Page 122 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
I flexed my palms open.
Steadily, I felt them flowing from my hands.
Then they zapped straight ahead and I smelled smoke.
My eyes flew open.
The candle had been lit, its wick blazing. But the tendrils still coursed toward it. The fire rose.
No, come back.
The tendrils didn’t retreat.
I clenched my jaw tighter, taking a deep breath.
I told you to come back. Come back to me. I command you.
The tendrils seared the breath out of my lungs as they withdrew in one painful plunge, straight into my chest. Blue light coursed through me.
I blinked the sting away, struggling to readjust my vision.
When the room came back into focus, the candle flickered and Zandyr smiled my way.
“I did it,” I whispered, not truly believing. But there it was. My power had done that. Most importantly, it had retreated deep inside me, in that small pocket I’d imagined.
I’d controlled my power.
Nobody got hurt.
“You did it beautifully,” Zandyr said and I heard the pride in his voice. Or maybe it was surprise.
I didn’t care. “Victory!”
The next thing I knew, I threw myself into his arms, hands wrapping around his neck. He reclined back to the floor, with me on top of him. Our laughter blended together.
I steadied myself on my arms above him. My hair draped over my shoulders, cocooning us in our own little universe.
“You showed that candle who’s queen.” His laughter melted away.
I suddenly became aware that our chests touched and that my lips were tantalizingly close to his. My gaze flickered between his eyes and mouth, as the candle behind us cast long shadows on the floor.
My body burned, but not with magic.
With longing.
With desire.
With the unshakable need to lean down further into his embrace.
His right hand rose and tucked a strand of wild hair behind my ear. The simple touch ignited me more, the small space between us simmering with a deep yearning that nestled itself into my chest.
“Tell me this is a bad idea. Tell me to get up,” he whispered, eyes darkening. His chest fell and rose against mine, and, gods, the sensation was exquisite. “Tell me to leave and never come back.”
“Don’t leave.”
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
