Page 52 of The Ascended
"And which am I?" The question escaped before I couldcage it.
His eyes narrowed. "Oh, you'd fight me with everything you have. Make meworkfor every scrap of progress." He slid his glass onto the bookshelf to my left. "You'd push and push until I had no choice but to show you exactly what happens to those who test their limits."
"You think you could break me?"
"Break you?" His laugh was cold. "Breaking would be such a waste. I'd much rather watch youbend."
Dark promise dripped from every syllable.
Fire flooded my cheeks, and his smile turned positively feral.
I wanted to shove him away, to do anything but stand there. But no one had ever spoken to me like this—with such devastating, depraved confidence. It awakened something in me I desperately wanted to bury.
He stood directly before me, his presence commanding the space between us. The black of his eye seemed to devour light, creating shadows that danced across the brutal planes of his face.
"If you eavesdrop on private conversations in my home again," he stated, "you won't survive long enough to see the Trials."
It sounded like another dismissal, but he didn't turn. Instead, he pressed closer. The hands tightened around my wrists as his breath feathered across my lips.
"You have a problem with boundaries." Velvet over steel, that voice. "Perhaps you need a lesson in consequences."
"You're quite observant for someone who claims to have no interest in me," I said.
"You enjoy playing with fire, don't you? Seeing how close you can get before you burn." His thumb brushed the corner of my mouth. "Before Imakeyou burn."
Gods.
A sudden flash of light streaked across the window, followed by a muffled impact that shook dust from the shelves.
Xül's gaze flicked toward the window, one eyebrowlifting with detached curiosity. "Interesting," he murmured before returning his attention to me.
My heart hammered. Had I done that? The heat coursing through me felt wild, untethered, like something trying to claw its way out.
Get it together, Thais.
"Tomorrow," he breathed against my ear.
He held my gaze for one more endless moment before turning away, leaving me still pinned as the hands slowly dissolved.
"Dawn," his voice drifted back. "Don't be late."
I stayed there long after he'd gone, heart trying to claw its way out of my chest, every nerve ending on fire. Finally, I slid down the wall, trying to gather the scattered pieces of my dignity from the floor.
Chapter 15
The Damned
"Again."
Xül's voice cut through the salt-heavy air, bored and dismissive. He hadn't moved from his position against a jutting rock on the black beach. The harsh sun carved sharp shadows beneath the high planes of his cheekbones as he turned a page of whatever he was reading, long fingers gliding across the page. Golden rings caught the light in his dark braids, and his shirt hung open at the collar, revealing bronzed skin and the strong column of his throat.
I paused for a moment, catching my breath. "This isn't exactly what I expected when you said training. How does any of this help me during the Trials? And speaking of which, am I supposed to go into them completely blind?"
Xül glanced up, a flicker of annoyance crossing his perfect features. "The Aesymar prefer their contestants ignorant and afraid. It makes for better entertainment."
"So, there’s no way to prepare then?"
His eyes returned to his book. "We will receive correspondence before each trial detailing the parameters."
