Page 21 of The Powers of Nyx

“Fun,” Ivy replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “Which is why we’re eventually going to have to let slip abouthimand how allthathappened.”

I pursed my lips but nodded in confirmation. That would likely be the case, but for now, the less people who knew about him, the better. I also didn’t miss the way she flinched at bringinghim up. The glamour still had her in its thrall, and even trying to speak his name was forbidden.

Despite what she’d told us, he’d managed to protect himself from being found. It irked me that he could so easily hide and stay away. And it frustrated me to no end knowing I probably would never find him, either.

“Where do we start?” Ivy asked, her gaze heavy. I rose and stalked to the bookshelves. A hand clamped around my heart as I pulled down a small trinket box and opened it. I kept my back to the pair, and hesitantly pulled an item from the velvet cushion within. Returning the silver box to its place, I turned to Ivy.

“I want you to relax, Ivy,” I said, moving back to the desk slowly. “Tension will make this difficult for you.”

“I thought I was supposed to be controlling the lesson, Grey,” Adrian murmured, glancing warily at me.

Ivy pressed her lips into a firm line to stop herself from smiling. But when I didn’t respond immediately, Adrian sighed.

I resumed my position behind the desk, leaning my arms against the dark wood. “What is the simplest charm she can create?”

Adrian considered the question for a moment before responding. “My father taught me how to do protection charm when I was coming into my power. I assume that might be the easiest for her, too. I just need something for her to—”

I cleared my throat and held out my hand towards Ivy, revealing the item I’d pulled from the trinket box. It was a ring with a simple band and a small gem in the centre.

“Use this,” I said, offering it to her. If my heart still beat, it would be racing.

She frowned, her body tense. “Are you sure?” she asked quietly, glancing between me and the ring.

“Take it, Ivy.” I dropped the piece into her hand like it burned, and pulled my hand back, throat tightening with memories long since burned to ash. “No charm has ever touched that ring.”

Ivy held it carefully in the palm of her hand, before slipping it onto her ring finger. Unsurprisingly, it went on easily. “Really, Maeve, we could just use a fork or something.”

Adrian chuckled lightly and took her hand, tugging the ring off her finger. “Certain charms hold better on certain items. When it comes to protection charms, even the simplest of ones, you need it to hold to an item you’d wear. Hence the ring.”

The frown didn’t disappear as she took the ring back, and I held in a smile. “I’m just worried about destroying it with my magic. I might have three mates, but it doesn’t mean shit if one of them is out there doing his own thing,” she replied bitterly, toying with the band. “I could still go nuclear.”

“You won’t do anything to the ring,” I said, leaning forward. Our eyes met, and I hoped to convey how much I trusted her with the item. “I’m sure you will be careful.”

Somehow, deep down, I knew she wouldn’t damage it.

“Fine.” She returned her stare to the ring, holding it up between her fingers. “So, what do I do?”

Adrian touched a small tattoo on the inside of his wrist. Her eyes widened as she glanced down at his skin, lips parting as several more appeared.

“Those weren’t there last night,” she whispered, awed and horrified.

I couldn’t help but smirk as I leaned back and touched the inside of my own wrist, where a rune had been burned into my own skin. It worked differently to how a charm mage created theirs, and yet it had some similarities.

Adrian grinned. “Charm magic. I can hide all kinds of things under my skin.”

She shuddered and scooted back in her seat, her eyes flickering between us. “I’m okay not learning that side of magic.”

He laughed, and even I made a sound that could have been a chuckle. “Don’t worry,” he said, ghosting his fingers over the marks, and they disappeared. “Unless it’s completely necessary, you won’t have to.”

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief and sunk into her chair.“Sure. Now, what about the ring?”

Adrian shook his head, amusement filling his eyes, and leaned closer to her. “Put the ring in the centre of your hand and close your eyes. Imagine your magic like threads inside you. Focus on the part that reminds you of me.”

Her eyes flickered shut, and she sucked in a breath. I couldn’t help but lean forward, my heart heavy in my chest, as her magic rose around us.

Adrian made a sound in the back of his throat. “Good. I feel it. I want you to imagine what protection feels like. Bring it into your mind and then feel the ring. Feel its weight, what it’s made of.”

Ivy nodded silently. The ring took on a purple glow that expanded. A shiver raced over my skin as her magic caressed me; it didn’t feel dangerous in this form, one that only appeared while she was in the presence of her mates. The colour of her magic highlighted her soft features, giving her an ethereal glow.

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