Page 43 of The Black Dragon
“No. I’d rather watchyou.”
He didn’t want her to know about the real darkness in his soul, the darkness that had beenpresent long before her father imprisonedhim.
The darkness that would not goaway.
Justin sat on the bank. “What happens if someone drinks the water? Do they get sick? Kill thelumina?”
Ariel drew patterns in the water he recognized as ancient Celtic runes from the books he’d perused. “No. The lumina are smart.Watch.”
Cupping her hands, she lifted them out of thepool. Dozens of tiny blue lights leapt out of her palms back into thewater.
She drank. “It’s good. Refreshing. Probably the clearest water you’ll ever drink. Trysome.”
“I’m notthirsty.”
He feared this place that revealed too much. For all its peace and beauty, it laid bare one’ssecrets.
Ariel had nothing to hide. She was honest andopen.
Nothim.
Ariel sank back on her haunches. “What’s wrong, Justin? I thought you would enjoy this. I’ve never shared this with anyonebefore.”
“It’slovely.”
His chest tightened. Maybe it was time for her to know a few secrets of his own. “I’ve been herebefore.”
Ariel’s doubting look made him laugh. Almost. “In adream?”
“No. A powerful wizard, one of the Brehon, brought mehere.”
“Oh.” Her smile tugged at his heart. “As areward?”
“As a warning.” Justin swallowed hard. “Last time I touched the water, the lumina went dark. The wizard said they reflect a person’senergy.”
She had to know what he was, what she dealtwith.
“I haven’t been totally honest with you, sweetheart. There’s something inside me that most Others don’t like. It’s why they’rescared of me. Not mypowers.”
“I’m not scared of you.” Ariel touched his hand. “Test the water now.Please.”
He hesitated. The Shadow Wizard wasn’t here to counter the effects. “I don’t want to hurtthem.”
“You can’t hurt them. They’re tough.” Ariel looked at him directly. “Likeme.”
He didn’t have her faith. But maybe she needed to see proof of what he was. Justinrolled up the right sleeve of his baseball shirt. Taking a deep breath, he dipped his hand in thepool.
The lumina turned bright red. Red, not dark. Then they turned cobalt blueagain.
Wonder filled him. He swirled his hand and the tiny creatures followed the path of hisfingers.
He laughed with pure joy. Maybe he wasn’t as much of a dick as everyoneclaimed.
SuddenlyAriel pushed him, hard. Justin tumbled into the water. Cold water surrounded him, but it felt refreshing, not stinging. A blast of warm wind tumbled through the canyon, rippling the water and making the crimson lumina dance. Justin laughed and pulled Ariel with him. Squealing, she splashedhim.
She stoppedgiggling.
“Look!”
