Page 65 of In the Blood

I bared my teeth at him. “Howdareyou come into my room uninvitedagain. How dare you approach me after what you did to Galen. I should stab a dagger through your heart and leave you to bleed out,” I hissed, wringing the sheets that shielded me, pretending they were his neck.

“You could try.” He smiled, baiting me. I lunged for him and he deflected me easily, laughing as I fell to the ground. “I just saw him downstairs. He looked fine. In fact, he wasglowingwith health.” He rolled his shoulders back and stretched his neck from side to side.

“Get. Out.” I sent wind towards him, but he blocked it with minimal effort.

“Fine. I’ll go. Meet me at the stables in an hour—preferably in a better mood.” I flipped him off before he and his shadows disappeared.

I stood at the entrance to the large barn door leading into the stables as Rafael approached me. “We’re riding to a spot farther away to avoid any spying eyes. What I teach you stays between us. Anything discussed at our lessons is considered confidential. Understood?”

I nodded. I didn’t owe him any loyalty beyond common courtesy, but I would keep his secrets. They seemed to be all he had.

Hibiscus and Zagreus were saddled and waiting for us. “Why don’t I just saddle you up?” I snickered, surprised I was capable of joking with him after what he’d done, even if it was at his expense.

“You’re hilarious,” he said with a deadpan expression. “That was a onetime offer; sorry to disappoint.” There was a hint of humor in his black-rimmed eyes. His lashes were so voluminous, they looked lined with kohl. Beauty had been wasted on him.

We both mounted our horses and stood in silence, staring at each other. “After you,” I said impatiently.

“Oh yes, in Aurelius, it’s males first, isn’t it?” he purred, before taking off in a gallop.

I raced to keep up; Hibiscus seemed to love the sensation of flying as much as I did, stretching her neck as she thundered down the open field. I leaned forward, scratching where fur met mane, as I distributed my weight evenly so she could run without hinderance. We were neck and neck with Raf and Zag in no time.

He glanced at me with unmistakable surprise on his face, before he whispered something into Zag’s ear and shot ahead. I thought about using my wind magic to slow them down, but decided I didn't want to startle the horses. Instead, I settled into the ride. The cold air caused magic to buzz beneath my skin.Tears streamed from my eyes in exhilaration. I needed more ofthis.

We slowed as we came upon a towering tree line and I followed Raf down a barely visible trail. Spanish moss hung from arching oak trees that swooped and curved into a wide canopy, covering us completely. We walked for a while before we entered a clearing.

The meadow was covered in tall grass and an array of wildflowers. A sparkling pond shimmered in the distance, surrounded by magnolia trees with fat, white blossoms. Raf jumped off Zagreus and smacked his rump, signaling to him that he was free. I followed his lead as I watched the horses make their way over to the water.

“What a beautiful grove. Do you usually get it to yourself?” I spun slowly as I admired it. Orange flowers swayed in the breeze, releasing a sweet, spicy scent. It was so private… so lush.

Raf’s face held a content, thoughtful expression, making me wonder if this was his happy place. “Nobody knows about it except for me… and now you. I created it awhile back. I needed a place I could train in private. I don’t like the family to know my business.”

I inhaled sharply, peering at him in disbelief. “Youcreatedit? How? With your earth magic? I thought everything you grew was black.”

One man… had made all of this?

“I can blend my shadows and earth magic together if I want to, but I’m perfectly capable of growing plants without help from shadow magic.”

“The power to create… and destroy,”he’d once said when describing his magic.

“You’ve left me speechless…”

“I didn’t think that was possible,” he mused.

A frown returned to my face. “You should learn to take a compliment,” I snapped back.

We watched the horses wade through the water as they cooled down. Curiosity eased my temper… I’d been wondering about something. “This might be a silly question, but can you communicate with horses?” Shape shifting magic hadn’t been explained to me beyond the basics, but he had a unique relationship with Zag. They seemed to understand each other.

“It’s perfectly fine to ask questions—you’re new to this. As all of us were, at one point,” he said with a warm smile that contradicted his otherwise cool demeanor. “While I’m in my shifted form, I can speak mind-to-mind with other shifters, as well as other animals that have an interest in talking to me. When I’m in my Fae form, horses seem to understand most of what I say. But they don’t talk back.”

“So… why doesn’t Hibiscus like you?”

He gave a wry grin. “You’ll see soon enough.”

“And you’ll help me find my animal form?”

“I’ll try. It’ll take time. Your magic will decide when you’re ready. I found it helpful to spend time with the creatures I’m naturally drawn to when I was searching for mine. I studied their physical forms; how fetlock meets hoof, for example. And their behavior—what motivates them.”

We watched the horses romp, kicking up dust, while I listened to him. “Some people don’t get the opportunity to interact with theirpneuma,their spirit animal. It can take them longer to learn how to shift. Louis, for example, has probably never come across the animal he’ll shift into. The magic will eventually help him on his path… Connecting with your spirit animal is about trusting your instincts and thinking like a beast. I understand that might be a big ask, for a delicate Princess, such as yourself.”

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