Page 63 of Princess of Air

“Not surprising.”

“But I didn’t think I’d offended you this much.”

A long breath blows past his lips that seems to take the fight in him with it. His shoulders relax, and his gaze on me softens. “Bell, you didn’t offend me. I shouldn’t have brought any of it up.”

“You can’t actually want Nina to win.”

“I do.” He looks me squarely in the eyes. “I truly want Nina to win.”

There’s nothing I have any right to be upset about, but that doesn’t stop me. If I had any reasonable level of self-control, I’d grab him by the front of his tunic and demand a better explanation. But if I lay a hand on him, it won’t end well. Or rather, it won’t end in a way my sister should see.

Damn him, I did want him to be there last night—a reminder of what a passionate kiss feels like…

“Fine then. I’ll get out of your way.” In a move both childish and spiteful, I give the bubble a tumble before dissolving it, dropping Nina in a heap.

“You conceited—”

“Throw me a ball.”

She obliges with a devilish smirk. Flames dart forth from her hands, and I catch it in a bubble. It stays suspended between us.

“Fire requires air,” I say. Her weapon consumes the air in its confined space, and the flames sputter and die. “So, a trick like Marcus’ won’t work for you.”

“I have my own tricks, don’t you worry.”

I turn to Tomas. “Oh, you’re helping her work around my magic?” Obviously, she can’t use his methods, but does he know my power well enough to come up with other possibilities?

Nina’s huff draws my attention from Tomas. Her fists clench so tightly, her arms tremble. She shakes her head then turns on her heel and dashes away.

“What is her problem?”

Tomas sighs. “Where can you even begin to answer that question with Nina?”

“Then why do you want her to be queen?”

“I don’t have to like her to kneel to her.”

Chapter thirty-three

Rylan believes I’m training with him because I want to help him. It’s an easy enough ruse—he doesn’t think of anything past his own goals. He wouldn’t consider that it has anything to do with Tomas helping Nina. Or, if he did consider it, he might think I’m offended on his behalf. His own friend, betraying him this way. A shame. No, he wouldn’t guess I’m being a vengeful lover, but Jo does. She watches us train with arms crossed, a stern frown pasted on her face.

She doesn’t even flinch when Rylan throws a boulder my own size at me, though Jamys’ jaw drops. I reach out to catch it in a net of air, toss it up, and set it down gently. Ry drops to a knee and presses a hand to the ground. I feel the rumble underfoot, and a smile creeps onto my face as I swipe a shield onto the grass. Pressure builds underneath it, and I sink invisible claws into the ground, holding it in place. Something bangs against it, and I look down as the ground shifts and crumbles beneath me—a tree tries to push up at the center. Rather than lifting me off the ground, it’s crushed against the invisible barrier.

A tingling feeling creeps through me, and my magic moves and spreads along the ground, like a cat chasing a mouse. I can’t feel where Rylan’s power is trying to spring up, but it can. My body turns and moves with it, pulled by the power in my veins. If only following in a dance were so natural. Then it stops all together. “Are you done already?”

The rise and fall of his shoulders is more pronounced with exertion. Everything is still until a shriek sounds out behind me. I turn to see Josslyn cling to Jamys as the ground beneath their feet shakes and begins to crumble. Honestly, Rylan! A wave of my hand pushes them up and away from Ry’s attack. The moment their feet touch the ground again, walls of earth shoot up around me, cutting off my view. They rise and come together to form a stone dome around me.

Well then.

I drop to the ground and sit cross legged, propping my chin on my hands as my elbows dig into my knees. No sound comes through to me, but I imagine Jo is expressing her displeasure to Ry in no uncertain terms. She has every right to—using her and Jamys to distract me was an unscrupulous move.

A wall of my prison cell parts and opens.

“See!” Rylan says. “She’s fine.”

“Of course she’s fine! Ara is—” Jo bites her lip then purses them together, stiff from head to toe. Jamys stands to their side, probably ready to protect Josslyn, though at this point, I’d be more concerned for Rylan’s safety.

I come out and lay a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry Rylan used you as part of our training exercises.” I fix a pointed stare at him. “It won’t ever happen again.”

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