Page 230 of Emylia

I could do this.

“You sure you don’t want me to get your mom?”

I shot her a glare. “Do you want us both exiled for eternity?”

She held up her hands in surrender. “If it means you’re healed properly, then yes.”

“The correct answer is no.”

“Seriously, I think we should get your mom.”

I took hold of her hand, claiming her gaze. “You said you wanted to be empowered, be in charge of your own destiny.”

“I do.” She breathed.

“Then this is where you begin. Take a leap. What’s the worst that’s going to happen?”

“You’ll be scarred for life.” She offered, which clearly was not helping.

“That’s something I can live with.”

I watched as she swallowed all the air around her, like it would somehow help us.

“Okay.”

My smile was instant. “That’s the spirit.”

I focused inward, drawing from the well of power buried beneath my skin. The healing magik was sluggish, like waking from a deep sleep, but it came. Water lifted in droplets, then swirled into a delicate sphere.

I guided it to the burn, shaping it over the raw flesh. Slowly, the blister dissolved. Pain dulled. The magik sank in and soothed the wound.

But when I pulled my hand away, Evie caught my wrist.

“Wait. Is that…?”

My stomach dropped.

A faint scar remained. Raised and pale. The mark of a wolf.

“Youbrandedyourself,” Evie gasped.

“What?!”

“Oh my gosh, it looks just like Maalikai’s.”

Wait. What?

“How would you know what Maalikai’s birthmark looks like?” I spat out.

I’d only just learned what it looked like several days ago and that was only because he was lying naked on top of me.

If this was the moment she admitted that they’d been sleeping together, shit was about to get ugly.

“I may have watched you guys sparring.” Her eyes were shadowed with embarrassment.

My laugh was instant. “You were spying on us? On him?”

She shrugged, like admitting it would cinder her to ash. But honestly I couldn’t blame her. He was so Gods-damn irresistible and it was so much better than the alternative.

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