Krew nodded and pulled me to standing. “Yes. Your body is getting used to its presence. The first few days will be tiring. Add in the fact that it was quite a bit of magic, and yes. You are going to need a lot of sleep this week.”
I looked to the bed, our bed. We had shared it every day for months, and yet tonight I was terrified. Not to sleepwithKrew. Not to sleepnext toKrew. I had planned on being in that bed wrapped up in Krew as often as possible before the magic settled. But now I already had the magic, and everything was new and different.
“What is running through that cunning head of yours?” he asked gently. “You may ask anything you want, and I will not make fun of you for it.”
“Can I—” I shook my head. “Can we—” I swallowed. “What if I start glowing in the heat of the moment?”
His lips twitched. “Do you think that would truly deter me?”
A ghost of a smile raced across my lips. “Well no. But what if my magic begins to burn my skin like this morning?”
He shook his head. “That was different. Your magic needed to be used and then your panic in finding it there worsened it. Your magic can begin burning and glowing in response to your emotions, yes, but other than when it settles, it typically only reacts that strongly when it is trying to protect and save you. Think of it like a built-in defense mechanism. And pleasure, love, is not something you need saving from.” He brushed a gentle kiss upon my lips. “You do not need to be saved from me, I can promise you that.”
I took a deep breath.
“But if you’d rather wait, I will not rush you. You’ve had more than enough of trying things out for the day.”
I shook my head. “That was not part of our marriage terms.”
“Neither was this much magic,” he argued.
“Still,” I admitted. “The magic terrifies me, but for some reason, our bonding doesn’t.” I placed my hand on his chest. “This? This doesn’t. It just feels right.”
He trailed a finger slowly across my hand and up my arm. “Do you feel your magic burning now?”
“No.”
He moved his hand up to my cheek, trailing down and across my collarbone. “How about now?”
I fought off a shudder. “No.”
He leaned in to kiss my lips before running his nose along my jaw. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No.”
His lips crashed into mine. “I’m going to keep asking. And I need you to tell me when you need me to stop.”
“And if I don’t?” I whispered.
His eyes seared into mine. “Then we don’t.”
CHAPTER4
“So, how do I make sure I don’t mess up around the king?” I asked Owen and Krew as my boots crunched the snow beneath us. It was early. So early I could barely see a thing. “How will he not see my magic crawling across my skin in his presence? Because emotions are always high around him.”
Now at the lake again, Owen expanded the moving sound barrier further out into our surroundings. “I think Renna did a great job of explaining it last night. Think of it as assuring the magic you do not need it yet. This is something the majority of Enchanted in Savaryn have had to master. We have a select few ways we are to use our magic every day, but the king and Krew’s grandfather for decades have told us to use it sparingly. Rarely.”
“Doesn’t that go against the ultimate goal of being the most powerful country in the realm? If his army isn’t as powerful? A bit counterintuitive?”
Krew shook his head. “No, my father doesn’t give a damn about Wylan. He only cares that he is the most powerful Enchanted in the realm. The other countries were hit hard with the disease, and he keeps the rest of Wylan in check with false information about our magic and fear. So he is the most powerful Enchanted in the realm right now.” His eyes went to mine. “But not for long.”
I gave my head a shake, thinking how awful it must be to be Enchanted and constantly fight the urge to use magic, thinking using too much would somehow make them magicless, make them belong in Rallis. Feeling the constant pull to use magic, but always having to weigh whether it was a worthy enough moment for it or not. “I have so many questions I don’t even know where to begin. What does the fact that I now have magic do to my Iron Will? Can magic now be used on me?”
Owen flicked a finger and a breeze of wind hit Krew and me. Krew had my hand in his, the magic seeming to go around the both of us. “Looks like not.” He and Krew exchanged a look, Krew giving his head a shake.
“What?” I asked, looking to my palms and seeing my magic flaring to life. It had gone from a dull buzz to a strong buzz now, as if in defense of magic being attempted on me. A built-in defense mechanism. Just like Krew said.
Owen’s eyes were on mine when I looked back up. “With your Iron Will giving you protection from other Enchanted’s magic and the amount of magic you now wield, you are quite the weapon. Which is irritating to Krew because he only wanted you safe.”
