Page 109 of An Empress of Fire & Steel

“Actually, it was a compliment to Emara. It looks like she learns quickly. You have an eye for combat.”

Torin turned to face her. “Agreed. That is absolutely your weapon.” His eyes darkened, looking at the pole. “But I don’t want it to be wooden next time we practise. Let’s keep it steel.”

A lethal smile devoured his beautiful face and struck a chord in her heart.

“I would be up for that,” she said, feeling the adrenaline from the fight pump in her veins.

By the expression on his face, it was as if she had said something obscenely crude, and he couldn’t hide the fact that he loved it. “You, talking about working with weapons…that’s just made my morning even better.” His wicked dimple appeared deeper.

“Shut up.” She laughed, rolling her eyes.

“I think you should fight me with that pole.” His eyes blazed like they had just been set alight by witchfire.

“Maybe I will.” She smiled back at him, knowing the danger that lurked between them.

“Okay, when you guys start eye fucking,” Artem cut through the air, “that, is my cue to leave.”

Torin’s mouth opened and closed again, but before he could say anything else that could increase the tension swarming around them, Emara’s eyes darted to Sybil, who was walking towards her with Gideon by her side.

He looked impressed.

Her stomach flipped.

“That was amazing.” Sybil’s eyes were wide as she called across the clearing. As they both reached where Emara stood, she said, “You are a natural out there.”

“Actually”—Emara’s eyes darted between the two Blacksteels, who were both looking at her—“these two taught me. With a little help from Marcus too. I am not a natural.” She gave a shy smile.

Admiration polished Sybil’s warm eyes. “But you fought today like you have fought your entire life. I didn’t know witches even trained.”

Something in her voice sounded like hurt and regret, like if she could have fought, she could have saved her sister. And in Emara’s experience, that was the worst road for your mind to take.

“Witches don’t normally train,” Gideon cut in. “We trained Emara because she asked us to. She couldn’t stand the idea of not being able to protect herself, and at the time, she thought she was human.”

The words from Gideon made her heart cease, but it was true. They had seen how desperate she had been to never be in that position again. “We were only supposed to show her the basics. how to defend herself,” Gideon continued.

“That looked like more than the basics to me.” Sybil looked him over, her leaf-green eyes wide.

Gideon’s gaze lingered on Sybil’s face, before he smiled. “Witches can be persuasive when they want something.” His gaze met Emara’s. “She got sucked into our training, and the rest is history.”

“It’s our magic,” Emara panted, finally feeling the effects of the spar after the adrenaline had died a little. “We pick up the training quickly. It’s like if you wanted to be an artist, you could probably learn to paint better than the average mortal, or so Naya told me. But from the minute I began training, I was hooked. I didn’t want to be a helpless little girl when any other monster that exists in this world came for me.” She found Sybil’s large eyes, watching her with understanding. “I practically begged the Blacksteels to start training me so that when the monsters did come, I would be able to handle myself.”

Sybil’s eyes welled with tears, and Emara had the instant urge to reach out and comfort her.

“I know I have magic now, but I didn’t then,” Emara said, looking at the Blacksteel brothers, who both nodded. “I still don’t know how to harness that properly. So until I do, I don’t want to use my…my magic in a situation like that.” She shuddered at the thought of air or fire surging from her, unleashed and uncontrollable. “I don’t know how to control it,” she finished with a whisper.

“Then maybe we can be beneficial to each other,” Sybil said, her voice slightly hoarse. “I can teach you everything I know about witchcraft, and you can teach me at least one of those impressive spin and kick things you did.” She smiled wholesomely, and Emara now understood how her plainness could turn to beauty in a second. “I would say that could be a deal between us. What do you think, House Air?”

“It sounds like we both have ourselves a very good deal, House Earth.”

Sybil had stayed true to her word. After training with the hunters and eating lunch, they found a room to experiment in every day. Their favourite room seemed to be home for unwanted furniture that lay piled on top of each other, but it was quiet and uninterrupted. They practised basic elemental magic, and it was things that Naya had never had the time to touch base with. Torin and Gideon normally stood guard outside, like they were now, and it was nice to see the two of them spend time together in a way that wasn’t in the sparring room or at each other’s throats. Even if they were on duty in a different way, they could at least talk.

Emara’s stomach squeezed inside her body at that thought.

Maybe that wasn’t a good idea for them to talk.

Gideon would need to know about them. Her heart dropped at the thought of hurting him. She didn’t know if his heart still lay with her, but it would be unfair for him not to understand where hers currently did. Surely, he would have an inclination after what Torin had done at the ascension ceremony. He would have an idea of where his brother’s heart lay. But did he understand where hers did? Everyone else in the kingdom seemed to be talking about it, according to Lorta and Kaydence. Is that why he had been avoiding her?

Emara wondered if it should be Torin to tell Gideon about what had happened, about what was happening between them. But as she thought about it, she didn’t exactly know what Torin would say. That they had kissed? That he had her feeling more than just a maddening sexual attraction, more than lust—Gods!—more than any man had ever made her feel before. Should she tell Gideon that it was ridiculous and confusing, yet consuming and spellbinding?

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