Page 86 of Touched

Pain like white-hot lightning sears through my soles, up my legs, through my groin, and flows up my back. I roar, unable to stop the rush of agony that feels like it’s shredding my wings from within. The pain continues along its trail, moving through my shoulder blades, around my shoulders, and down my arms. Spiraling, slithering like an invisible snake. My fingers feel as though they’ve been dipped in molten lava. Looking down, my eyes widen as I see actual sparks dripping from my fingertips.

The urge to scream encompasses me, but I manage to hold it in.

As quickly as it came, the pain stops. Instantly halting. I breathe jerkily, feeling like there is no way to gather enough air to fill my lungs. I try to catch my breath. “What the fuck!” I wheeze, glaring daggers at Devyn.

“Oh, my gods!” Aeris screeches.

My head snaps toward her, wondering what she’s talking about. Her golden eyes are as wide as saucers and her mouth hangs open in shock.

What? What the hell?

Why does she look like that?

My gaze flicks to Cyrus. His vivid green eyes are almost comical, they’re so wide.

What the fuck?

What’s happening?

Why are they looking at me like that?

He points at my back, his hand slightly shaking. “I’ve never seen anything like that.” His tone is wondrous.

Behind me, my wings beat slowly. Calmly. They feeldifferent. Heavier. Louder.

Devyn says, “Aeris, your assistance please.” Aeris swallows and nods, waving a hand toward me, making slight circles. Directly in front of me, I now see my shimmering reflection. The air itself has formed some sort of… magickal mirror. My eyes bulge in shock as, instead of flimsy bug wings, I now sport a pair of large, silvery-black ones. They look similar to Aeris’s, and Cyrus’s, just a darker color. But mine are thicker… bolder… angled… more impressive.

What? Huh? How?

What the fuck just happened?

“Holy huge wings, Batman,” I exclaim in a rush.

Whoa… I’m… Holy shit…

I look fucking fierce!

“That’s not all, young Fae,” Aeris swipes her hand, causing the “mirror” to simply disappear.

I gape at Devyn, whom I no longer want to shoot.

“You are a Sylph of the air, just like your Kindred. You have the power to manipulate it and anything in it. It was always within you… we simply needed to awaken it. Come into your power fully.” She smiles broadly and nods at me, “Go ahead. Give it a try.”

“Okay… like how?” I ask, hating my vulnerability.

Uh, I might look the part, but I have no idea how to play it.

What do I do?

Do I just… do it?

“You are naturally aligned with the earthandthe Fae, and that gives you special abilities. Don’t think about it. Your abilities are part of you. Don’t think. Simply do.” Devyn bends down, grabbing a palm-sized stone. She quickly stands and backs up a few feet. “Don’t let it hit you,” she breezily says. Then, she lobs it directly at my head.

Shit! She’s too close.

That is going to slam into my face!

My hands go up on instinct to protect my face, but wind that was a slight bayou breeze instantly becomes a small twirling vortex. The smooth stone bounces off it, ricocheting off into the trees somewhere.

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