Page 62 of Queen of Legends and Lies
I laugh again before patting him on the leg. “Well, I have faith in you. You’ll figure something out.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The training fields stretch out before us, a wide expanse of packed earth surrounded by low stone walls.
This is so much better than sitting in court all day yesterday. Even if my first day did end with a bang.
Sterling and I stride toward the center of one of the fields. A cluster of fire and water elementals stand at the perimeter, alert and watchful.
High overhead, dragons wheel lazily through the sky. Ryu swoops low, his massive wings casting flickering shadows across the ground as he lands with a soft thud nearby. He fixes us with gleaming golden eyes and snorts a puff of smoke, as if amused by our efforts.
Sterling turns to me with a clenched jaw. “Let’s do this.”
I nod, trying to quell my nerves. We have to master merging our magic, but the risks terrify me. What if we lose control again and unleash devastation no one can contain?
Ash Queen.
Pushing that thought aside, I reach for the core of my power, the raging inferno always simmering inside. I meet Sterling’s resolute gaze and will a connection to form, for our magics to become one.
Nothing happens.
Frowning, I try again, pushing harder.
Still nothing. Frustration slams into me.
I take a deep breath and center myself once more. This time, when I reach for Sterling, I can almost make out the gossamer threads joining us. But the ethereal tether slips through my grasp, dissolving like mist.
Dammit.
How did we do this before?
There must be a trick to it, a crucial element we’re missing. If we merged our powers in our dreams, without even trying or knowing connecting like that was possible, why is it so damn difficult now?
We try again and again, until my temples throb and exhaustion tugs at my limbs. Each attempt is like hurling myself against a locked door that won’t budge. My magic is there, waiting, and the chill of Sterling’s is right under his skin. But that’s as close as they’re getting. Nothing’s coming out. Not a blade of grass is singed or frozen.
“This isn’t working.” Sterling runs an agitated hand through his hair. “We’re going about it wrong, missing something.”
I want to scream.
People could die if we don’t succeed. The fate of the kingdom—the world, really—may rest on us learning to merge our magic. And, so far, we’re failing spectacularly.
“We can’t give up.” If only I could figure out how to seize those shimmering strands binding us and wrench them together. Weave Sterling’s ice and my fire into a perfectly balanced and immeasurably powerful unified whole. “It worked before. Why won’t it work now?”
My intuition tells me the answers are dangling just out of reach. Taunting us.
“Maybe we should try a different tactic.” There’s a wicked gleam in Sterling’s eyes. “Like how we merged in the dream. You know, merge physically, and then…”
My face flushes hot.
“Sterling!” I hiss under my breath. “If you think for one second I’m going to have sex with you in this field for the gods and everyone to see, you’ve lost your damn mind.”
He grins, completely unrepentant. “Oh, isthatwhat you thought I meant? Since you mention it, that’s actually not a bad idea. Wild sex with you screaming my name?—”
When I slap my hand over his mouth, his grin widens. “So help me, if you don’t behave…”
He grabs my wrist, dragging my hand away from his mouth. “You’ll what? Punish me? Because we both know how that panned out yesterday.”
Heat unfurls low in my core. “People are watching. And this is important. So like I said, please, try to behave.”
