Page 48 of Broken Lands

She stared at me for a long moment, absorbing my words, before she nodded. I took her arm as we walked through the grounds back to the combat field. She remained subdued. It might take some time to convince her I was okay with this situation.

I sighed. Maybe a change of topic would bring back the cheerful mood she’d been in as we left the stables.

“How are you feeling about using your air element today? Have you taken control of it yet?”

She shook her head. “No, the only time I’ve used it was when you threw that ball at me.” She glared at me sideways, the smile on her pink lips letting me know she wasn’t actually mad at me. “I’ve felt it, though. Twisting and building inside of me like a storm that needs to be released. I think it might be a relief to let it out today. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

Her smile was genuine and I was glad to see that the light in her eyes was back.

“Holy shit.” I stopped short as we reached the combat field. I’d been told what had happened today; had known what I’d see when we arrived. But actually seeing it? It was a different thing altogether. The entire field was a rainbow of wildflowers, the grass as high as our knees.

It was beautiful and wild.

“I have no idea how you did this today and still have power to spare.” I cannot fathom the depth of her power.

She shrugged. “I don’t know either. One day, we’ll have answers. Today is not that day.” She moved toward the center of the field, the beauty of the flowers surrounding her nothing compared to the ethereally beautiful woman standing among them. “Now, show me. Or tell me. What should I do?”

I couldn’t deny her, not when she was so eager to learn.

“I think we should start with releasing it in controlled bursts.” I moved toward her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her flush against me, her ass rubbing against me in a way that almost had me groaning out loud. That wasnotwhat we were here for today. “I’ll guide you.”

I tucked my chin into the space between her neck and shoulder, inhaling the orange blossom scent of her.

“Close your eyes and find the power within you. That shouldn’t be too hard. You already described how it feels.”

She shivered against me, her body relaxing into mine as she let her head fall back against my chest and raised her face to the sun, letting it warm her.

“Are you ready?” She hummed softly, and I took that to mean she was ready, that she’d found it within her. “Alright, let it flow through you, down your arms, into your fingertips. Let a small amount gather there. And when you’re ready, release it. I’ve got you.”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself against me as she raised her arms, palms facing away from us. The air seemed to still and crackle with energy as she gathered the power within her, goosebumps rising on my arms in anticipation of its release.

“Just a small burst this time.” I murmured in her ear.

She nodded, face still raised to the sun, her eyes closed and her brow furrowing as she concentrated.

Suddenly, she released it, the wind whipping through the wildflowers in front of us, flattening them as it burst from her with more force than I’d anticipated. I dug my heels into the earth beneath our feet to stop us from falling backward as she continued her release.

She raised her palms to the sky, and I could feel the force of her wind pushing us into the earth. I gritted my teeth against it, holding on to her as tightly as I could. This power, the strength of it, the well that must exist inside of her, was like nothing I’d ever felt before.

I should have expected this, been better prepared for it. She possessed all four elements after all, we had no idea what she was capable of. This might very well only be the beginning.

“Riley,” I grunted, the pressure still pushing down on me. “Pull back, little dove.”

Miraculously, she did, the pressure easing until she pulled the wind back into her completely, opening her eyes and spinning around in my arms.

“That felt incredible!” The smile on her face could have lit up the darkest room. The tension in my spine melted, and I grinned back at her in spite of myself, pulling her a little closer to me.

“I bet it did. It was pretty damn impressive. Do you feel depleted at all?” I quirked an eyebrow in question, genuinely curious about how she’d feel after using that much power.

She shook her head. “No. I feel rejuvenated, like I’m only just getting started and could go on for hours.”

“Go on then,” I pulled myself away reluctantly, taking a few steps back and offering her some space. “Try a small, short burst this time. Like you’re in combat and want to knock your enemy backwards a bit.”

“I can do that. Ididdo that with my fire at the outpost.”

We practiced in the field for an hour longer, her skill and control growing with each minute that passed. By the end of our session, she was not only releasing small, sharp bursts of air, she was able to aim them and send them out in quick succession.

“What’s next?” She asked, her voice breathless with a mix of elation and exertion. Her body was relaxed in my arms and I relished the feel of her against me.

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