Chapter 52 Taera
Taera
The weekend arrives before I’m ready. Not that I’ll ever be ready for Nikolai to showcase our relationship in front of the entire Halls.
Two full days have crawled by since we discussed my family. I hold back from asking him again every hour. I still don’t trust he’ll follow through.
But for now, at least, my mind is occupied.
“How can I prepare?” I say, pacing tight circles in his room. I probably look as ridiculous as I feel.
He lounges against his desk with a self-satisfied smile. “You want to practice kissing me?”
“No!”
“Good, because you’re supposed to be resting your magic, not getting worked up.”
“I thought my magic was done resting,” I retort. My head doesn’t hurt anymore, and my limbs are no longer sluggish. If anything, I have too much pent-up energy from worrying about the impending demonstration.
“We’ll wait until evening to be safe,” he says. He’s annoyingly calm.
“We’re not going anywhere until evening?” I don’t know if I can survive another full day of anticipation.
“Taera.” He steps in front of me, and I try to steady my breathing.
“What?”
“If you want to go through with this, stop panicking. Get changed. Then we’re going to meet everyone.”
“I’m not panicking,” I say, too quickly. “Where are we going?”
He grins. “You’ll see.”
“And what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” I scowl.
A quarter hour later, clad in a sky-blue summer dress, I’m following Nikolai up a winding glass staircase. I don’t recognize any of the corridors, and my heart pounds. Will the kiss be abrupt? Or will I have time to prepare myself?
“We’re here,” he says, waving me through an ornate arched doorway.
“Whoa…” My eyes widen.
The transparent glass dome is bigger than the main square of my village, with blue sky and sunlight twinkling overhead.
But any view of the desert is blocked by huge dangling icicles.
Snowdrifts as tall as buildings protrude like giant white mushrooms across a winter scene.
Snow whirls through the air in every direction, catching the light like falling stars.
“Welcome to winter wonderland.” Nikolai chuckles, smirking at my stunned face.
“What is this place?” I whisper, my feet crunching softly over snow.
“Some class’s scenework project, but they don’t need it anymore,” he says. “You should duck.”
“Wha—”
A snowball crashes into my neck. I squeal and paw it away, but it’s… “Not cold?”
Fluffy flakes cling to my hair and skin, only mildly cool.
“More fun this way.” Nikolai grins. “C’mon.”
Nikolai takes off running, pulling me after him.
Students pop up from behind snowbanks and pelt us with snowballs. Nikolai dodges the flurry of snow-fire, and I manage to stay mostly shielded behind him. When we lunge behind a huge drift for cover, I’m breathless and laughing.
“You had to make my dress blue?” I pant. “This isn’t fair.”
The blond magician is wearing all white, and now I know why.
“You’re right.” He chuckles and reaches out a hand to my shoulder.
A wave of pins and needles shivers down from my neck to my toes.
Starlight fizzing beneath my skin. I look down.
I’m dressed like an angel. The fabric blends perfectly with the snow.
Knowing Nikolai has clothed me, twice now, has heat rising up my neck. But I don’t have time to overthink it.
Nikolai scoops up snow and darts out of the cave. Snowballs rain down, but a golden sphere glimmers around him. The assaulting snow evaporates in puffs of golden sparkles against the barrier. I stick close to his side, safe inside his golden shield.
“Cheater!” someone calls, and Nikolai chuckles.
“Ready?” he murmurs.
My breath catches. “For what?”
He lifts his handful of snow to his lips and blows. The white billows around us, thickening into a storm that expands through the dome. It’s spectacular.
“Let’s go.” Nikolai tugs me forward through the cloud of white he’s created.
“Where are we going?”
“Where everyone can see.”
My nerves jump, fluttering in my chest like the chaotic winds around us.
He leads me up the winding ice stairs of some sort of tower until I’m puffing.
We reach the top of what seems to be a castle, complete with a wall of ice towering behind us.
I can’t see much else through the storm.
But Nikolai flashes a grin at me, breathing heavily as well. Snowflakes frost his long lashes.
I’ve seen snow before, but only the wet slush that falls on the coldest nights. I’ve never thought of it as fluffy, soft, fun.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” Nikolai says, and I forget all else.
My heart skitters around like a beetle, my palm tingling against his. “You are?”
“Ready?” His green eyes capture mine, and I stare at the dazzling magician before me. The corners of his perfect lips tilt upward.
“Now’s your last chance to back out.” His whisper rolls past me on the wind.
I should hesitate, but I don’t.
“I’m ready,” I whisper.
It’s impossible to think when Nikolai’s hands tangle in my hair, his breath on my face, and then his lips press against mine.
Our first kiss was gentle. This one is rougher, fierce, like he can’t get enough of me.
Heat explodes low in my belly. Nikolai’s hand skims down my back, pulling me against him, and I gasp.
My magic flies to the surface, meeting his lips until I actually spark.
He growls, pulling away as tiny arcs of light dance across my skin.
“Are you okay?” I breathe.
“I need a moment.” He stiffens, closing his eyes. Takes three terrifying breaths before he opens them again. “I’m alright. How are you?”
“Fine,” I squeak. “Did we do it?”
“That was practice. Are you ready for everyone to see?”
I make a choked sound. “Practice?”
“Your magic was more than I expected. I had to see how you would react, to make sure I could handle your emotions as well.”
My face flames. “I’m perfectly aware of why we’re doing this. It’s just for our arrangement, and nothing more.”
He gives me a look. “You’re incredibly aroused, Taera. It makes it difficult.”
My blood is hot. Words knot my tongue as I try to think of something snappy to say. “Wasn’t the whole point to show everyone?”
“Yes, it was.” His smile is wicked.
The snowflakes slow around us, wisping away. The air clears, and my stomach tightens.
“Are you doing that?” I breathe.
“Yes.”
Nikolai’s hands find my waist, and my breath hitches.
His green eyes are dark under thick golden lashes, and I try to control my fluttering pulse as I wait for my magician to kiss me again.
Instead, he walks me backward several steps, until my shoulder blades meet the icy wall behind us.
Cold licks through my dress, and I shiver.
“Too much?” he whispers, his breath against my ear.
“No,” I manage.
“Good.” Nikolai tilts his perfect face to fit mine. “Now close your eyes, unless you want to see them staring.”
I obey, not wanting to know who’s watching. Then Nikolai captures my mouth with his.
He kisses me like he wants to devour me. His body is solid, pressing me to the ice wall. I gasp, my chest rising and falling as my toes curl and my fingers, traitorous things, slip around his neck, clutch at his hair. Nikolai moans into me, and heat floods my body.
My magic goes wild.
Every touch is electric. I’m clinging to him, squirming with need. His hot tongue swipes the seam of my lips, and I gasp into his mouth. He pulls me closer, his hips pinning mine in place, and I can feel him—hard, undeniable—against me.
My eyes fly open. The sky above is bright and blue with no snow in sight.
Nikolai breaks away, his lips reddened, breathing quickened. He’s staring down at me, eyes blazing with heat. I stare right back. Equally wrecked.
The magician recovers faster than I do.
“That’s all they need,” he says. Then he takes my hand and leads me away, even as I stumble, trying to remember how to use my feet.
He is right; every set of eyes in the dome follows us. No one stands in our way, and their whispers are too hushed to make out.
Nikolai doesn’t let go of my hand until we’ve passed the labyrinth and the hallways grow familiar. I’m stunned into silence, not trusting myself to think or feel, especially while he can feel my emotions through my magic.
What have I gotten myself into?
I’m in way over my head.
He walks me all the way back to his rooms.
“Meet me here tonight, and we’ll get started on magic,” he says, sweeping my tangled hair out of my face. The touch makes me shiver all over again, and I swallow.
“Okay,” I make myself say, like a normal person.
I’m so screwed.