before I had even gotten a chance to take my interest for a spin? Oh, yeah. Dead man.”

Hav-sha frowned. “You don’t understand. Benko will want children one day, and your body can’t contain them.”

Benko inhaled in anger.

Sable touched his hand. “Whether he does or not, we will discuss it and come up with a plan. I can also not grow or nurture the children, but there are many idiotic elves out there sowing children with no interest in rearing them. Raising those to be kind and generous would also be a worthy goal. Blood isn’t everything.

My blood was used for spellwork, but my soul and will are what keep me moving now.

So, you were a dick. Stop pining and let her get on with her life.

There is going to be a lot of it, and sharing it with someone who respects her would be better for her. ”

Krys closed her mouth. Sable had lived alone when she lived. Setting her sights on saving others from that fate was burning in her. Benko hugged her and kissed her temple.

Krys nodded. “Elder, this place will not be the resting place of jealousy tomorrow. Either wish everyone at the site hope and love, or send another elder. I will not put up with negativity, and I am sure that if all you offer is contact-based fertility, the ladies here can do better with less angst.”

The stunningly handsome dark elf looked irritated. His marks powered up.

She laughed and said, “Ratchet up one more level, and I will freeze you to the ground, and your people can carry you home, bringing you to that lake of yours to maybe save your life. Try it.”

Her hands glowed with cold energy, and her wings came out.

Neekil called out, “Krys, please don’t freeze him to the turf. It will scar the ground and mar tomorrow’s events.”

Krys looked at the groom, who was wearing his XIA gear. “How did you know?”

“Instinct. He is a self-important ass who thought he could have a woman like Jakada and any others that crossed his path. She told him that it wasn’t the case, and he is no longer allowed to participate in any fertility rituals. He thought he was pretty enough to have all he wanted.”

“Wow. He has all the attraction levels of a fashion doll.”

“Well, thanks to Jakada’s rejection, that is all he’s good for. He has magic but can no longer please any woman anywhere. For my people, it is devastating.”

The elder narrowed his eyes. “You are spilling secrets of our people, Ar-Thuat.”

“No, I was explaining a situation that you brought on yourself. Rai-Tamer and Bwen-Kai will be representing the elders at our wedding tomorrow. Do not be here, or I will let Krys and the goddesses she carries have their way with you.” Neekil looked at him.

Krys glowed and took a step forward. “Move it. You are not welcome here.”

Shadows gripped him and pulled the elder away.

Neekil looked at her. “Did you do that?”

“Nope. The property did. It doesn’t like him.”

Azreen paused, “I didn’t know it could do that.”

Vaia blinked. “Neither did I.”

Neekil looked around. “It had a lot of old powers linked to it. I am less surprised and rather impressed.”

Krys said softly, “The ladies just covered the place in protective magic. We didn’t actually need a rehearsal.”

Vaia chuckled. “Oh, yes, that was the reason. I forgot. Silly me.” She grinned. “The blessing will be a lot stronger tomorrow.”

Benko sighed. “He’s been nothing but trouble since he went after Jakada’s mother.”

Sable whispered, “Her mother? Oh, that is unforgivable.”

“Why? Her mother is an elf.”

Krys explained, “Going after a woman’s mother is telling a woman, you are attractive, but I want someone just like you with more experience. You aren’t good enough.”

Neekil shrugged. “She wasn’t from our gathering, so it wasn’t hugely noticed. Her mother left that day. Elves live a long time. Many in relationships outsource the occasional encounter.”

Krys asked, “Would you?”

“Hell no. The gods led me to Hannah. Literally. This wedding is one and done.” Neekil grinned. “I knew it when I was in her body, and I am sure now that I am at her side, and she’s at mine. The way that woman can crush a gremlin gets me all worked up.”

The folk gathered chuckled, and Krys leaned against Reynal. She looked up at him. “Well, I guess tomorrow we will see if everybody can control themselves around the dark elves.”

Neekil chuckled. “Do you want a charm to give out?”

“Nope. I have some coming.” Krys smiled. “No offense, but you are going to be pumping out pheromones when you see Hannah in her dress. She’s at her family’s tonight?”

Neekil nodded. “They insisted. She is getting her hair and nails done, but they have found someone to do her makeup. That has become trickier due to reasons.”

Reyval asked, “Where did you park the guys?”

“They are heading for Dem-rah’s. I promised to meet them, but I missed the dancing.”

Vaia smiled. “It was just practice, Neekil. Go and keep the city safe.”

Krys got a message and grinned. “Okay, refrigerated load-in is commencing. Anyone who doesn’t want to know how the sausage is made should avert their eyes.”

Azreen asked, “Can we help?”