Page 48 of Entranced By the Basilisks

“You are a being of unknowable power and complexity,” Ari says, his voice getting louder as if he’s leaning even closer. “Everyone’showis different so I can’t answer that for you.”

His soothing peppery scent fills my nose as I consider that. Everyone is different. How am I different? I mull over some options, but nothing really speaks to me. The process of thinking around a power and sensation that aren’t physical or emotional is difficult for me. I’m much better with my restoration projects than this—

What if?

I sense the power in my chest again, but this time instead of it being a churning thing, it’s a book. A book that can be shut—

The snakes on my head hiss angrily when I try. I want to stomp my foot in frustration.

“Almost! Good girl.” Ari purrs.

My skin flushes hot and I’m momentarily thrown by Ari calling me a good girl, but immediately shut down my reaction. This attraction is really fucking inconvenient.

“Don’t give up yet,” he says. “Try and focus more on whatever you just did.”

Okay, the power is a book, the outpouring is paper. Paper can be cut. Instead of trying to cut everything off, I focus on the magic in my gaze. I visualize taking a book repair knife and separating the magic from my power like I would with something that can’t be restored.

The burning stops. I gasp and open my eyes. Ari’s hands fall from my face and his grin widens, full of pride.

“There you are!” he says.

“I did it?” I ask, even though it feels different now.

“You’ve sheathed your weapon! One of them anyway.” Ari licks his hand, and my eyes stick on the action of watching his tongue until it clicks that he’s licking away blood.

“Oh my god! Did they bite you?” I ask.

“It was just a little nibble,” he says. “I’m quite a fan of love bites personally.”

My cheeks burn. “I’m so sorry—”

“It’s fine, Emilia. I heal quickly, but I’ll teach you how to heal venomous bites another time. Let’s focus on controlling your gaze for now.”

“But… I did control my gaze.”

Ari’s smile is understanding. “You shut it off. It’s a weapon. It must be sharpened.”

“But—”I don’t want it to be a weapon.It sounds whiney even in my head.

“Emilia.” Ari raises a brow, and his tone has an authority to it that has my body reacting. “Try to turn it back on.”

I close my eyes, ignoring the distraction of my skin heating and breath catching to try and do just what Ari asks of me. This time when I locate my inner power, I think of a better way to bring the magic to my gaze that doesn’t require being “cut.” I think of how I touch up lettering with a tiny brush of gold leaf. A delicate stroke of liquid gold to bring the magic to my eyes. It takes a few minutes but finally my eyes start to burn, and I open them again.

Ari grins. “Very good, now diffuse it again.”

I suck in a breath, preparing to close my eyes again when Ari lifts my chin with a finger and gazes directly into my eyes.

“Keep your eyes open this time, darling.” His voice is a caress and I lose my train of thought for a moment.

“Okay,” I squeak. We stare into each other’s eyes and heat travels up my throat. My heart starts to pound.

I can do this.In my mind, I wipe away the gold leaf and the burn disappears.

This time I see the moment the smile blooms across Ari’s serious face. I’m struck with how utterly, devastatingly beautiful he is, and notice how willing I’d be to give in if he pursued me.

It’s the wrong time to wonder about serpent kins’ reputation as lovers.

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