Page 162 of Enchanted Shadows
I was baffled to find that all the women were there, all accounted for, and all on time, early even. As were Emric and Miles. Another miracle I got to witness? It was just too much.
“Show us your shadows,” Sam immediately blurted out.
“It’s nice to see you too,” I responded.
I didn’t want to tell them that I had been randomly dousing myself in shadows when I got excited, unable to figure out how to control both of my Enchantments and my emotions all at once. Itwas like I was a teenager trying to navigate hormones and magic all over again.
I crossed my arms and moved to address the whole group. “I know last training session was anything but ordinary. That speaks to the power of this team. You aren’t ordinary. Never have been. And you’re stronger because of it.”
I heard a loud sniffle.
I snapped my head toward it. “Kno?—”
“Knock it off, I know, I know,” Vivian rushed to finish for me. “I just wasn’t expecting a compliment right out of the gate.”
“It’s easier when you just yell,” Pippa told me in that no nonsense way.
I let out a sigh. “I’m trying to tell you all how damn proud of you I am, but that I will not go easy on any of you, including my wife.”
Molly beamed at Kess. “She can handle it.”
Miles choked on a laugh.
Sam added, “Message received. Now let’s run.”
I groaned. My work with this team was far from finished, and yet I found myself smiling as I jerked my head toward Emric to head to the rock so we could start.
Jessina sing-songed, “Slay Sisters, back in session!”
“Time to get these bosoms bouncing,” Molly added as she glanced at Emric to see his reaction.
I was fairly certain that was the only reason she’d said it.
Kessara began next to Molly and my sister.Move your ass, Commander.
That’s my line,I snapped, even as I fell into a jog behind them all.
I had just caught up to the last clump of women running when Kessara said,So about last night.
A few memories rushed to the surface, and I couldn’t help but feel the shadows leaping for me with the powerful emotion I felt.Even if it was a positive one. And because I was trying to keep my feet running, trying to respond to my wife, trying to lead as their commander, and trying to keep the shadows at bay, sure enough, I disappeared into my own personal darkness.
It only took a moment to release the shadows this time. I was getting better at it, but I did stumble a step in the process. Not because I couldn’t see, but because it surprised me.You have to quit flirting with me during training or else I’ll use my shadows to make us both disappear.
While my bond with Jorah felt like a single strand of thread, my bond with Kessara felt like a heavily corded rope, always there, far quicker to find and react to. Like an extension of me. It truly had made all the space between us vanish. There was no end to her and beginning of me. We simply were.
Playing favorites doesn’t become you, Commander. Plus, I married you, I can flirt with you when I want to.
I could see her now; she wasn’t more than twenty feet in front of me. So I sent another trail of warmth to travel up her body and also a breeze at her back.Do you really want to start this game with me, Princess?
She gasped out and turned over her shoulder to glare at me.
“Stop flirting with her!” Wren turned around to yell at me, running backward as she did. Kessara and Molly joined her. “Stop. It.”
“Believe me, she started it,” I argued.
“You two, behave!” Miles yelled at me from where he ran.
“Yeah,” I agreed, sending a look at Kessara.
