Page 42 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

I won’t kill him.

Once I have control, I hold on and open my eyes, afraid of what I’ll find. Can he sense what’s going on?

He frowns at my wound. It still looks the same.

Come on,I pray silently.

Sweat forms on my brow, and my breath comes fast and shallow. It is hard fucking work to hold on to the slippery beast, to keep it contained. It thrashes against my hold, trying to wriggle free.

I watch him. Expect him to look at me any minute now with accusation or fear in his gaze. A quiver runs through my body, my strength fading quickly, and I lock my muscles to hide it. My tensing earns me another questioning look. Hopefully, he still thinks I’m afraid.

Time stretches into eternity. But I refuse to give up because it will likely cost both of us our lives.

The heat of the healing magic intensifies and spreads through my body.

Then, eventually, there is a change. Slowly, the cold beast relents, calms, and curls up, becoming a shimmering orbfloating inside me, harmless and content. My mind struggles to match it to the raw and vicious thing I felt before.

And then … it’s over. His magic leaves my body, and his fingers my skin.

Holy mists, I did it. We did it.

Kyronos healed me, and it didn't drain him. I didn’t drain him. I look at my flawless skin, still streaked by a few sticky stripes, and then up at him, stunned.

“Have you never been healed before?” he asks, puzzled. “It must have been worse than it looked.” He huffs out a deep breath but doesn’t elaborate. I’m sure healing me took more than a slash this size should have.

I should say something, but the enormity of what just happened floors me. Maybe there is a chance that no one will find out after all.

“Or was that not fitting your picture of me? You called me intimidating if I remember correctly,” he goes on.

What is he talking about?

I realize my mouth is hanging open and snap it closed. I probably look as stunned as I feel.

Nope, just intimidated. Have you two looked in a mirror lately? You guys are huge!

The words from our first encounter dance through my head. Wait, he remembers that?

“But you were nervous for another reason, right?”He scratches his neck.

My heartbeat picks up, and my stomach sinks to my feet.

No, no, no.

He must have somehowcaught on to what happened. But what can I say in a situation like this?

“Grayson isn't your real name, right?” he asks, pinning me in place with his golden eyes.

Oh, he means me being a girl.

Hope blooms in my chest. Maybe he didn’t catch on to what happened with his magic after all.

Say something.I clear my throat.

“No, I made that up,” I confess.

“What is it?” he asks.

I only stare at him, my gut clenching again.

---