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She surveyed the room, her body throbbing now. Her heart sank. She couldn't see, her eyes weren't adjusting. That must mean there weren't any windows in this room. A soft knock vibrated against her back and she leapt away from it like she was scalded. As the door opened, Lyra resumed her fighting stance, legs wide, fists clenched at her sides. Oriel stepped in, the fire’s light silhouetting his tall form, concern etched in the air between them. He stepped fully into the room and closed the door until they were enclosed in darkness.

  “Lyra. Your aura is pushing through your centers again. It's midnight, which means you've come into your readiness for magic. Usually we thoroughly prepare a mage for this day. You were failed, and I'm sorry. Most dormant mages never feel more than irritability if they ever use their magic. But your magic is more powerful than most. It’s fighting to get out, but it can’t. Your magic is affecting your mind.” He walked slowly toward her and she backed away from the sound, then flinched when he laid a hand on her center again. She instantly felt a cooling in her middle. He began moving his hand around her body again, stopping at certain points. The motion caressed her spirit and the numbness and chaos ebbed. She took a deep breath and unfurled her fists. Bone crushing weariness hit her and tears rose in her eyes.

  “How do I control this?” Her voice was hoarse. Oriel touched a thumb to a falling tear in her cheek. She wondered how he knew.

  “I'll teach you. Tomorrow. You've broken through the hard stuff completely, and won't have an episode like that again. Your magic is happy now. I subdued it. It's floating in each of your centers now. I can teach you to call it forth, to do your bidding.”

  “I'm not sure. I don't want to be here. The King frightens me.” Her voice was small and she sounded like a child even to herself.

  Oriel was silent, seeming to contemplate her words.

  “No. You know he speaks truth about Alec and Iris. You aren't afraid of him. You're afraid of opening yourself.”

  Lyra sniffed. Was this man all-knowing?

  “Will you help me, Oriel?”

  He cupped her face in his hands, the contact soothing. “Of course. You and I have a long road ahead together.” His promise intrigued her, and warmed her soul. Joy bubbled up in her, a feeling so foreign, she giggled.

  “Thank you.” she whispered and brought her hands to cover his. They hadn't heard the door opening but suddenly light shone on them.

  “You done here? We need to head back.” Lyra's stomach flip flopped. The man's icy tone was deadly.

  Oriel dropped his hands and turned before replying. “You aren't taking her back now, Terrin. It's past midnight and she's weak. You can head back. She’ll stay here and head back in the morning.”

  Silence met them.

  “We’ll stay,” he said gruffly. Oriel walked past the King and out of the room, leaving them alone.

  “I'm sorry,” she blurted, avoiding looking at him, “for striking you.” A beat of silence.

  “I also apologize for...touching you.” His reply was stiff, as if he'd never had to utter those words before.

  And threatening me?

  She bit her tongue and followed him out of the room. Oriel had spread a mat and few blankets on the floor and the fire had ebbed to a low burn. Oriel showed Lyra the wash room and Lyra took down her braids.

  Standing in front of the basin, Lyra splashed fresh water on her face and patted it dry. Suddenly she couldn't stand being in the dress any longer. She was so tired, she just didn't care. Pulling her arms out of her sleeves, she shimmied her torso out and peeled the rest off. The matching midnight blue slip barely covered her backside, but she felt so free after pulling off the dress. She picked up the discarded dress and letter that fell to the floor and wrapped the dress around her chest for extra coverage.

  Maybe Oriel can show me where to send this tomorrow.

  Entering the front room again, she shuffled her way in, when she spotted him on the floor, bare chested, a fur covering his lower half, one arm underneath his head. He gazed at her with hooded eyes. She stopped, awareness coursing through her. He slowly perused her from head to toe before she reached the sofa, standing behind it. She held the letter behind her back.

  “Thank you for allowing me to take the couch.” Her voice was still husky from the excitement earlier. His face was stoic, gray eyes boring into her. Lyra blinked and walked around to crawl into her makeshift bed. She had to shuffle awkwardly around the King's head to get there, then slid in as best she could without flashing her silk panties. A sharp inhale behind her made her turn to see her King turning away from her, the fire's glow illuminating the ripples of muscle in his arms and back. She studied the cords of his muscles, admired how the flickering firelight danced on his skin, vaguely aware of a sensual curling low in her abdomen, until sleep took her.

  Chapter 11

  Terrin

  The morning sun awakened Terrin, his body stretching of its own accord. His muscles were sore. He surely was not used to sleeping on the hard floor. At least during his travels with Alec, while sleeping outside, the soil provided some amount of comfort. The threadbare rug he had slept on was a lousy excuse for a sleeping mat.

  He rubbed his groggy eyes, looking over cautiously to where Lyra slept. He watched her breathing deeply, still asleep. Her face was the picture of innocence in sleep, rosy cheeks and plump lips and silky curls pillowed around her face. Her blanket had slipped off her top half, and one leg was draped on top of it. Her breasts were almost fully displayed, rising with each breath. He continued his gaze down her body. Her slip barely covered her undergarments. Her shapely leg moved as she slept and a stab of that familiar lust swept through him.

  Gods. When will it end?

  The woman was becoming a thorn in his side. He had never felt so out of control around another woman. She was beautiful, achingly so, and her fiery attitude did things to him he never thought possible. It unleashed his primal side.

  Of course, it was her magic. She is inexperienced, chaotic, and as a mind mage, she's unknowingly willing his mind to take on her own emotions.

  But that dress she wore last night nearly undid him. He remembered his hand around her throat and felt a tinge of guilt. He wouldn’t have hurt her. Her aura was pushing a different kind of primality. He had wanted to rip that dress off of her and let his mouth trail over her body. Even after her magic had finally risen, his lust was steady. When she had come out of the wash room and crawled onto the couch last night, the sight of her nearly bare ass had almost undone him. He had to turn away from her so she wouldn’t see his apparent lust.

  How long had it been since I’d been with a woman?

  Scrubbing a large hand over his face and jaw, Terrin willed his body to calm down. As soon as we find Iris and Alec, she must leave. And I must find a woman of my own caliber.

  Focusing on his energy centers, he willed them to cool. Several minutes later, he felt mostly normal. His right hand man, Silo, had been insisting he find a royal wife for years, but he had been putting it off. He wasn’t the King, not the true one. His sister should be on this throne, not him.

  But he was nearing a dangerous precipice. He knew that the King of Ursa wanted an alliance, and was sure threats were to come if he didn’t comply. Every Terra King or Queen that ever sat on the throne had married, and like every other godforsaken duty he had to fulfill as stand-in King of Terra, this one was something he would have to follow through with as well.

  Thoroughly annoyed now, Terrin swiftly rose and folded his pathetic mat. Autumn’s chill gripped the air. He crouched down to start the fire, extending his hand and willing the fire to combust. When it did begin burning, Terrin added another log and stood, satisfied. Suddenly a spark inched up his spine and he turned. Lyra was lying still, prone, still only halfway covered, and staring at him with soft, sleep laden eyes. Their gazes met, and Lyra offered a small smile on her luscious mouth. He inclined his head stiffly before moving out of the room. He couldn’t spend too much time in her presence. She was like a curse.r />
  Moving into the small kitchen, Terrin spotted Oriel just finishing putting buns and breakfast ham on a tray. Terrin inclined his head and Oriel pushed the tray toward him, Terrin taking it readily.

  “Good morning, man. How did you sleep?” The twinkle was back in the man’s eyes. He swore that man always looked to be privy of some secret knowledge.

  “Not terrible.”

  “You’re lying. Eat your breakfast. Is Lyra awake?”

  Terrin wouldn’t have allowed any other man to speak to him in such a way, but this was Oriel, his best mage. Well, the best one he has left anyway. The two were like brothers, and Oriel was loyal, even if a bit uncouth toward him. Bringing the tray back into the living room, he found Lyra sitting up straight, her rumpled dress from last night back on, and hands folded on her lap.

  “Good morning, beautiful lady.”

  Oriel’s smooth voice irked him.

  He was never this charming with women, was he? But I suppose Oriel has needs just like everyone else. Lyra gave him a blinding smile, and Terrin had a strange surge of primality again. He shook it off and sat down gruffly, ripping into a piece of meat.

  “So. No time to waste. Let’s talk about our goals for today.” He wasn’t going to wait around for things to get done while Oriel and Lyra flirted.

  Oriel sipped some tea and thought for a moment before speaking. “Today, Lyra will work on moving her magic through her energy points. If she’s very good at that, we will dabble in some memory fetching and emotion reading. I’m fairly certain she’s got the last one down, though.” He winked at her and Lyra giggled, a light, tinkling sound like bells. Another primal surge ripped through his center.

  What the fuck? Woman’s magic still had a hold on him.

  Terrin nodded curtly at Oriel’s plan while inching farther away from Lyra.

  “Now let’s establish a long term goal.”

  “Find Alec and Iris.” Lyra offered. He felt her scrutiny.

  “Right,” Terrin said, avoiding eye contact with her, “Certainly. But to do so, we need to open that portal in Thane Mountains. Although portals do move around, I have a feeling that one will stay put for a little while longer. Which means we need to act fast.”

  “Portals move?” He felt her confusion.

  “The portal to Eclipsa does, for some reason. We don’t know exactly why, but we do know that the one in the throne room is no longer there. However, we have land portals in a few different places. Those portals can transfer us from one spot to another on Earth, but not to Eclipsa.” His eyes slid to hers to make sure she was following along. Her eyebrows were bunched.

  “Okay,” she sipped her tea before continuing, “explain to me what Eclipsa is, exactly.”

  Oriel spoke up this time, setting down his tea cup. “Eclipsa is an otherworldly realm that exists as a parallel to Earth. The make up of the elements remain the same, but there are no people. It is on a different plain of existence.”

  Lyra’s jaw dropped, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

  Terrin felt her confusion rise.

  “I just don’t understand how I’ve never heard of--of any of this. Edwin mentioned some possibility of magic, but he was the only one who seriously contemplated the idea of magic.”

  Terrin felt a simmering annoyance.

  “Edwin?”

  “He spoke about the Devastation as if it was caused by magic.”

  Terrin’s eyes flicked to her.

  “It was. When Iris was banished, the land responded. It wasn’t pleased.”

  “The land wasn’t pleased?”

  “The royals of Terra and Ursa have a duty to protect and obey her. The land is a living entity, given to us by Gaia. We draw power, goods, and wealth from the land, and in turn we protect it by ruling and feeding it magic. The Gem throne grew from the land at the beginning of time, and it chooses who sits upon it. Symbolic of our symbiotic relationship with Gaia and the land she gives us.” Terrin’s eyes grew dark, an iciness impregnating the air around them. “Of course, I have failed to protect it.”

  Lyra swallowed. “The Devastation.” Her mind reeled. It made sense, but again, the knowledge was blowing her mind. She had never heard of Gaia spoken of as if she were a real person. She had always learned about the gods as if they were one big group made of the same celestial, invisible stuff. Lyra pushed further.

  “And the portal?”

  “Created by the gods, some say in order for them to touch down in human form without being seen.”

  Lyra shook her head, breathing deeply. “Why would the gods want to do that? They’re gods. Can’t they do whatever they want in the skies?”

  Oriel smiled softly at her, those warm brown eyes softening. “Even the gods have needs--to feel mortal is to feel alive. And the need to touch..well it is a perfect place for frolicking and privacy.” He let his voice trail off, leaving the suggestion for her to catch.

  “Oh!” Lyra’s face reddened. “I guess I never thought that the gods..had urges.”

  “You’d be surprised just how humanlike the gods can be,” Terrin said, glancing at Lyra. Her face was still flushed and it affected Terrin more than he’d admit. He cleared his throat and shifted on the couch uncomfortably. Suddenly Lyra began looking and feeling around the couch where she sat. Standing, she began moving the blankets around and even looked behind the couch.

  Oriel raised his eyebrows. “I had that sent out this morning, Lyra. I hope you don’t mind. I sensed the urgency you felt about it. Tell me I didn’t overstep my bounds.”

  Lyra turned slowly, her mouth slung open.

  “My letter?”

  Oriel nodded.

  Terrin rolled his eyes. That damned letter. He knew she had wanted to send it--her mind practically screamed it from the moment he called on her in her room--but he wasn’t willing to stop and send it on their way here. And he was hoping to read it before it was sent out.

  “Writing to the beau, are you?” Terrin asked, glaring up at Lyra. Her eyebrows pinched together.

  “Being around mind mages is going to drive me mad.”

  Terrin quirked an eyebrow at her. “You forget you are a mind mage as well, and that, quite literally, you have been going mad.”

  Lyra scoffed. “That’s besides the point. I can’t read either of your minds, but you both can read mine.” She looked between the two of them.

  Oriel perked up. “We have shields down. You will too when we’re done. And you’ll be able to read other non-mages minds as well. But I know you can read emotion, so you are halfway there already. And Terrin here said you had a vision.” Lyra shrugged.

  “I’m not sure what it was. It felt like I passed out and had a dream.”

  Terrin shook his head. “It was a vision, Oriel. She saw Alec on the cliff, saw him disappear into Eclipsa exactly as it happened.”

  Oriel’s gaze slid over Lyra, that ever-present light in his eyes.

  “I’m eager to get started, Lyra. You intrigue me much.”

  Lyra smiled tentatively, the joy not reaching her eyes. Terrin’s gut clenched at her unease.

  “I can assist.” He said, before thinking it through.

  “There’s really no need, Terrin.” Oriel contemplated him for a moment. “But if you wish, you can stay.”

  Lyra suddenly looked embarrassed and rubbed an arm. “I--I’d like to change and freshen up before we start. I wasn’t expecting to stay overnight. I’m also worried Poppi is wondering about me.”

  She glanced sheepishly at Terrin before looking away again. Before Terrin could offer to escort her back home, Oriel stood.

  “Of course. I apologize. We can send word to the castle. I have a few ladies’ garments here if you’d like to change here. I can draw the bath for you as well.” Lyra smiled and thanked him.

  Oriel disappeared and returned with a simple white cotton gown. It looked modest enough, Lyra was surprised to find. Oriel handed her the dress and escorted her to the wash room, his hand at the small of her back.
Terrin sat where he was, eyes following the pair. He noticed they both went disappeared into the room. Annoyance and disgust inched into his gut and he sneered, looking away.

  Oriel is making an ass of himself. Lyra isn’t going to choose him over that beau back home. He’s wasting his damn time, and mine.

  Terrin rubbed a hand over his face and went in search for the library. He needed to brush up on training fledgling mind mages. When he found the modest room filled to the brim with books, he moved his large body through the doorway and scanned the volumes. One with the title “Training Mages” seemed obvious enough, and he slid it out it’s place before opening it and fanning through. He stopped on a page and began reading.

  Fledgling mages need silence and calm before beginning. The training room should be devoid of all manner of distraction, including windows, and extraneous persons of great emotional attachment. Elements of use may be brought in after initial opening of energy channels. Fledgling mages must first learn to ignite, cool and draw out their energy into each energy center. Tactile persuasion (putting hands over the centers) is an effective form of coaxing it to rise.

  Once that is established, the fledgling can move onto extending the energy into the mind of another to read emotion and thoughts, if the aura allows.

  Terrin snapped the book shut. It all seemed simple enough. Oriel would place his hands along Lyra’s energy centers to help her focus on each in order to move the energy into each spot. But he couldn’t shake the picture of Oriel’s hands on Lyra’s body.

  The woman had some kind of hold on him. He felt her magic in him, even smelled her around him at all times, an alluring mix of honeysuckle and sweet female musk. Disgusted with himself, he placed the book back on the shelf and crossed to the window. He could see the gray waves crashing on the black shore from where he stood. Above, the sky was churning with a strange gray-green swirl.

  Fuck. It’s too soon.

  Just after Iris was banished to Eclipsa, the swirl in the sky had tried to destroy the land, great rains and winds, drought and lightning storms had wreaked havoc on the fruits and crops of the land for months. After that attack, Terrin had been prepared to use his magic to keep it at bay. It pained him that some of his own people had died because of the plague. Since then, him and Alec had worked together to keep the land from completely destroying itself. Every six months, they had combined their magic to calm the skies. While Terrin was the only one who could actually effect the weather and keep the apocalypse at bay, Alec had extended his magic to Terrin to increase the potency. But their power only extended so far. The magic wasn’t lasting as long, the storms were becoming more powerful. He could feel his energy stretched thin within him.