Page 67 of Amethyst and Iron
But I could still feel that painful build, the need to release and take action buzzing under my skin in a way that wouldn’t fucking relent.
“I thought you were in class teaching yourRitual Ethicsclass?”
“Time must have gotten away from you, as it can very well do when you’re invoking such potent magics. I finished ten minutes ago. I’d texted you to see if you would like some of those Cloud Muffins you mentioned last night asVantiqehas already been repaired and is up and running again.”
“Already repaired? How?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I saw to it.”
“What? When? We were together all last night at your place and we even came here together this morning.”
“While you were sleeping a couple of nights ago. I briefly left to fix what was broken. The owners have it up and running again now. It took a couple of days for them to return to normalcy. I’d been planning to surprise you after my lecture by bringing you some of your favored foods and beverages from there. I wasn’t sure whether you could actually bring yourself to visit the place in person after what happened. But I was sure you would desire their refreshments.”
“I…wow.”
He smiled and came to me, taking my hands gently in his and holding them between us. “Do not worry, I am not conveying that in order to calm you. You havebeencalm. And believingyou need to maintain that is what is causing these outbursts.” He gave my hands a squeeze, then stepped back and gestured around, his wings sweeping behind him as he did. “These are theMordrek Mountains.Ryker Morgan has recently begun to use them as a space for intense Guardian Movement training of both new recruits and those who need to brush up on their skills. He’s imbued a magicallightning rodof sorts at the heart of this space that releases a portion of his defensive magic into the air, which turns magic into a harmless ambient mist. It enables magic-wielders to invoke high-level power without any risk to the environment.”
“If it’s a prominent Guardian training ground, how are we even allowed passage here?”
“Cornelius put in a word with Ryker.” His lips quirked. “At Warlow’s insistence.”
Despite everything and the way I was feeling right now, I smiled. “That was really sweet. Of all of you. Thank you, Cassius.”
“Go on, let it out,” he said, gesturing around the vast space. Snowy mountains surrounded us for miles in the distance.
I stepped forward and turned my palms up.
Let it out.
“Argh!” I screamed, my voice echoing hauntingly through the mountain range.
My Dark Fae magic streamed violently from my upturned palms out into the distance, vibrant-purple lighting up the area.
My frost tore across the mountaintop in the next beat in crackling veins, as my shadows swirled around me wildly in a vortex that I stood at the epicenter of.
Through it, I caught sight of Cassius.
He wasn’t even flinching.
He just watched, his wings still unfurled, his hands clasped over his worn black jacket, his boots and part of the cuffs of his black pants sunken in the snow.
Unwavering.
Grounded.
He was never afraid of me.
Never.
I jolted as my flash lightning came into play and I roared out across the vast space as it tore into the sky and struck all around in vicious chaos, sending chunks of snow spraying everywhere, even calling dark clouds forth.
He arched an eyebrow at the clouds.
It was intrigue, though, not fear.
Even with this. This lightning aspect of my power… it was the darkest facet of my Dark Fae magic. The dangerous part. The part I’d always been afraid to bring out.
“All is well,” he assured me. “Release at will.”
