Page 128 of The Powers of Nyx

Through the bond, I knew he meant it. And it made me even more ready to finally put our enemy to rest.

47

IVY

THEweekend was otherwise quiet, with a day spent helping Eloise and Ginny with their new schoolwork, before taking them out on the grounds while the weather was nice. We found a maze that shifted and moved; at the very centre, it was enchanted to reward any who completed it with a prize.

Three hours we’d spent trying to win the damned thing. Three hours of getting lost and almost losing Ginny because shesworeshe saw the giant fountainat the centre. Only to be spat right out where we’d started.

We’d followed it with an evening picnic and star gazing. Maisie was more interested in the stories behind them, so Maeve and Adrian had taken turns explaining them. Even Thea found them interesting.

And then Sunday rolled around, and I was due for another lesson with Greer. My last day with the kids, and instead, I’d be in Queen lessons.

I sighed as I changed into yet another one of the stiff, business casual outfits in my closet. I went with beige slacks, a tight-fitting shirt, and a long coat for the incoming weather.

As I tied my hair up into a bun, Elias entered the bathroom, an easy smile playing at his lips. He slid in behind me and wrapped his arms around my midsection. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “I wish I was at the academy with you this week.”

I sighed and leaned into him. “I know,” I replied, offering warmth down the bond. “The system is…”

“It’s not working.” His eyes darkened, though not from his wolf being present. Shaking his head, he burrowed his face into the crook of my neck where his bite lived. “I hate it. I hate being parted from you.”

It tore me apart in ways I never expected. “Once we’re safe, we won’t be parted like this again,” I promised. “I don’t like it either.”

He grunted, pulling his face from my throat. “I guess it gives me more time to hunt the fuckers.”

I hummed under my breath and turned in his arms, looping my hands around his neck. “While you hunt them, I’ll figure out how to rule the kingdom. Kill all the birds with one stone.”

Elias snorted, but he dropped a kiss to the top of my head before pulling back. “I’m escorting you to your lesson. Today, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

I wasn’t about to say no to that. “I need to finish getting ready. Then I’m all yours.”

“You’re always mine, Angel,” he said. “And you look beautiful.”

Bond happy and cheeks warm, I finished with a light swipe of make-up before joining Elias in the bedroom. From what I’d gathered, everyone else was going to spend the day helping Thea in the library. It was all hands-on deck—including Sir Theon, this time. And the children.

Elias took my hand as we left the suite and made our way over the bridge. As I’d suspected, the weather had shifted to gloomy grey skies with a threat of rain. Unfortunately, I was all too used to it now, and just rolled my eyes.

But like the last couple of days, there was a rush and excitement within the palace. I might not have been all that enthusiastic about the upcoming Nyx Ball, but I felt the energy. There was a magic to it that burrowed into my bones and awoke my magic.

Even after the last couple of weeks, my power was still sluggish, affected by the bond with Ry. By now, I’d hoped it would have healed—that the proximity to him, despite no physical interaction, would help. But every time I reached within myself, towards my bonds and towards that thread of magic Greer taught me to identify, there’d been a wrongness to it.

I felt it now, though not nearly as strongly as before.

Elias’s hand squeezed mine, forcing me out of my thoughts. “Everything okay?”

I shrugged, though I tried to give him a smile. “Yes. Of course.”

“Your thoughts…” He trailed off and shook his head. “You’re getting better at blocking them.”

“It’s not entirely intentional,” I replied. “Really. I think because it’s become habit, I don’t even realise I’m doing it.”

He nodded, then leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “So, you’re not hiding anything from me?”

“Of course not.” We came to a stop outside the same meeting room I’d done my previous lessons in, and my stomach clenched. It wasn’t a complete lie, but deep down, I knew he’d be pissed if he found out I’d not only been keeping the situation with Ry quiet, but also the feeling about my magic.

His eyes darkened, but rather than calling me out on what he sensed was a lie, we were interrupted by Greer’s mate. My mate’s eyes told me we’d be returning to the conversation later.

Sir Leith smiled broadly; he might have been a siren, but he had a surfer-vibe to him that was hard to ignore. Where the other mates wore suits and robes, he had on a linen shirt that opened to reveal his shimmering scales, sandals, and khaki shorts. Honestly, it was a surprise the Fae male didn’t have a surfboard tucked under one arm.

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