Page 133 of The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating

“I’m fine.”

My truth-sense sparked at that feeble lie, an ugly prickle behind my eyes. “Stop pretending nothing’s wrong.”

“This is your training,” he said, still dismissing the topic. “Focus on that.”

Across the courtyard, I spotted Griffin heading our way. He lugged a leather satchel that glistened with dark liquid at the corners, trying his best not to get blood on his robes. He headed for Nyx, who basked in a patch of sunlight near the wall. My dragon raised her head with lazy arrogance, her half-lidded silver eye on me even as Griffin offered bits of raw venison.

“Exotic deer from the north,” Griffin murmured, lifting a gory chunk and carefully extending it. “Far preferable to my familiars, I hope.”

Nyx sniffed, menacing just enough to keep Griffin’s hands shaking, then snatched the meat in one gulp. Such a spoiled creature. I still felt guilty about her taste for Griffin’s poor, doomed little magical creations.

“Again,” Kazimir urged, and I wrenched my attention back to him.

Fine. Another attempt. My mood soured, but I forced the darkness to coalesce once more, forging an ax instead of a spear. It usually felt sturdier in my grasp. The edges gleamed an impossible black, so dense it seemed to swallow the sunlight.

I braced myself to throw, but Kazimir flinched again, his hand flexing like lightning had marched up his bones. My concentration evaporated, replaced by concern, and I could feel the shadow ax quivering in my grip.

“You really should rest,” I snapped.

He set his jaw harder. “I don’t need?—”

“Don’t even try lying to me.” My truth-sense had been screaming all morning at his denial.

His usual scowl deepened, but he made an attempt at composure. I felt a wave of frustration spike in my chest. Not only was I dangerously off-balance, but so was he. And that tension between us got sharper by the day, made worse by the vow of abstinence we’d had to adopt for the Heirloom’s sake. It was maddening.

“Fine,” I muttered, lifting the ax. “Show me how well you can ignore your pain while I throw the next one.”

I launched the weapon, letting the frustration fuel a sharper, heavier shape. But the instant Kazimir drew in another pained breath, my focus slipped again. The darkness wavered, flickering in my hands, and in a quick, vicious burst, it exploded. A whirl ofblack energy erupted outward, sending me flying into Kazimir. His arms wrapped around me just before we slammed into the ground.

Shadow tendrils lashed wildly across the courtyard, slicing the air with lethal hisses. One nearly grazed my cheek. Another slammed into the stones inches away, sending up a shower of molten rock fragments. I heard Griffin shout, and Nyx’s raw roar shook the walls. The ground trembled under us.

Kazimir rolled so that he ended up over me, caging me protectively under his arms. His eyes flared white-hot as he raised a hand, commanding the darkness to heel.

“Enough,” he barked, voice resonant with dominion magic.

The shadows froze mid-swipe, then collapsed into themselves, swept back by his outstretched hand. My ears rang in the sudden silence that followed, my lungs burning from the dusty air. Kazimir hovered over me, blood trickling from his nose, his breath ragged. The broad lines of his shoulders tensed protectively, but there was a faint tremor in his arms.

“Are you hurt?” he rasped.

I shook my head. “You’re bleeding.”

He swiped under his nose, almost surprised at the crimson smearing his fingertips. “It’s nothing,” he said, voice tight. He then pushed himself upright and offered his hand to me. I took it, letting him haul me to my feet.

Nyx crept closer, tail flicking warily. Griffin followed behind her, a nervous expression plastered on his face. “What… happened?”

“A minor setback,” Kazimir drawled, though I could sense the effort it took him to appear calm. “Lady Blackrose’s power surged for a moment.”

“A ‘minor setback’?” I snapped. “That could’ve ripped us both to shreds!”

He turned a steely gaze on me. “It didn’t. Which is the entire reason we train. Mistakes happen.”

My heart pounded, part fear, part anger. “Is that what you’ll say at my funeral if I lose control?”

Griffin hovered, looking like he wanted to melt into the stone. Kazimir, meanwhile, was coldly unmoved. “You lost focus. It happens to everyone who practices dangerous magic.”

“I lost focus because you’re in obvious pain!” I threw back, ignoring the tremor in my voice. “You’re too proud to admit it, and you think I shouldn’t worry.”

He gave a dismissive shrug that only infuriated me further. “My discomfort is irrelevant. I can handle it.”

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