Page 12 of Magic and Mayhem

She gapes at me as if this is something I should have told her would happen. If it were a normal deal, I might have. But nothing about this woman is normal, and she has no fucking idea what her presence here means.

I lean down and take her hand in mine, pressing a soft kiss to the mark and sensing a thrum of energy run between us.

“Do you feel that?” I ask in a soft voice.

She nods mutely.

“We are now connected.”

Turning over her palm, I flick my tongue out, tastingthe blood on her skin. She hisses in pain at first, but then I push my ether inside of her.

It takes me a minute to get it to work properly since I’m not used to healing humans, but the process quickly becomes as easy as breathing.

I command every bruise to disappear, each cut on her feet to bind together, and every scar on her body to fade. Just as one on her wrist under the tattoo starts to vanish, she pulls out of my grasp.

“Not that one.”

My brows pinch, taking her hand back and letting my thumb run over the dense scar. Once I realize what it is, I look deep in her eyes.

“I will protect you from all harm, even from yourself,” I vow with intensity.

She nods, turning pale as she begins to assess her body and finds all of her injuries are gone. I allow my ether to flow back out of her, pulling it from her mouth. She panics in response, which is honestly fair. In hindsight, I really should have just let it fade into the floor since she doesn't fully understand what the ether is.

Evolet steps back, grabbing at her throat, clearly spooked by my magic, and I can’t say I mind it. That is, until her body sways.

What I thought was about to be a moment of humor between us swiftly turns to concern for her. Using my gifts, I teleport to her side and grab her just as she stumbles back.

When she catches sight of me behind her, every muscle in her body goes limp and she faints.

Way to make an impression, Eryx. First you make her choke on ether and then teleport in front of her. So much for not adding to the trauma of the day.

I catch her with ease, not willing to allow a single scratch on her body for as long as she’s bound to me. Maybe even after.

I forget that humans are fragile, their brains unable to process mass amounts of information at once. While I’m sure it is strange to find out that there are realms outside of humanity, it can’t be that shocking.

Not one of them can actually believe that they are the superior beings of the universe. Not when we must tell them not to eat things that are clearly labeled for laundry and not for human consumption.Fucking humans.

I lift Evolet in my arms and carry her to the center of the room. Closing my eyes, I allow my magic to surround the space. I told her I would craft something special, fit for a queen.

So, I get to work doing just that. A large bed with a platform under it rises in the center of the room, light linens draped around the canopy to create a more intimate space where she can feel surrounded and safe.

Laying her on the bed, I conjure plush pillows and a soft feather duvet to cover her body. Seeing her lying there in my clothes brings me primal satisfaction. Now that I know all of her injuries are healed under the fabric, that knot in my chest loosens.

Using my hands, I craft elaborate wardrobes, one for each of us and fill them to the brim with clothes of all different kinds. Nightstands by the bed spring to life and a large tub materializes with water spelled to stay warm and clean itself so that she can wash any time she wishes.

By the tub, I conjure a vanity truly fit for a queen with amethyst stones adorning all of the details. Plush rugs line every walking space, and I pull on the reserves of my magic as more and more items of comfort appear.

Nature begins to take over as my power pours from me, coating everything in a dark gold, while all of the fabrics are a soft violet gray. A dining table fit for royalty comes next with golden chalices and silver utensils. Then, a desk where she can write and a reading corner with a large couch.

It’s strange that I can picture us having a glass of wine in the evening and reading beside each other in the space.

All of a sudden, the place in my heart that has felt empty for so long fills to the brim, making my power reserves swell nearly endlessly.

When Lilu found her mates, she tapped into this infinite well of power. She described it like a waterfall, constantly going with no end in sight. I can feel it now, just behind a small veil, waiting for me to push into it. But our bond isn’t complete.

A mate bond is serious and something that must be accepted by both parties. Eventually, I will have to tell her that the mark on her wrist is her tether to me and that she can choose to accept or deny it.

But I need to find a way to help her accept it because all I am to her right now is a villain who happens to be stronger than her fears.

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