Chapter 50 Nikolai
Nikolai
Ialmost laugh at the stubborn set of her freckled face—I almost say yes just because I want to—but I pull those reactions back behind my mask.
A faux relationship with Taera would upend all my plans.
Agreeing to this will certainly distract me from my quest and might even get me flunked out of my year.
But I’m not one to shy away from a fantastic challenge…
especially one this tempting. I’ve never found a source so intriguing before.
It’s like fire burns in her veins, ready to scorch anyone who gets in her way.
And she’s dangerously powerful. I’d suspected it, but I was shocked to discover just how powerful when I intercepted the amulets that the leeches filled from her.
Monsters. Just glimpsing the faint burns still marking her skin makes me furious.
I debate whether their punishment was harsh enough.
But Lee is where he belongs; he’ll never touch a source again.
Snapping my attention back to the girl in front of me, I assess her. She’s still asking me to pull off the impossible: get her through exams.
“What makes you think you can convince anyone?” I ask.
She pins me with those dark eyes. “It wouldn’t be real. I’m not going to let a few kisses, or whatever, get in the way of a logical plan.”
Logical plan.
I chuckle. I would love to show her firsthand just how much she underestimates me. “It will take more than a few kisses for a conduit like me to justify working with you.”
Taera folds her arms over her chest. “Pretending to be your girlfriend can’t make my life worse than it already is. You’ve seen how they treat me.”
My voice drops to almost a snarl. “If we do this—if you’re with me like that—nobody will dare touch you.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and I smirk.
“Will you help Omi, too?” she asks, clearing her throat.
I blink. “What?”
“They’re being bullied for being kind to me,” she says with a scowl.
Damn Jezebel.
“Yes.” I don’t know why I’m agreeing. “I’ll help.”
Her eyes light up. “Thanks.”
I frown again. “I’m not sure you’re capable of fooling everyone, though. Your lying could use some work.”
“This isn’t the same,” she says. Whatever she needs to tell herself to justify it.
“You’re going up against illusionists. Brilliant, pathological liars. You’ll have to convince them you’ve gone from hating magicians to falling for one.”
“I can do it,” she mutters.
“You’re telling me you can look into Annie’s eyes and tell her you’re sleeping with me?”
“I have to lie to her, too?” Taera’s brows crease.
“Annie’s an absolute gem.” I chuckle. “And an incurable gossip.”
My source huffs out a breath. “Then I’ll lie. It’s not like our relationship will be real.”
“No, it won’t be,” I repeat, hoping she truly understands that. That I understand, too.
“Are you going to do it, then?” she asks. “Take my magic?”
I frown, taking a seat on the bed and lounging comfortably. She hovers, still standing, making me want to tease her until she sparks. I suppress the urge.
“I’m not going to touch your magic until you’re fully replenished,” I say. Now I know just how strong she is, I suspect she’ll be able to unlock the secrets of the shards.
“Okay.” She nods, shuffling to take a seat on her own sleeping mat rather than joining me on the bed. I watch her movements, but she doesn’t shy away. Her reckless courage makes my lips quirk up.
“You’re also inexperienced,” I murmur.
She reddens. “So?”
“If we’re going to do this,” I say, “I need to know your limits.”
“Limits?” She looks up quizzically. “Of my magic?”
“No.” I smirk. “How far you’re willing to take this relationship of ours.”
She swallows. Twice.
“If you can’t answer, you aren’t ready for this,” I say.
“I can answer,” she says quickly. “We can do… all the usual things?”
I can’t suppress my smile. “And what are these usual things?”
“Holding hands.” Taera’s voice squeaks. “Kissing.”
I smirk. “Open-mouthed?”
She gawks at me, going bright red. “Why would we do that?”
I grin at her. “Because we’re infatuated with each other.”
She nods once, her throat bobbing. “Okay, then.”
“What about touching each other in public?” I ask. “Over your robes? Under?”
“Over,” she yelps. “Over my robes.”
My source is too cute when she’s flustered. I’m thoroughly enjoying this.
“And not anywhere… you know,” she stammers, waving her hand. “Inappropriate.”
I raise my brows innocently. “Your back?”
“That’s fine.”
“Your arms, neck, stomach?”
“Fine,” she mutters.
“Your legs?”
“Not too high,” she says sharply.
“Your ass?”
She glares at me from her mat, looking ready to bite.
I chuckle.
“Warn me before you do anything crazy,” she mutters.
I grin down at her. “Crazy?”
“Or anything at all,” she amends, still delightfully red in the cheeks.
“Don’t worry,” I drawl. “I won’t touch you at all until the weekend. Then we’ll put on a show for everyone.”
“Why?” she asks, slightly breathless.
“I’m waiting until your magic recovers,” I reply. “Remember?”
“Right.” She frowns. “Do you really think we can make it through exams?”
Honestly, I’m not sure. But if anyone can do it, I can.
“Leave that to me.”
“When do we start training?”
“This weekend. This weekend we’ll begin everything.”
Once her magic recovers, we’ll also see if she’s able to decipher the shards.
She nods, carefully hiding any reaction, and a flicker of pride rises. She’s becoming an illusionist after all.
Come the weekend, I’ll find out if she’s actually ready to follow through on her fearless, logical plan. I gaze down at her, already toying with naughty ideas of how to illustrate our relationship. But first we’ll need some grand performance.