Page 133 of The Powers of Nyx

Gently, I reached out, holding my breath as I skimmed my fingers over her cheek. Sparks of electricity raced down my arm from the briefness of the touch, a burning reminder of everything I’d missed these last eight years. Tears burned my eyes as I let my hand fall.

A tear slipped down her own cheek as she released a shuddering breath.

“Everything I have done,” I said, voice hoarse, “everything I do now, is for you. My little flower. I will do anything in my power to keep you safe.”

“Please—”

But before she could finish, I let the shadow consume me, pulling away from her trembling body. As I walked away, I checked back in with the bond and found it a little stronger than it had been before.

It would have to be enough for now,I thought as I put the glove back on. I didn’t release the shadows until I made it to the main hall of the library, and only stepped out of them once I was certain I wasn’t being watched.

The entire trek back to my room, all I could do was imagine that touch again and again. Dreams of her were not enough. Dreams of her touch didn’t live up to what it really felt like, brief as it was.

Soon enough, we would be together again.

And then, I wouldn’t let her go.

49

IVY

THEwalk to my magical offence and defence training class took me longer than expected. Despite the run-in with Ry in the library two days ago, our bond still felt weak, and my magic had a sluggish feel to it.

Ry was the only thing on my mind. And, unfortunately, the Fae Prince. No one had owned up to the mage’s deaths yet, despite Maeve still looking into it.

Orion was like a wraith, going from class to class, his posse of Fae royals a shield that protected him—not like he needed it. I only ever caught glimpses of his silver hair and vibrant, violet eyes. But otherwise, he was never in the same room long enough for me to observe him.

The rumour of his dead mate still seemed wrong the longer I sat on it. Maybe part of it was true. But it certainly wasn’t all correct.

But why lie?I wondered as I entered the gym. Shaking my head, I avoided direct eye contact with Hawk, who waited in the same place he always did, and headed straight for the locker room.Why does anyone lie? Especially in this place. It’s all about power.

And Orion was the most powerful male here.

I changed quickly, ignoring the obvious stares of other female’s also changing. As much as some didn’t think I was responsible for the deaths, they all still talked about what initially happened.

Back home, they whispered about girls getting pregnant, gaining weight, or sleeping around.

Here, it was whether you were the right kind of powerful to kill someone.

As I left the locker room, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so ridiculously different. And somehow, this place was better.

Well, except for the death.

Hawk pushed off a beam, uncrossing his thick arms. Tension rolled off of him in waves. A tingle ran down the length of my spine as he stalked towards me. The more I saw him, the harder it was to ignore the pull. It drew me in, and with each training session, I found myself drowning in him. He wasHawk, the obnoxious asshole from the other team. And yet the feeling of lightning hit me whenever I saw him.

Ugh. It was an overwhelming mess I didn’t want to untangle.

The half-Fae in question stopped in front of me, close enough that we were almost flush together. One deep breath and my chest would touch his. I had to keep my breathing shallow. The last thing I needed was to be overwhelmed by his...scent.

His dark eyes roamed the length of my body, and as he looked me over, I took it as an opportunity to take him in. For the first time, I noticed dark tattoos lining his tanned skin. There were thick lines of ink circling his arm beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. The thin material stretched over his muscular chest, and it took a lot of effort not to look down.

I cleared my throat when his eyes finally found mine again. “What do you have planned for me today, oh horrible one?” I asked, trying to break the tension.

Hawk blinked but shook his head. “You seem better than last time.”

“I am. Why? Were you worried about me?” I asked, cocking my head.

He lowered his face, and suddenly, there was only a breath between us. If I moved, I could kiss him. It was a ridiculous thought, one I squashed by taking a step back.

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