Page 34 of Kiss of Fire

He closed his eyes as realisation hit. He was an idiot. A blind idiot.

“Of course. How could I have been so stupid?”

“What?”

“I thought I could force your powers to manifest on this side of the Gate. But I was wrong. You needed to be exposed to supernatural energy.”

“How do you mean?”

“First you faced the jotnar. Then you spent, what, an hour? Two hours? However long it was, dragging me in your arms. That contact, plus your state of mind, must have activated your powers. Only for a second. But it was there.”

“So you think I have to mix with others like you? Does that mean we have to go to Neverland?”

He was bemused.

“Neverland?”

“Nush’aldaam. Are we going?” She felt a spark of excitement, followed by a rush of fear. “But what about Aelfric? Magda said…”

She stopped, biting her lip. Shade looked at her narrowly.

“Magda has been talking about Aelfric?”

“Only because I asked her. Don’t go and roar at her, it was all me.”

He bit back a smile.

“I have no doubt. I won’t roar, as you put it. And don’t worry about Aelfric. He will not dare venture into my territory.” His voice was low and steady. “I will keep you safe.”

He held her gaze and unexpectedly, her stomach did a slow flip.He’s keeping you safe because you’re a political pawn. Nothing more.

She hid her confusion by pretending to fasten her coat against the night air.

“So when do we leave?”

“How about now?”

“Now? Just like that?”

“No time like the present. Magda will have to brand you so you can get through the warding spells.”

He started in the direction of Magda’s hut and Raya scrambled to follow.

“Hey, what do you mean, brand me? Will it hurt?”

He shrugged.

“I do not know. My pain tolerance is exceptional.”

Great.

It did hurt, but only for a second. Magda pressed her fingers to Raya’s forearm and muttered a few strange words. Her skin suddenly felt as if it had been pricked by a thousand red hot needles, and for an instant she saw the outline of a circular symbol blazing vividly just above her wrist. Then it faded, leaving just a faint pinkish marking.

“There you go. This is like a front door key to Nush’aldaam. If you don’t have one of these, you can’t get in or out. Unless a silly old kobold forgets to renew the warding spells,” she added hastily, as Shade raised a sardonic eyebrow.

“Thanks Magda. Though I’m not sure how much coming and going I’ll be doing if I can’t even see the Gate,” Raya said doubtfully.

“But you can. Now that you’re marked, it will be clear to you. Take a look.”

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