Page 53 of Emylia

Maalikai laughed.

It was the first time I’d heard him laugh—deep and rich and completely unexpected. And Gods, it caught me off guard.

“I’m not disagreeing,” he said.

“They’re also cowards.”

A second laugh—this one softer, like he was still getting used to the sound of it—disarmed my nerves.

“It helps to be hypervigilant,” he added.

I shifted, adjusting my stance. “Hang on. Give me a sec.”

Without warning, I hiked up one side of my dress and fastened it at the hip, then did the same to the other. When I straightened, Maalikai stared at me—wide-eyed.

“You came prepared to fight?” His gaze swept over me, pausing when it landed on one of the blades strapped to my thigh.

“Always. Got a problem with that?” I asked, letting venom coat my tone.

“No. I just find it incredibly sexy.”

My eyes locked with his, daring him to say more.

He didn’t.

He held my gaze, daring me to push further.

I cleared my throat, rolling my shoulders. “What were you saying about hypervigilance?”

“It helps if you focus on something. Tell me what you see—what you feel.” His voice was rougher now, and a self-satisfied smile tugged at my lips.

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, everything had changed.

Sunlight streamed through the treetops, dancing over the muted oranges and browns below. Squirrels darted along high branches, so small they looked like mice. Arctic wind brushed my cheeks, tugging loose strands of hair across my face.

“I feel… free,” I whispered, the words escaping without effort.

Something deep and ancient stirred within me, a veil of power wrapping around my skin like protection. It pulsed in my fingertips, coiling in my blood like it belonged there.

Maalikai gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

“That’s because you are a truly beautiful creature.”

My heart squeezed tight. His words settled like chains around my heart—quiet, inescapable, and far too close to the truth.

Maalikai led me through the forest, silence surrounded us, but it was comfortable. It was pleasant just to walk in his company.

An hour dripped by as we meandered through the trees, following the winding stream until we came to a wooden bridge that looked like it had been made when the Gods still roamed the earth.

“Are you ready for this?” Maalikai questioned.

My eyes snapped to his. Azures swam wildly, challenging me. My reckless side screamed for the challenge.

“Just try and stop me.” I stepped passed him, ignoring the look that ignited an inferno.

Vines wrapped around the planks of the bridge, making it look like it came from a fairy tale; the man-made structure was now entangled with vines so tightly that the bridge had taken on a life of its own.

Lianas connected the ancient trees of Aelinthian Forrest to the bridge rails, shorter creepers fell over the side of the bridge and dragged in the crystal-clear water below, sending ripples through the stream.

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