Page 195 of Emylia

“I don’t know how to do that.”

“You do. It’s the way you claimed me without even knowing it. You called to me. Coiled me with the power you possess without even realizing it. What you are is perfect. Unapologetic. Anything you command would fall to its knees if you ask, so just do it. Ask, and it will follow.”

Oh my Gods. Okay.

Instead of searching for the thread, I commanded it to come to me. To obey me. To bend to my will.

The earth resisted. For a moment. And then—it responded.

The vines coiled neatly back into the ground. The cracked stone reformed, stitching together in front of me. New freshly budded blades of grass unfurled, flowers blooming from destruction.

The magik didn’t just settle. It exhaled.

Peace returned.

Then—

“Holy shit.” Sebastian gave a low whistle, eyes wide. “Already an Earth Goddess. Why am I not surprised.”

I doubled over, palms on my knees, breath hitching.

But this time… Not from fear.

From power.

It was mine.

And I’d made it listen.

ChapterForty-Two

There was an undeniable skip in my step. This was my first real leap forward. My magik wasn’t just a fluke anymore—it was real. Tangible. And for the first time in a long time, it felt like I was sprinting toward something that didn’t feel impossible.

The warmth of Maalikai and Sebastian trailing behind me was a constant heat at my back, their quiet presence tugging at my awareness. So much so that I barely noticed Evie until I almost collided with her.

I stumbled, catching myself just before I toppled into her.

“Shit—sorry, Evie. I didn’t see you.”

“Too much eye candy?”she said with a tilt of her head, not missing a beat.

A laugh broke out of me before I could stop it.

“Something like that.”

“I don’t blame you.”She bent to retrieve a fallen basket from the ground, the scent of crushed apples filling the air. “I’m collecting for apple pie and crumble.”

“Want to do something with me instead?”I asked, still half-charged on post-magik adrenaline.

“You want to do something with me?” Her voice barely rose above silence, thick with disbelief.

“Of course.”

“What about the rules?” Her brow arched like I’d proposed murder, not a casual afternoon together.

But it was a fair question. My uncle had been clear—Evie and I were to keep our distance. A precaution, they’d said. More like paranoia, if you asked me. They seemed convinced that the moment we spent time alone, we'd vanish into thin air and rewrite fate.

“You know me,”I said with a shrug. “Screw the stupid rules.”

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