Page 31 of When Storms Ruin

Isaac shook his head. “Not only would that soak us with rain even further during this demonstration, but what if it wasn’t rain? What if it wasarrowspelting against your shield? Or a sword? You’d be dead where you stand before you could even call out to the storm overhead.”

“Good point,” I acquiesced.

I focused my mind on keeping the air shields in place while also reaching out to the storm, which continued to rain down overhead. I could feel the magic weighing on me, as if it were a muscle I hadn’t quite built up yet. It would get easier the more I used it, but I would be sore tomorrow.

I tried to reach the storm, but failed, the air shield slipping slightly as a few rain pellets fought their way through. Isaac crossed his arms over his chest as he watched me, nodding in encouragement. The air shield around us was a physical weight as I pulled more magic from my core through my fingertips towards the sky above us.

The storm responded this time, sputtering and releasing a grumble of thunder, but surging forwards again. It was raining harder this time.

I released a groan of frustration as I tried again, closing my eyes and turning my face towards the sky. I pulled even more magic through my fingertips, all while concentrating on the air shield around us.

The storm responded again, letting a bolt of lightning loose in the forest at our backs.

I startled, my eyes snapping to Isaac’s.

“You have to remember, the storm isn’tyoursanymore since you let it go. You can’t treat it as if it’s a part of you, because it isn’t. You must treat it as if it is a force all its own,but you are stronger. You need to finditssource of magic now.”

I nodded, rubbing my hands together, then spreading them wide again towards the sky.

I could do this.

I was a Stormshade, and a powerful one at that. I wouldn’t be bested by a little rainstorm that I had created in the first place.

I pulled more magic first, but this time the intention wasn’t to call the storm back, it was to capture it. I could feel my magic swirl around the storm, the clouds booming together in another clap of thunder. But this time, the storm relented. I could sense the magic source of the storm pulling through my hands and back into my core, an entirely new ember of magic to pull from.

I squinted towards the sun as it appeared once more behind the dark clouds. The clouds overhead turned from a dark, angry grey to a wispy white, then disappeared entirely.

“Very good.” Isaac nodded, moving to my side.

A sheen of sweat appeared across my brow from the effort it had taken to maintain the shield and capture the storm all in the same breath. “That magic is much harder than what you have practiced so far. I am impressed.”

“I had a good teacher.”

The thought skittered across my mind and out of my mouth before I could take it back, and I hated myself for it. I dug my nails into the palm of my hand as I tried to banish all thoughts of Nik from my mind.

Isaac gave me a sympathetic smile as he squeezed my shoulder. “That was a big spell. I think that’s enough for today. I want you to think about using your magic as a weaponanda shield. I know you haven’t had to use it this way before, but that’s the way we need to train.”

“I understand,” I replied, swallowing hard.

Long gone were the days of opening lockers and lifting feathers into the air for fun. I would train my magic with one goal in mind: to end Donika’s reign, once and for all.

I shook my arms out, feeling as if I had finished a weight training session at the gym.

Isaac laughed. “You will be sore tomorrow, wielding magic such as this can often times be an incredibly physical activity. It takes its toll.”

“Just in time for sword training with Warrick tomorrow,” I replied sarcastically.

We started the walk back towards Dragon’s Hollow. Isaac was determined not to let me out of his sight until I was safely back inside the safe house. He had left the glamour up so that we could sword train in the same meadowtomorrow. It was close to our side of the city, and far enough away from Akra that we didn’t need to worry about our storm magic calling any unwanted attention.

Tess had mentioned training her magic with Puck, so I wasn’t surprised when I found the little townhouse empty. Candles softly flickered in the windows as night descended over Prins. I used one of the candles to light a lantern as I made my way up to my room.

I used the time alone to take a long, hot soak in the claw-foot bathtub. The washroom was small, but well appointed. It had decadent smelling salts and soaps, along with soft, plush towels. I washed the day away slowly, luxuriating in the lavender scents and the hot water loosening my sore muscles. I hoped I might be able to find a jug of wine on the first floor, but I wasn’t sure if the townhome would bethatwell stocked.

I could go for a pint of Dragon’s Ale right about now, but doubted we would be able to show our faces at Eight Bells any time soon. Fletcher’s brother, Kane, had seen us there before Donika had captured me. That might be the first place they searched for us, and I undeniably wasn’t strong enough to take on Fletcher or his brother yet.

I toweled off and reached for the robe hanging on the back of the door, but thought better of it. Robes altogether now reminded me of the night I had spent with Nik. I shrugged into a too-big pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt Isaac had been nice enough to leave us. I would need to get some of my own clothes if I was going to be staying in Istmere.

I opened the door and padded down the stairs to the kitchen. I rummaged for some food that didn’t require any cooking, or that jug of wine I had my heart set on. When I stood, I caught a reflection in the window before me and startled, one hand grabbing my chest, the other grabbing the edge of the counter before me.

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