Page 92 of Skyshade
Isla didn’t see the ball of snow until it was crashing into the side of her face.
She whirled around, fingers pressed to her temple. Grim was already holding another one.
“Don’t,” she said.
He threw it, and she only barely ducked in time.
“You said you’re ready to stop hiding.” He motioned at the fields around him, and the mountains at their back. “There’s no one for miles. Except for me.” She looked at him pointedly. “You can’t hurt me,” Grim said.
“Overconfident?”
“Try,” he said.
“No.”
“Try.”
“No.”
The ball of snow hit her right in the center of her chest. She gave him a look. “Fine. Remind yourself you begged me to put you flat on your ass when it hurts.”
If they were going to duel, she wasn’t going to use balls of snow.
He didn’t know about her skyre. He had kissed every inch of her skin last night, but it had remained hidden by Nightshade power. His own power, that she had used.
Which meant he didn’t know about her newfound control.
She flexed her hand toward the ground, and a sword of ice formed down her arm, the sharp point sliding against the snow. It didn’t feel like she was using Oro’s powers. No...this felt like her. If Grim was surprised by seeing her using Moonling ability, he didn’t show it. He just summoned a sword made of shadows that twisted and calcified.
Then, he struck.
Isla turned away at the last moment, then hooked her leg around his. With all the force she could muster, she knocked his legs from beneath him, but he was ready for her. Before he hit the ground, he was on the other side of the clearing. “Portaling isn’t fair,” she grumbled.
Grim chuckled. “Might I remind you, wife, that you have access to the same power.”
She did.
She portaled into the mountains, and he was right behind her. Their swords clashed, and then she was gone. Higher. They portaled their way up the cliffside, swords battling.
When he appeared right behind her, she swept her arms wide, and sent a wave of snow over him. She grinned, watching it glide down the mountain, but then she turned, and there he was. He sent her backwith the force of his shadows, but she was already propelling herself into the air with a burst of Starling energy.
She landed with a crouch on the mountain top and waited for him. Waited.
A snowball hit her right in the ear.
She bared her teeth and turned around, finding Grim standing there, looking very pleased with himself.
Isla slowly stood and, eyes never leaving his, summoned her Starling shield, feeling it form from her toes, up her legs, her stomach, her chest, down her arms, over her neck. It was a glimmering second-skin, a fighting suit of stars.
Grim’s eyes trailed her body. “Impressive. What a striking star you make.”
Isla launched forward and, with the force of a meteor, crashed into him. Grim fell back with a whoosh, and she was pleased to have knocked the breath from him. They rolled across the clearing, just nearly falling off the side.
He landed above her, caging her in with his arms on either side of her face. His body was pressed against every angle of her.
Grim’s eyes swept down her form again. “I’ve never taken a woman on a mountain before.”
Just when he made to kiss her, she disappeared, leaving him in the snow.
