Page 52 of When Storms Ruin

“I know. If we can’t figure out a way to tame her magic, we won’t be able to use it against Donika,” Isaac answered.

“Are you serious?Fuckusing her magic against Donika, herlifeis in the balance, Isaac! That’s the only thing I care about. If I have to bring her back to the mortal realm and spell bind her to keep her safe and out of Donika’s reach, that’s what I’ll do. Make no mistake, my concern is for Diana and Diana alone. This war can go to hell for all I care.”

“You don’t mean that.” Isaac met Nik’s seething gaze.

“I meanevery word. My only concern is for Diana and her well-being. If she is at risk wielding her magic, then she won’t wield it. It’s as simple as that.”

“Nikolai, you and I both know it isn’t that simple.”

“Don’t you dare play the concerned father role with me, Isaac! I have known you for a long time, and I know that you would sacrificeanythingfor Istmere to be safe for Stormshades again. Diana included. I am not willing to make the same sacrifice.”

“That isn’t true. But it doesn’t matter, it will not come to that.” Isaac’s voice sounded tired.

How long had they been arguing?

“You can’t promise that, after today. After what happened.” Nik ran a hand down his face.

“We will find a way to control her magic. The solution has to be in the Kotova grimoire. We must not be searching hardenough.” Isaac’s gaze met his feet, his eyes moving back and forth rapidly, deep in thought.

“I…I can control it,” I spoke, my voice sounding like sandpaper.

“Diana,” Nik breathed, kneeling at the side of my bed.

His hand cupped my cheek, the heat from his skin instantly warming me. My eyes found his, and I felt that warmth pool low in my stomach.

“Are you ok?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.

“I will be.”

I smiled, but even moving the muscles in my face hurt. Whatever tonic they had given me was beginning to wear off, and a searing pain in my shoulder was returning. I turned my head to the side to see the flesh there completely singed, mottled beyond recognition. The burn was severe, reaching from my shoulder down part of my arm.

“Don’t look,” Nik shook his head. “Liss is on her way. She is the most powerful healer we have, not to mention the best at skin spells.”

I wasn’t even sure my skin would tolerate a skin spell at this point. Every nerve ending felt as if it had been set on fire. I never knew what it felt like to be singed by your own magic, and I never wanted to feel it again. I didn’t imagine Liss would be able to heal it entirely. I would have a hideous scar.

“Where am I?” I asked.

I knew I was in an infirmary…but where?

“Another safe house. We had to leave the last one behind. Your storm broke through the wards on the training field—we had to find a new place to hole up. The townhouseis still safe, but the other safe house is too close. It was compromised. Donika’s army will be thoroughly searching the area for us,” Nik replied, running his thumb across my cheek in a soothing motion.

I closed my eyes, the events from earlier today coming back to me. I had created a storm I couldn’t control…and it had turned on me.

It hadhurtme.

Stolen my magic.

I shook my head as tears stung the back of my eyes. All I did was cry lately. It was one step forwards and two steps back. I couldn’t catch a break. My entire body felt as if it had been burned from the inside out by my own magic.

“I have to try again,” I told Nik, blinking away the tears and meeting his eyes again.

“That is out of the question.” A muscle feathered in his jaw as his teeth snapped together, his eyes darkening. “I will not put you at risk again.”

“But I need to learn to tame this magic,” I insisted.

“We will find another way. Isaac thinks the answer might be in the Kotova grimoire.” His eyes traveled to my shoulder quickly before meeting my gaze again.

“I think we should pause any of our training sessions until we have combed through the grimoire. Even with our storm magic combined, we could barely contain that storm,” Isaac said from his spot on the bed next to mine.

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