Page 54 of Tangled Power
“Both your shifter essence and connection to the cycle of existence hit my magic in the face before I even started the traditional evaluation. I think we’ll be fine.”
“Do you need this?” Carter reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin.
Rose shook her head. “You hold on to it. It should make your power clearer.”
Carter nodded and called a flame to his palm. His eyes glowed the yellow-green she’d seen in the Burning Garden as they focused on the fire dancing along his skin. Rose wasn’t sure she had ever seen him look more like a predator.
The familiar rise and fall of her hammer was fast with this project. She’d started the ax head earlier this morning. The speartip, she would borrow from the Suden forge. That freed her now to focus on harnessing Carter’s unique magic.
Chocolate and sandalwood filled the room. The scent of his element wasn’t enough, though. His flame was only a part of his power. What she’d learned about his shifter form came to the forefront of her mind. Unable to grasp it, the elusive nature fitting with her feline guess, was good enough.
Rose sent spirals of her magic toward him. It wrapped around Carter, seeking, sinking into his skin. Her power chased to the heart of the Vesten leader. She was unsurprised to find a campsite setting at the heart of his magic. A forest of trees so thick she was already lost. A small opening held a large willow tree. It’s draping branches pushed aside to show a bedroll beneath it and a fire just outside the perimeter of its branches. Carter’s core of magic was peaceful—solitary.
To Arie, she knew the shifting was freeing. He had a human form, but she had never seen it. He was comfortable when he could blend in and go unnoticed by others, who were not suspecting an animal with his kind of intelligence. It felt similar with Carter—Kenna’s journals indicated the same.
Her mind roamed over all the information they’d learned from Kenna’s journals, lingering on a piece they hadn’t yet discussed. Zrak said their power would be strongest at Compass Lake and that the gods would feel if they weakened. Did this allude to the connection between a god and the fae leader that Juliette described?
Rose pushed her thoughts to the magic before her. Carter’s magic was so different from the others, but so uniquely him. The strong yet sweet smell of his power balanced the heavy weight he carried. Seeing spirits, a constant connection to the cycle of life and death, to the existence of all on the continent. It was an honor, but she was also sure it was its own burden. They hadn’teven gotten to the part where she asked if he had to do anything to help the spirits find their way beyond the veil.
In the heart of Carter’s magic, the quiet of his campsite, Rose readied for the flashes, the feelings—but nothing came. That was an answer itself. The heart of Carter’s magic was solace from the world around him. It was escape from the weight of his power. While a weapon wasn’t ideal for that desire of his magic, in their situation, it was necessary. The spike between the ax heads would have to act as a pointer. As the Vesten leader, he could steer his court, and hopefully, the continent, to this quiet solace he craved.
She had her connections as she made the final few swings of her hammer, the ax head gleaming in the firelight. “Give me a little more magic,” Rose said as she spared a glance at Carter.
“No problem.” The small flame in his palm spread up his arm. The fire danced over his skin and clothes, leaving the fire wielder unharmed.
Her magic sealed the Vesten’s essence, with Carter’s specific talents, into the metal. She sent blasts of icy wind and cooling water around the ax heads. It was nice to be in the Suden forge for this, since his ax required some assembly. She reached for the wooden handle and the spike she had picked out, fitting them into place. This would be a finished project before they left the forge today. Pushing a little more of her wind around the ax, she nodded with satisfaction. The Vesten Point would have his defense against the mist plague.
The heat died down. Carter let go of his element. His eyes focused on her as she worked on the finishing touches.
“This should do it,” she said as she flipped the handle toward him. “Now Luc won’t have to drag you away from any other mist attacks we encounter.”
Carter flushed. “Thank you.”
“I should thank you for the opportunity,” Rose said. “It isn’t every day that I evaluate three powers so unique but so combined in a single person.”
“I’m sure we could say the same about being evaluated by the weapons master from Lake of the Gods.” Carter smiled back as he hoisted his ax over his shoulder, and they left the forge together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Luc ran into Rose and Carter as they were leaving the workshop.
“Thanks for letting us use the space,” Carter said, his ax still proudly resting on his shoulder.
“Glad you put it to good use,” Luc replied. Turning to Rose, he asked, “Do you have time before we meet the others?”
“We’ll catch up with you later, Carter.” Rose waved.
“Actually, wait,” Luc said. “If we’re going to test our magic, shouldn’t we do it in a less confined space?” He looked between Carter and Rose. “I know Rose wouldn’t want to damage any of those pretty books in the library.”
Rose smirked at him and then looked thoughtful. “What do you suggest?”
He gestured behind him. “We can use the training grounds here.”
Carter was contemplative. “Sure, I’ll let Juliette know, and we’ll meet you back here in a few hours?” Luc nodded, and Carter left.
“Round two already?” Rose’s smile was a challenge and a request.
Luc’s magic flared at her suggestion. He didn’t even mind his power slip—he agreed with it—but a corner of his mind still thought about his magic’s response to Rose. It was said that other relationships paled in comparison to the demands of bound fae. If that was true, he wondered how those bound got anything done. He spent so much time keeping his magic in check when around Rose. Being bound was an impossibility, given their court affiliations—but he wasn’t sure there could exist another level of wanting her. Thiswanting—he couldn’t explain it. Surely, it would be the death of him. At least he would die happy—or exist happily, as Carter would insist if his spirit went beyond the veil. Still, he couldn’t stop the sinful smile from crossing his face as he replied, “I’m going to need you to hold that thought.”
