Page 55 of Shadows of Fate

“My turn again?” Bastian asked. “Lovely. Okay, so of course when they found the part about powers combining, we started digging. The ruler who reported that was Elric, Raiden. His shadow magic combined with his mate who had the power of necromancy. You can imagine how powerful they were together. I’m not sure how ice and shadow magic would combine, and honestly, I’m nervous to find out if they have. I don’t want us to be surprised when we go to investigate this rebel house together. So… I’d like to run some drills.”

“You want to experiment on us?” Raiden questioned. I wondered how often his shadows responded to his emotions like this because once again, I could feel them fighting to be free.

“I agree with him,” I stated, looking back at my male. “I don’t want to be surprised either. I don’t want us to be trying to save a young girl, and I accidentally kill her with your death shadows, instead of my own magic acting as I wish.”

I felt him relax beneath me. “I can see your point,” he replied. “What do you want us to do, Bastian?”

Bastian appeared momentarily shocked. “Silvana, I wish you would’ve come to us long ago. These years would’ve been so much easier with you by his side.”

“Bastian, where do you want us?” I asked quickly.

He smirked, knowing he was pushing Raiden’s buttons.

“I’m thinking out in the back, beyond the gardens, before the forest. Plenty of space.” He rubbed his hands together, excited. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Ice Sickle.”

I rolled my eyes, laughing, pulling Raiden up with me. “Off we go. Let’s go play.”

Chapter28

You Are Dismissed

Raiden

We’d been in the field beyond the rose gardens for most of the night. I thought by now I’d feel exhausted, but so far, I hadn’t even started to tire. Which felt bizarre. Bastian, on the other hand, looked ready to sleep for the next four nights.

“Should we offer him a break?”I mentally asked Silvana.

She glanced over at me, a smile gracing her face. “Nah. He wanted to do this after all.”

Figuring out we shared the mental link had been one of the first things we’d tried. It was an easy one. I just focused on the slight pull in my chest and thought about what I wanted to say to her.

The rest had been more… complicated. We’d definitely experienced a power increase, tiring was taking a great deal longer than it previously did for either of us. However, so far, our magic seemed to be the same. Not that we’d been able to fully test it. I wasn’t trying to kill the commander of my armies. But it still worked the way it had prior. Silvana didn’t seem to have any shadows, and I didn’t seem to have any ice.

The only thing we had noticed was we could feel each other’s magic. Which was strange. She’d told me when we’d woken up this evening that she couldfeelmy shadows responding to her and even felt them when they’d calmed for her in the library. Her ice was different, though. It wasn’t as reactive as my magic and only seemed to come to the surface when she called for it, but I could still feel it rising to the surface when she did call it.

I focused on Bastian, who was across the field from us, and sent a few more shadows his way. He pulled up more of his own shadows, blocking the blow quickly, before throwing his arms into the air.

“Okay, I quit. I need to eat. Are you two even tired yet?” he asked breathlessly.

“Should we tell him?”Silvana asked me.

I smirked. “I sort of want to, but maybe not. I feel bad.”

“Are you two speaking mind-to-mind? Fucking fuck. Stop it! I’m right here,” Bastian complained. “Ya know what? I’m going back inside. You two enjoy each other.” He started walking back to the manor, mumbling obscenities beneath his breath.

Silvana laughed, the sound tugging on my heart. I walked over to her, pulling her in my arms. “You are perfect, my ice queen.”

She wrapped her arms up and around my neck. “As are you, my Shadow King.”

I smiled at the nickname. I knew she meant it as a joke, but it made my heart soar nonetheless. Everything this female did had that effect on me.

I buried my face in her neck, gently kissing below her ear. “What do you say we have some fun before the sun comes up?”

I felt the small shiver that went over her body before she pushed me away. “Catch me if you can, My Lord,” she said as her teeth gently bit her lower lip. Then she turned and ran into the woods behind us.

* * *

Iwas back in the ridiculously opulent castle again. Surrounded by gold, beige, and blue—I wanted to scream. I didn’t know why my subconscious kept bringing me back here.

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