Page 71 of Bitten By the Fae
“I know that.”
“Then why bother asking such a question?”
“Just tell me what’s going on,” I interjected, tired of these conversations about colors and bloodlines. There were more important things at play here. “How could I possibly create WarFire? I don’t even know a standard defense spell.”
“WarFire is an advanced offensive spell.” Zephyrus finally gave me his attention again. “It’s exceedingly difficult to conjure and requires a lot of energy. It’s also extremely illegal.”
“Great.” I threw up my hands and paced in the small stone space, wary of the dusty walls and cobwebs in the corners.Beautiful place, I thought, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You realize Earth Fae don’t fight, right? We’re very peaceful beings.”
“Could have fooled me,” Shade murmured.
“I learned how to duel at a young age because of my birthright, but I rarely took defensive or offensive skills in school. My method of fighting is through power.Earthpower. And we don’t create fire.”
“Yet here we are,” Shade replied, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. “How did you pick up her bondage spell? Or did you read that in a book?”
“I don’t know. I just… absorbed it.”
“Which is how you dismantled Zeph’s force field?” Shade guessed.
“Is that what that was?”
“Yes.” Zephyrus narrowed his eyes at me. “A powerful one, too, that you took down faster than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
I swallowed. “Oh.” That wasn’t good for a lot of reasons. Well, none of this was good. It showed a growth in dark magic, which I definitely didn’t want. “I really am becoming an abomination, aren’t I?”
“So it would seem,” Zephyrus replied, not mincing words. “The question remains: Is it permanent or temporary?”
I had no answer for that and neither, it seemed, did Shade. He merely remained as nonchalant as ever, not a single inkling of remorse tainting his features.
Because he didn’t care at all that he’d put me in this situation.
“What about you?” I asked. “Are you growing elemental gifts?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Everything feels normal to me, apart from my link to you. That’s new.”
“Yeah, you put it there.”
“I remember.”
“And you don’t care at all that you did it.”
“Of course I care. Why else would I be willingly standing in this outdated shack of a former classroom with you?” He pushedoff the wall to stalk toward me. “This isn’t exactly the most comfortable of spaces, but I didn’t want to leave you alone with Zeph and Kols.”
I glared up at him. “I’m in this mess because of you.”
“I know.”
“And you’re completely unapologetic.”
“Am I?” he countered, cocking his head.
“Are you?” I demanded.
“Shall we play the ‘maybe’ game again?”
“Ugh!” I wanted to slap him. “You’re impossible and cryptic and such a… a… bloodsucking willow stump!”
He chuckled and shook his head. “You’re so close, Aflora. So close.”
