Page 20 of The Blood Witch

“I just… I’m trying to control it,” Fey explained. She dropped her hands from his chest and stared down at them. Hands that had taken countless lives. “The anger. The rage. I’m trying to hold it back?—”

“Why?” Alastair interrupted.

Fey stopped. She glanced up and stared into his eyes. He was serious.

“I’m dangerous, Alastair,” she told him.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I know that, Fey,” he said. “Andyouknow that. So why hide it from them?”

“Because…” How was he not understanding this? “Because when they look at me, they don’t see someone who’s dangerous. They look at me like I’m… like I’m here to save them. Rule them. They don’t see what’s really inside me, they don’t see this… this destruction inside me.”

“So let them see it.”

Fey rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious, Fey,” Alastair insisted. He grabbed her hips tightly and maneuvered her until she was straddling him. “They don’t see you. Thereal you. They don’t see what you are. So why are you trying to hold back? Why aren’t you letting them see it?”

Why…?

“Because it’s dangerous,” Fey answered. Her voice sounded so small.

“You’redangerous. You said so yourself.” Alastair said. He took her face in his hands. “Listen to me, Witchling. This is who you are. Why are you running from it? Why are you trying to make yourself less, forthem?” He spat the last word out, like it left a bad taste in his mouth. “For the last year, I’ve watched you try to make yourself smaller and smaller, and I’ve held my tongue. But I won’t, not anymore. You’re not a queen, Fey. You’re a fucking goddess.”

“Don’t be blasphemous,” Fey warned him, narrowing her eyes.

Alastair grinned. “You’remygoddess, then. Stop trying to be what they see and be yourself. Let it out, Witchling. All that power, all thatrage. Stoptryingto hold it back. Let them see it. Let them seeyou.”

Something in Fey’s chest roared with approval at that.

Alastair leaned forward, kissing her lips softly before he added. “Let it out, Witchling. If you don’t want them to kneel to you, fine. They can cower instead.”

Fey smirked. “And if I burn down Regina’s store?” she asked, trailing her fingers down his chest.

“We’ll buy her another,” Alastair said, matching her grin. “We have the money. Hell, we’ll buy her two, for the inconvenience.”

He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her chest.

“And if I burn down the entire city?” Fey asked.

Alastair kissed up to her collarbone. “Then you can rule over the ashes, Witchling. And I’ll be right there beside you.”

Fey moaned as he licked up to her neck.

“Stop holding yourself back. Let it out, Witchling. Let all of it out. If you’re angry, be angry. If you want to burn them all, then do it,” he spoke into her skin. “But never make yourself less, not for anyone.”

Let me out, that pulse beat inside her.

So she did.

Tilting her head back and with Alastair’s arms locked around her, Fey let her power out.

Fire filled her, but it wasn’t an inferno like she’d feared. White hotpower unfurled just under her skin, flowing from her chest all the way to her fingers and toes.

Alastair groaned against her skin. Could he feel it? Feel that power coalescing inside of her? Fey let more of herself go.

Water came next, and she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding that part of herself back, using it as a weapon to keep her rage in check.

Fey reveled in the power inside her. Her body relaxed as she let herself go. Maybe Alastair was right. Maybe she didn’t need to hold it back. Her Fire stayed under her skin, warming her but releasing no flames.

---