Page 21 of Artemis' Bow
I nod and focus my attention and magic on Jayden, but this time there’s no blurred vision or feeling like I’m in a spin cycle, just the crackle of magic before Jayden is standing right in front of me with a huge grin on his too handsome face.
“Not what I had in mind, but that’s good information to have.” Jayden leans down and kisses me hard.
Breaking the kiss, I sigh. “What? That I’m an even bigger freak now than before?”
“Hey, stop. You’re not a freak.” He grips my hips harder, pulling me closer. “It means you can call me to you when you need me.”
“Can you see all the strategic ways this can help in battle?” Raven bounces up and down. “You could be in one place one second and then across the battlefield in a second. It’s not only a way to protect yourself, but you can distract and confuse your enemies. So cool.”
“I didn’t even do it right when I actually tried.” I sigh.
“Maybe the instructions were wrong the second time,” Jayden muses.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I had you focus on me instead of a place. The first time you focused on the shield, right?”
“Yeah, I focused on hitting the shield with my magic, not being in front of it.”
“It could be because the shield was made from my magic and so your magic rebelled and did something else instead.” Jayden taps his chin, deep in thought.
“Of course, my magic is a hostile asshole to everyone but you,” I grumble.
Am I pouting like a toddler? Yes. Do I give a shit? Not really, no.
“Let’s try something else. When I shadow travel, I focus on the place I want to be and let the shadows envelop me. Thad,” Jayden calls over his shoulder. “Stand next to that tree.”
With his hands tightening on my hips, Jayden turns me to face Thad where he’s leaning up against a tree fifty feet away.
“So, focus on the tree?” I ask.
“Focus on the spot directly next to Thad in front of that tree.” Jayden points to the spot.
I nod and stare at the spot, letting my magic crackle and hiss at my fingertips. My vision blurs for a moment and I blink back the dizziness. A tanned hand lands on my shoulder, the scent of brine filling my nose.
“You did it,” Thad whoops.
Spinning in a circle, I grin at my friend. I did it on purpose. My magic actually did what it was supposed to do for a change. My grin spreads as I focus on Jayden and a second later, I’m lifted into strong arms and spun around in a circle.
“You’re so fucking amazing,” Jayden praises.
“This could be a game changer,” I whisper mostly to myself.
Could this be the answer to all my fears about the coming war? This could save Jayden without me having to choose. So many scenarios run through my mind on a loop. Do I dare hope that this can all end the way I want it to?
“You still need to work on your offensive magic and test it though, Beth,” Raven yells.
I stick out my tongue at the daughter of Ares. She couldn’t just let me have a minute before the drill sergeant came back to destroy all.
“I think we should switch it up.” Jayden runs a hand through his hair. “You work with Thad, and I’ll work with Raven and shield her from whatever may come.”
“Have you forgotten something, Jayden?” I ask, raising a brow.
Electricity and water don’t mix. I found that out the hard way when I fought the Minotaur the first time and nearly fried myself in the process.
Jayden stares at me, his brow scrunched in confusion, and I glance pointedly at Thad. It takes mere seconds for him to burst into laughter at my expense.
“Sorry, sorry,” he says, getting himself under control. “I forgot. You working with him on this is out of the question, yes.”
