Page 121 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

As he began to move inside her, his fingers trailing her scar and hers raking lines down his back, Erik knew without a doubt that he was home. No matter where the war took them, no matter what dangers he faced, he would sacrifice whatever it took to protect this woman. He’d spent his life motivated by revenge, needing to kill the king for what he’d done to his mother. But in an instant, his motivation shifted.

The war was still coming, but he was no longer fighting for the memory of his mother alone. As Janelle tightened around him, his name on her lips like a prayer, Erik knew without a doubt who and what he was fighting for. He spilled himself inside her, kissing her deeply as she sagged against him, and promised the gods he would do whatever he could to keep her safe. Even without a mark branded on her skin, she was his, and he’d sooner burn the entire world than let her get hurt again.

Chapter 78

Lea

"RenderAlaricpowerless,andit will change everything," Gray said with stars in his eyes. He’d emptied out the training room, sensing Lea’s discomfort with practicing in front of the rest of their army. Normally, Lea would be grateful for the privacy, but now it just made her feel more vulnerable.

"What if I take too much?" Lea asked. When she had taken Genevieve’s power, she’d taken every last drop. But Gray was far more powerful than his mother, and she worried that her chest might actually explode if she accidentally stole all of Gray’s power. Giving Genevieve’s magic back had been easy. She’d simply sent it home to where it belonged. Even giving away her own had been less difficult than she’d expected. But stealing it? Carving someone else’s power away from its master was as unnatural as stealing the light from the sun.

If Lea was being honest, being overwhelmed by Gray’s magic was only a small part of what worried her. She was painfully aware of how that dark, primary magic inside her hungered for more. Without Genevieve’s magic taking up space in her chest, keeping that raw power locked away down deep had been even harder. It wanted release. It begged formore,yearning to consume everything it touched. It was in the way the magic pulsed and thumped along with the rhythm of her heart. What if she started taking Gray’s magic, and couldn’t stop herself? What if she hurt him somehow?

"That’s why you’re practicing with me. With the bond, I’ll be able to feel what you’re feeling. If you’re getting weak or overwhelmed, I’ll know to stop you."

"Right. Okay." Lea wiped her sweaty palms against her thighs. "I can do this." Closing her eyes, Lea prepared her magic.

Gray widened his stance and crossed his arms, standing casually on the mat as if he had no concerns. "Start by using the bond to find my magic. Once you learn how to cut some away, we can try again on someone you’re not bonded to."

Lea did as Gray said, her magic following every loop and twist of the tether between them in her mind as she tried to find the very center of him. When she gave her magic to others, that searing hot blade of fire cut through it easily, and her magic obeyed, moving wherever she wanted it to go. But as she severed away a piece of Gray’s night magic, it refused to budge.

His eyebrows scrunched up as Lea continued to tug at the small bit of power, but it wouldn’t budge. "Pull, harder," Gray said. "I can feel it. You’re close."

Lea pulled, wrapping her magic around Gray’s and imagining it going taught as rubber before snapping. She tugged until her head pounded and her body shook.

Gray sent a wave of calm through their bond. "Take a break, Lea." Gray urged. "There’s no rush. What was different when you took my mother’s magic?"

Lea dropped her hands, thinking back to the night she’d had her vision. "I thought my mother was in danger when I took Genevieve’s power. It looked like she was about to attack her."

"Or maybe it worked because of the adrenaline? You’d just watched Adelaide cut a baby from the queen’s stomach." Gray said, his eyebrows lowering in concentration.

Or maybe,Lea thought,it’s because you were accessing that darker magic. That place deep inside you, hidden away behind the cold floor in your chest."Maybe." She pushed the thought aside. "Let me try again." Lea squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, searching for her courage as she dove deep into her magic.

She pulled at the bit of primary magic that had seeped from the crack in her chest and mixed with her light and shadows. As the dark, raw power took hold, her throat constricted and her head pounded. Her heart raced erratically and fire danced behind her eyes. Somehow, she was freezing and consumed in flames simultaneously. It was as if she stood naked in the snow while fire burned her skin. She dug deeper, the burn intensifying as the room grew hotter. Lea burned from the inside out, and a strangled cry of pain burst from her throat. Gray was suddenly at her side, his hands rubbing her upper arms.

"You control your power." Gray’s voice soothed the sting, and she breathed a little deeper. "Do you understand?"

Lea kept her eyes closed, fighting against the pounding in her head and taking a deep breath. It took several minutes for her to regain control—long, agonizing moments in which the dark, black fire inside her revolted against what she was trying to do. Gray continued to hold her arms, steadying her, grounding her. Finally, Lea forced her magic to submit.

"Good," Gray said, exhaling loudly, and Lea realized he’d been holding his breath. She forced herself to meet Gray’s gaze, then froze. Reflected in his eyes, she could see that in her own danced red, blazing fire.

"It’s okay. You’re okay. Keep going." Gray maintained eye contact, refusing to let go. Lea watched the fire in her eyes as she reached into her chest and followed the tether to her mate. She found Gray’s magic, but this time, instead of using a blade of fire, she formed one of unbridled power, made of both flames and shadow—black embers flickering red and yellow in the depths of darkness. She sliced away a small bit of his power and began to pull it toward her.

Gray’s magic fought back, recoiling from Lea’s presence. It was as if Lea was trying to steal away Gray’s heart or lungs. His magic was just as much a part of him as his blood and bone, and to steal even the smallest bit felt impossible.

Lea grabbed Gray’s hands and squeezed, grounding herself and ordering the magic to obey her. It started to relent, small bits of shadow mixing with her own, but it wasn’t enough. Pain burst behind her eyes as the room spun.

"Stop, Azalea. It's too much."

Lea felt resistance as Gray tried to pull his magic back, his shadows untangling themselves from her and darting away.

"No!" Lea wouldn’t stop. She was so close, she almost had it. If she could just pull harder. Allowing a bit more of that dark power inside her to leave her chest, she closed her eyes and demanded that Gray’s magic bow to her will. Lea was vaguely aware of flames dancing along her skin, of shadows wrapping around her mate, but she couldn’t stop. The magic inside her demanded she finish. She needed more: more magic, more power.

Gray hissed and pulled his hands away. "Lea control it! We’re done. You'redone. Stop!" But his words barely registered. Her magic fought harder against Gray’s as her head swam and her chest ached. Lea was vaguely aware of something wet dripping down the side of her face and neck, but she didn’t care.Couldn’tcare. She needed Gray’s magic—wasn’t sure she could breathe without it.

"Azalea!" Gray roared, thunder booming and shaking the walls of the cavern as he grabbed her once again. She could feel her flames singeing his flesh, and was vaguely aware of his hiss of pain as he shook her violently.

"Open your eyes! Look at me, Little flower, you aremine. You belong tome. Only me."

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