Page 48 of First Ritual

Smiling, I left him midsentence. Poor Wild. He needed me more than I needed him. Or at least, he had to believe that.

Wild didn’t follow, and my smile grew as I imagined him filled with rage back where I’d left him.

He’d seek me out eventually. When he got desperate enough. Maybe I’d kiss Sven next to spur things along.

“Where are you headed?” Bedwyr fell in beside me.

I tucked my white hair back as I completed an internal check to see which affinity my magic was hammering at. “Battle today.”

He rubbed his hands together. “I was hoping you had some battle. It’s my only affinity.”

Which probably meant Bedwyr could kick serious butt. “Got any cool tricks you can teach me?”

“I could be convinced to impart some wisdom,” he teased.

I slanted a look up at the grinning magus. “Are you flirting with me, Bedwyr?”

His face colored. He rubbed the back of his head. “Yes. Is it working?”

The magus was about the most uncomplicated male in these caves that I’d met. That held great appeal if I found my needs became pressing. I was almost certain that I’d need to transfer to find my tether person, so a little nocturnal activity before I left could help alleviate some pent-up tension. “Could be.”

We entered the battle learning center together, and I took in the battle dummies, thick wrestling mats, weaponry, strength and agility equipment, and the huge dueling area. The mother encompassed all walks of nature. The defense of territory, the ability to protect against predators, and hunt prey were all normal parts of an animal’s existence. Magus were but animals in the mother’s grand plan, and that’s why battle affinity existed—as an outlet for those basic needs. In coven wars gone by, magus with a battle affinity were frontline. To my understanding, there hadn’t been a coven war in some time, and this center was set up to ensure those with a battle magic had a proper outlet.

“Where would you like to start?” Bedwyr asked. He’d waited in silence as I took everything in. I liked that.

I circled my arms, feeling the tightness in my shoulders. “Warm up. I’ll get changed.” Picturing my training clothes in my duffel in the guest room, I summoned them, banishing my long, flowing skirt and halter top.

Bedwyr’s focus dropped to the skin left bare by my white crop top and matching shorts. An acrobat had gifted me the set. I’d always scoffed at workout clothes like this, but—touché—I much preferred the tighter garments to my loose exercise clothes.

“Do you mind me telling you that you have a killer body?” Bedwyr said, his breath hitching.

Cute.

I winked. “On more than one count, and don’t forget it.”

He shook his head. “I can promise you that.”

Bedwyr left to meditate, and I hit the running circuit that hugged the outer perimeter of the center. After a few minutes, I picked up the pace and injected a trickle of magic through my battle affinity to check over the state of my body. I vibrated healing magic to a few tender spots, then eased the tightness in my shoulders and back from hours hunched over my quipu. There was a physical cost to keeping my mind clear. Worth it, but something to be managed.

Ah, that feels so good.

I’d needed this today.

After a good long stretch, I surveyed the center and headed over to the weapons. A dagger there was calling my name.

Halfway across the wrestling mats, a searing, menacing energy touched my back.

Enemy.

Spinning to the ground, I latched onto the person’s leg and circled around, kicking hard on the floor to explode upward and latch onto the man’s back. Summoning the dagger from across the center, I used a burst of magic to force his head upward, then set the jagged blade against his exposed throat.

13

The black fury of my power pulsed from my body to fill the center, fueled by the scarred hatred I could never contain when a person tried to get the jump on me.

Except with Wild. I didn’t feel fury when he snuck up on me.

The errant thought interrupted my blind rage, and I hissed, “Corentin.”

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