Page 87 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Declan
Lena’s face lit up with her lust for knowledge. It quelled the nerves that had risen when I’d decided to share this secret with her. Perhaps, if she could handle this secret, she would be able to handle one more when I finally gained the courage to share it with her.
“Are you ready?”
The question floated between us as I placed her trembling palm in mine. Her head bobbed timidly.
“Close your eyes.”
She raised one eyebrow. Our gazes formed a standoff.
“Gods, Lena,” I groaned. “You’re incapable of taking orders, aren’t you?”
The little hellion shrugged as her lips twitched mischievously. A heady mix of mirth and frustration curled my lips.
Leaning forward until I felt her nose brush against mine, I whispered, “One day, Wildfire, you’ll enjoy when I order you around.” I smirked.
Delighted at the way her pupils blew wide, I leaned back and began to brush circles with my finger on her palm. “Do you feel this?”
“Y-yes.” Her voice quivered.
“Good. Now, concentrate on following that feeling and holding onto it.”
Her brows pinched together, alerting me that she felt the dynamis tingling underneath her skin and had latched onto it.
“Still feel it?”
“Declan…” Her tone was laced with frustration.
“Lena…” I countered, releasing her hand and zephyring to the nearest bookshelf. A breeze created from my zephyring loosened a few tendrils of hair into her face, causing her eyelids to flutter.
“Keep those eyes closed, Wildfire,” I demanded. The little groan she made had me chuckle inside. “Can you still feel me making circles?”
“Yes, Declan, I can still feel it,” she sighed, no doubt rolling her eyes underneath those scrunched eyelids.
“Good. Now, open your eyes.”
With an indignant scoff, she opened them, glaring into a blank space in front of her. Her mouth hung wide as her eyes searched the room for me. I folded my arms across my chest and a wicked smirk danced across my lips when her gaze landed on mine.
“How can I—how is this possible? How can I still feel your touch when you’re way over there.”
“Are you willing to listen to your wise elder now?”
“Old, yes. Wise? That’s still debatable.”
“Watch it,” I growled. Shadows rippled over my arms. Lena giggled.
I unfolded my arms and stalked back towards my little spitfire. Her mirth faded into something a little more dangerous. Her cheeks flushed when I grabbed her and gently lifted her up to stand next to me.
“Emotions are the energy that flows within us, Elena. With every beat of our heart and breath from our lungs, we keep that energy in a constant state of flow throughout our bodies. Our dynamis is embedded deep with our blood, intertwined around the very essence of our souls. Our emotions are just another way to help us navigate the world, much like our senses.”
As I lowered my hand from her chin, my knuckles brushed down her neck. Lena shivered, but her attention remained fixed on mine.
“Tell me, when you are sad, do you not feel it physically? Is there not a dull ache that twists within your body?”
Her tongue moistened her bottom lip, teeth grazing the pouty flesh. She closed her eyes and nodded solemnly. The ward she built in her mind was still standing strong, but her scrunched forehead and glossy eyes told me everything I needed to know about the depths of sadness Lena had buried within her.
“When you are angry, does your body feel like it is burning with an unquenchable inner flame? Like at any moment, you may combust? Does your face not become flushed and heated?”
