Page 42 of A Sun Scorched Bloom

For once, Lea didn’t argue, placing a hand on Gray’s arm and sending love and reassurance down the bond. Gray finally exhaled, his shoulders lowering slightly. Being in this forest was going to be the death of him. Why did he agree to Lea’s persistence? He should have thrown her over his shoulder and forced her back to Bearswillow, or at a minimum gone around the Wicked Wood to get to Calir.

Noah handed him his own chunk of meat, but it barely registered as he watched some of the color return to Lea’s cheeks as she chewed. Once she finished, Gray handed her his water bladder, tipping it up and making sure she drank deeply.

"Enough, Gray," she coughed on the water. "I’m fine!"

"See? She’s fine! Excellent!" Erik clapped his hands. "Time for that magic lesson, then!"

"Do you really think that the best time for a magic lesson is in the middle of the Wicked Wood while we’re supposed to be hiding for the night?" Lea asked pointedly. "You don’t think that might call some attention to us? Especially with my record of chaos?"

Gray’s hand clamped down on Lea’s thigh. "I agree with Azalea." That familiar protective instinct rose inside him again, the calm he’d felt from her resting and eating immediately consumed by a feral need to destroy any threat that could possibly harm her. If something went wrong, it could alert every monster in this wretched forest of their location.

Erik looked at Gray knowingly. "Before you go all mate-shit crazy on me, remember that you promised me I could train her, and that you would trust me."

"And you promised you would keep her safe," Gray said. Erik rolled his eyes, and Gray considered throttling him, his shadows inching across the ground toward him of their own volition.

Erik kicked at them with his foot, undeterred. "And I will. In fact, what you aren't seeing is that protecting her is exactly what I’m doing. You saw that we needed her today. Had she not lent us her fire, those monsters would have killed us all."

"I wouldneverhave let that happen," Gray snapped.

"You wouldn’t have had a choice," Erik retorted, raising his voice. "She cannot be caught without knowing how to use her magic."

"Now is not the time!" Gray bellowed.

"Now isexactlythe time!" Erik threw his arms in the air, obviously exasperated. "The best time to practice is when there's pressure. Because any time we will need Lea to use her magic, therewill bepressure. We don’t have time to wait and practice for months on end in a safe, controlled environment. I have enough magic recharged to help her if things go wrong. You can help her with her darkness. But it has to be now."

"Don’t I get a say in this?" Lea asked.

"Of course you do," Gray said at the same time Erik firmly said, "No."

"I would like you to practice," Emma said tentatively, looking at Lea with worried eyes. "I'm afraid, and I just think if you could get some confidence, your magic could be an asset in protecting us."

"Let Azalea decide what she wants to do. If she's forced to do it, it will be dangerous." Gray gestured toward Lea. "If you all could feel what I am feeling from her right now, you would never ask her to do this. She’s terrified of hurting us, of giving away our location." Gray’s face was angry, his jaw clenched as he stared Erik down.

"I want to do it," Lea said quietly.

Gray slowly turned his head toward Lea. "What do you mean youwantto do it? I know exactly what you’re feeling. Do you not remember that?"

"Of course I’m scared. I don’t have enough control to not give us away. But I also know Erik cares about all of us, too, and he’s right. If I don’t practice, if I don’t take control of my fearsright now, how will I be able to help us?"

Gray didn’t respond.

"If something like what took place today happens again, I can’t be helpless. You have to understand that." Lea held Gray’s stare, and Gray couldn’t help feeling a small kernel of pride. She was brave, and she, unfortunately, wasright.

Gray took a deep, steadying breath, flexing and extending his fingers. "Fine," he said through clenched teeth, "but the second any of us sense danger," he gave a pointed look to Erik, "we stop. Do you understand?"

"Sure thing, boss," Erik said, dropping back down on the ground as if there had never been any tension between them at all. "All right Sunshine, let’s start small. You need to be able to control how much fire or darkness you’re creating." Erik scanned the ground, his head swiveling around until he picked up the smallest twig he could find, only about the length of his pinky.

"I want you to only set just the tip on fire," Erik said.

Janelle raised her eyebrows. "Really? That sounds—"

"Not the time, Janelle." Erik leveled her with a look. "Let Lea focus."

Determination hardened Lea’s face, her eyes squinting slightly and her shoulders back. She took a deep breath, and in the blink of an eye, the stick exploded in flames in Erik‘s hand.

"Shit!" he hissed, dropping the flaming wood.

"Serves you right," Gray mumbled under his breath as he flicked his wrist, sending his shadows to suffocate the flames. Erik shook his hand in the air for a moment before picking up another stick.

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