Page 64 of The Ascended
Xül was quiet for a long moment, his hands stilling over theingredients. "Too powerful for one world, not powerful enough for the other."
"That sounds lonely," I finally said.
He resumed his preparations. "Knowledge was the one thing I could control."
I wanted to ask more, to understand this glimpse of vulnerability he was showing me. But his rigid stance warned me not to push. Instead, I watched as he began measuring out ingredients into small glass plates.
"Measurement is crucial," he said, apparently deciding we'd shared enough personal history for one moment. "Too little of an ingredient and the reaction won't complete. Too much and you risk blowing yourself up. Let's try and avoid that." He handed me a set of scales that looked far more complex than anything I'd ever used. "The base of any ward is the combination of salt and metal. For this, you should use four parts iron shavings to one part salt.”
I measured carefully, hyper aware of his presence as he guided me through each step.
"This specific iron comes from weapons forged in the Primordial age," Xül explained as I worked. "It holds traces of the energy that flowed through it back then. That's what makes it such an effective conductor."
"And the salt?"
"Each domain has its own variant." He held up a vial of small iridescent crystals. “These are tears. distilled and dried over centuries."
I paused in my measuring. "You're serious?"
"Grief is one of the purest emotions. When crystallized properly, it creates an exceptionally strong alchemical component." He noticed my expression and amusement flickered across his features. "Don't look so disturbed."
"Do you collect them yourself?" I quipped. "I'm sure you're an expert at making people cry."
"I'm not above getting my hands dirty when I need to." He flashed me that wicked grin.
"Noted." I turned around, hiding the smile tugging at my lips. No. I was not doing this again—letting his sharp wit and that infuriating grin chip away at my better judgment. I took a steadying breath and turned back to him.
He reached for two more vials. "The second part of creating a ward is deciding what its purpose is. Natural ingredients—herbs, roots, oils, resins—they all hold certain properties that mirror your intent.” He sat them down in front of me. “These are greystone moss and blackroot."
The first contained what looked like silvery threads, almost metallic in appearance. "The moss grows on cliff faces where birds nest. It feeds on the decay that seeps into the rock. Even approaching it is nauseating. The stench alone keeps most creatures away, which is why it's the strongest repulsion agent in the region.
"And the blackroot?" I asked, examining the second vial filled with dark powder.
"Grows deep in the mountain caves, where the roots can reach the domain's core." He measured out a small portion. "Takes decades to mature properly. The powder acts as a stabilizer—keeps the other components from reacting too violently with each other."
"So it keeps things stable," I said, measuring out my own portion. "Maybe I should sprinkle some on you."
"I'm perfectly stable, thank you. It's everyone else who seems to have issues with volatility."
"Right. Do you practice being this insufferable, or does it come naturally?"
"Natural talent." He moved closer, ostensibly to check my measurements. "And it serves me well. I find you far more entertaining when you're irritated."
"Entertaining," I repeated dryly. "Every girl's dream."
"I could think of other words." His voice dropped lower as he reached around me for another vial, arm brushing against my waist,but then he paused, as if he were waiting, or listening. He didn't step back. Instead, he turned to face me fully, close enough that I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes.
"You know what I think?" His voice was soft, dangerous. "I think you enjoy this more than you let on."
"The alchemy?"
"You're drawn to the darkness, starling." His gaze swept down, then back up. "Your body always reacts when I get too close."
"That's quite an imagination of yours, princeling." I knew I was blushing, and that made it worse.
"Is it?" He placed his hands down on either side of me, trapping me against the table. "Your pulse says otherwise."
"Perhaps it's responding to being in the presence of a complete jackass." I smiled sweetly, trying to push out of his restraint. He was too close. Far too close.
