Page 99 of Promised in Blood

Enora moves over to Ophelia and takes her hands. She peers closely at them, turning them over and inspecting her palms and then her fingertips. “I knew there was something very special about you, child, but I had no idea.” Her tone is full of wonderment. “I have not been in the presence of a being such as you for longer than I care to admit. Would you be so kind as to demonstrate your power?”

Ophelia looks to me for permission, and the plea in her eyes is the only thing that makes me acquiesce.Show them, little one. It is time they knew of your power.

She nods. “I’m not that great at it yet, but… here goes.”

She waves a hand at the fireplace, and a fire bursts to life, flames crackling.

Osiris narrows his eyes. “She could have used a spell.”

Enora claps her hands together, an uncharacteristic squeal of delight falling from her lips. “She did not use a spell, Osiris. I would know if a spell had been cast in this room.”

Ophelia smiles appreciatively at the giddy professor, and I already know that Enora is going to be one of our greatest allies. My old friend fans her face, seemingly overwhelmed. “Mastery of fire. Extraordinary.”

Ophelia closes her eyes, and the ground begins to shake beneath our feet.

“That’s our girl,” Malachi murmurs as a round of gasps ripples around the room.

“Earth and fire?” Enora shrieks.

Even Osiris is looking suitably impressed now, as he should.

A flush creeps over Ophelia’s cheeks. “Shall I show them more?” she asks me.

I nod, pride filling me as they watch her with astonishment. My three boys stand beside me, arms folded across their chests, and we all bask in the glory of our perfect elementai. Ours. That word vibrates through my entire being. I wish we could have kept her to ourselves a bit longer, but her destiny is moving at lightning speed.

“Okay, air is a little harder to demonstrate.” She balls her hands into fists, and a few seconds later, the air has all but disappeared from the room.

“Ophelia,” I gasp, and her eyes widen before oxygen floods the space once more. Everyone sucks in a deep breath. “Your powers grow stronger each day.”

“Air too?” Osiris asks. “But that’s impossible. No being in over a thousand years has had power over three elements.”

I wonder how wise it is to reveal that Ophelia is only the second creature in existence to have mastery over four. No one in this room could be called a fool. They will all know that her rarity means something. Something more than we already knowthat I do not wish to contemplate. “So you see why it is so vitally important that we keep Ophelia’s identity a secret?”

He nods solemnly. “I understand.”

Shall I show them water too?

The quiver in her voice assuages my doubt. She is spectacular, and the time for hiding her, at least from the people in this room, has come to an end.

Xavier wraps his arms around her waist and presses a possessive kiss on her shoulder. “You haven’t seen her final trick yet.” The unmistakable pride in his voice makes her blush deeper.

“Show them your power over water, Ophelia,” I encourage her, and the smile she rewards me with is dazzling.

“Impossible.” Osiris shakes his head. “Not since Azezal himself…” He trails off but keeps his attention locked on Ophelia. Meanwhile, his daughter jumps up from her seat, her eyes shining as though urging Ophelia to go on.

Ophelia directs her attention to the large monstera plant sitting in the corner of the room. With nothing more revealing than a twitch of her lips, a small cloud the size of a football appears above the plant—and it starts to rain.

Enora stumbles back into the nearby armchair, her hand over her mouth and her face as pale as the waning full moon.

“Alexandros.” Osiris’s voice contains a sensible hint of fear. “This…” He opens and closes his mouth and blows out a breath.

“Is fricking epic!” Sienna squeals.

Cadence stares, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. “Wow, Ophelia. All four elements!”

“The plant, sweet girl.” Malachi brings all our attention back to the monstera with its own rain cloud, which has almost doubled in size in the past minute.

“Oh, damn,” Ophelia mutters, and the cloud disappears. “It’s all still so new. I’m getting used to everything.”

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