Page 193 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“I hate you both,” she snarled, leaping from the bed and crossing the room. With little fanfare, she stripped down, knowing damn well they weren’t going to do anything about the hungry way they were watching her.
When she was done, Luka was there, handing her a hair tie. His hair was already up, and when she glanced at Theon, she found him in training attire as well.
“Now what?” she demanded.
“I’d tell you to put on shoes, but…” Luka said, arching a brow.
“No,” she said simply.
“I figured as much,” he said with a shrug, Theon coming closer. Then Luka grabbed her hand, Traveling them.
A moment later, she was outside. Instead of being under the mountains, she was in them. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes as the wind blew across her face. A few stray hairs flutteredagainst her cheek, and despite her foul mood, she smiled. That smile only grew when howls sounded seconds later.
“Where are we?” she asked, not bothering to open her eyes.
“In the Ozul Mountains,” Luka answered. “This is a small outdoor training arena hidden near my cave.”
She turned to look at him. “Why haven’t you brought me here before?”
“Because I only bring people here I fully trust.”
“What’s so special about it?”
He held her stare for a few silent seconds before he said, “This place is where one of a handful of memories I have with my father is.”
She nodded in understanding, a flicker of familiar guilt sparking in her soul. “Why bring me here now?”
“Because you needed to get out,” Theon answered. “You’re not made to be cooped up, are you, little storm?”
“No,” she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed once more as she inhaled deeply again. The clouds parted, and she felt the warm sun on her skin.
But she snarled as black flames licked her flesh.
“What was that for?” she snapped, her magic yanking to be freed.
“Giving your power something to want,” Luka said simply.
Theon was beside him now, his magic drifting around him and his shadow wings flaring wide. “You need to siphon off some power, tempest.”
She smiled then. A real smile as she let her power free. It poured from her, racing to tangle with their magic, but also pulsing in time with her own heartbeat. For the first time in perhaps ever, she felt like it was a part of her and not a thing living inside her.
For the first time ever, she felt balanced.
She didn’t know how much time passed as she played with her gifts, and they did too. Golden lightning and drifting black embers. Black flames and darkness. Chasing and tangling. Pushing and pulling.
And she laughed as the sun beat down on them.
Something deep and real.
She let herselffeel.
Not grief or fury. Not defeat or pain. This was joy. This was serenity.
This was happiness.
They didn’t go back to the Underground that afternoon like she’d expected. No, instead, Luka had taken them directly to his cave. They were still worried about spies nearby, but Traveling directly inside shouldn’t have alerted anyone. It had been several weeks now anyway. They just couldn’t leave using any of the entrances.
She felt lighter than she ever had, and she hadn’t stopped smiling since that morning. Theon and Luka had gone to shower. She’d done the same, surprised to find them still occupied when she emerged from the room she’d stayed in last time. They’d all showered separately, and she was okay with that, wanting to savor and explore this newfound lightness.
