Page 34 of Ocean of Silver

My newly formed plan was to find the forest path, stroll around the city, maybe visit a few vendors, walk to the bayside, and avoid the nude beach no matter what. Then, I would track down a library before heading back because I needed a book or two. I would figure out the no-money-thing later.

Excitement settled into my core as I neared the edge of the forest. One bush separated me from the woody escape. I shouldn’t have to hike too long until I came across a pathway.

“You know,” a low voice drawled, “I didn’t take you to be a fool, Rumor.” I halted with my leg half raised in the air, about to hop over the bush. “You shouldn’t be out here. You’re not supposed to leave your chambers. Not to mention gallivanting through the junglealonewhen dusk is approaching, in a place you aren’t familiar with, with no weapons, might I add.” Tezya tsked, and I could feel his gaze assessing me from behind. “Very foolish.”

“Give me a weapon then.” I lowered my leg but didn’t turn to face him yet.

He let out a throaty laugh. “Definitely not going to happen and even if I did, it still doesn’t help with the wholeyou’re not allowed to leave your chambersthing.”

“If I’m not allowed to leave my chambers, then why didn’t you have any soldiers guarding my door? If I’m still a prisoner, why taunt me with such freedom?” I finally culled the courage to turn and face him. It was breathtaking the way the sun set behind him, his white hair reflecting and catching in the glows of the sky. His eyes were shining as he watched me. His lips were twisted into a half grin, amusement flickered across his face, across his scar.

“Soldiers aren’t guarding your door because I ordered them not to. I figured you didn’t want random males gawking outside your chambers while you slept, and it wasn’t necessary anyway.”

“And why wasn’t it necessary? Clearly, it was if I was able to get out of the castle without being caught.”

“Who said you weren’t caught?” He laughed again, the other side of his lip pulled upward into a full grin now. “I don’t need anyone guarding you because I know your whereabouts. I’ve been following you since you left your room.”

“H-how?” I gaped. Humiliation ran its course through me. I actually thought I got away with it.

“My other ability, besides fire, is summa sensibus.”

“Summa-what?”

He laughed again. “I’m assuming by that reaction you aren’t familiar with all the powers of Lux.” I glared at him before he continued, “It’s called summa sensibus.”

“And what is that exactly?”

“It means I have heightened senses, Rumor. When your maid leaves your room, I take notice of monitoring you.”

“Heightened senses? What does that mean exactly?” I asked, biting my bottom lip. “Whatsenses?”

“All of them.”

I swallowed. Patricia never stayed in my chambers while I slept. Did that mean he was monitoring me throughout the night? Could he hear my screams when I had nightmares?

“I have heightened everything. I feel things harder. Agony hurts more. I feel the sting of a blade tenfold to what anyone else would. The touch of a female is more euphoric, the pleasure is better. I can see miles beyond anyone. I can hear you even if I’m not next to you. I can smell you. Your fears, your desires, your emotions, they radiate off you as easily as light leaves the sun. Like right now your panic is laced with mild curiosity and a little bit of embarrassment.”

I swallowed again. The lump in my throat was now bulging. “I… I get it.” I stammered. This is what he meant bymore.He definitely was right. It was more than just knowing someone’s emotions. The fact that he could sense whatever I felt made me uncomfortable. Could I hide anything from him? Holy Pylemo.

“Why didn’t you stop me then? If you were listening and monitoring me, why let me leave at all?”

“I was curious. I’m honestly surprised that it took you this long to leave your room. I wanted to see what you would do. I wanted to see where you’d go and if you’d try to run away, which clearly you are.” He cocked his head toward the dense trees looming behind me.

“I wasn’t running away,” I said tightly. “I just wanted to explore the city.”

He arched his brow. “Last I checked, the city wasn’t in the jungle.”

“I know that. I didn’t want to go in there exactly,” I said, gesturing toward the woods at my back, “I just figured that I wouldn’t be able to walk past the front gates, so I hoped that the trees would eventually lead me to the city. I just wanted to leave. I had to get out of that room.”

“Why?” he asked, scanning me, and his assessment took on a whole new meaning now that I knew what he could do.

I figured there was no sense in lying to him if he’d just know I wasn’t telling the truth, so I said, “Because my room was starting to feel like a prison, a much bigger and nicer one, but I couldn’t stand the confinement. I couldn’t stand the… I just wanted to be outside for a little bit.”

He stared at me for a moment with deathly stillness. I shifted on my feet, uncomfortable with his gaze and how it seemed to penetrate right through me. His silence was growing more paralyzing, so I rambled more as I awkwardly twirled my hair. “I just wanted to walk around. Just for a little while. I wanted to go to the bayside and then maybe the library. There’s nothing to do in my chambers but to think and think and think, and when I’m alone with my thoughts, they linger on…” Kole’s brown eyes crept into my vision. I roughly shook my head, trying to shake him away.

“I’ll make a deal with you,” Tezya finally spoke. “Train with me and I meanreallytrain with me. Work through your fears. Let me help you overcome both fire and water. Be able to go in the pool or bathe like a normal Advenian. Do that, and I’ll give you more freedom.”

I was stunned for a moment. My brain kept snagging on how he knew about my fear of fire. I never told him, and even my memories from the monitor room didn’t show how my childhood home burned down. “What kind of freedom?”

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