Page 67 of The Bound Mage
Loren stared at her, his expression darkening.
“Every time you tell me something new about what they did to you…” he shook his head, the shadows shuddering at his feet.
“I don’t need your pity,” Araya snapped.
“It’s not pity.” Loren took a step closer, his voice sharpening. “It’s outrage. And you should be just as angry as I am. Now, pick up the sword.”
“No.” Araya crossed her arms, muscles she hadn’t even realized she had aching. “I’m not playing these games with you. I only came out here to tell you I expect you tohelpme save your people. Not waste all your time brooding.”
“How about a deal?” Loren smiled at her, the gleam in his eyes putting her immediately on edge. “If you manage to land a hit on me, I’ll help you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Araya protested. “You’re a trained warrior. I’m just—” she bit the word off. She didn’t know what she was. She wasn’t fae. But she wasn’t human either. She used to call herself a mage—but did she even have that anymore?
Lorenlaughedat her,resuming his slow circle around her. “Then I’ll use the sword,” he said, scooping it up easily. “You use whatever magic you want. Aether, runes… you’re even welcome to the shadows, if you can convince them to listen to you.” His lips curved, that dangerous smile deepening. “Whatever you need to stop me.”
“Stopyou?—?”
Araya yelped as Loren lunged, tripping over her own feet in her haste to retreat. She flung up her hands, aether sparking between her palms. The air between them crackled with magic, the backlash searing her palms as Loren crashed into her flickering shield hard enough to rattle her teeth.
“What in the name of all the Gods are you doing?” Araya demanded. Her hands trembled, the barrier between them sputtering weakly. “Why are you attacking me?”
Loren only grinned at her, baring his teeth to show his sharp canines. “Every time you’ve used fae magic, your life has been in danger.” He stepped back, studying her barrier. “So I’m endangering you. I suggest you find a way to fight back.”
Araya stared at him, dumbfounded. Was he serious? She couldn’tfighthim?—
Loren lunged again.
Araya screamed as he slammed into her shield with swordandmagic this time. Aether roared through her, leeching her dry with every heartbeat as she struggled to hold him back.
“You’re thinking like a human.” Loren stepped back, flicking his wrist. Power slammed against her shield, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Shadows raced through the shards, reaching for her.
“I’m a quarter human!” Araya gave ground, her heart pounding.
“And thatquarteris holding you back,” he growled, stalking after her. “They taught you to think and act like a human—but you’renot. And there is nothing wrong with that.”
Araya bristled, his words sliding under her skin like a knife. “I’m notashamedof my fae heritage.”
“Heritage?” Loren snorted, his voice turning cold. “You arethree-quartersfae, Araya. Start fighting like one.”
This time, it wasn’t his sword he raised against her, but his shadows. They surged forward like a dark tide, rising above her like a wave about to crash.
Araya flinched back, throwing up her hands. Light burst between her palms, flickering weakly as the shadows slammed against it, seeping through the cracks like smoke through broken stone.
“You can do better,” Loren murmured, his form turned misty and indistinct behind the veil of darkness. “I know you can.”
One of his shadows reached her, its cool touch sending goosebumps racing over her skin. Araya choked on a sob, closing her eyes as another wrapped stroked her cheek, winding around her throat.
But she wasn’t afraid.
Araya sucked in a sharp breath, her heart racing. She’d seen Loren wield them to hurt—to kill. But she’d never feared them. Not once. Because somehow she knew—as surely as she knew that the sun rose in the east and set in the west—that his shadows would never hurt her. And neither would Loren, no matter what he believed about himself.
She let go of her shield, letting it shatter into a thousand shards. Loren swore sharply as his shadows rushed forward, surging over her in a cold wave. She couldfeelhim struggling forcontrol of them—but she didn’t hesitate, storming through them to plant both palms on his chest andshove.
“Stop pushing me,” she snarled, baring her teeth at him. Power surged under her skin, raging through her veins. It leapt to her command before she even called for it, heat coiling down her spine and sparks crackling across her tongue.
Loren’s eyes darkened, the shadows stilling at his feet.
“Finally,” he murmured. “There you are.”
