He shrugs his broad shoulders. “I’m always here for you.” He taps me on the nose. “Back to training. Try it again.”
Turning back to the shore, I hold up my hands and focus on the water. With Fallon’s words echoing in my head, I decide an apology might be in order, even if it feels silly.Mother Nature, I’m sorry. I was angry and used my magic to force our connection. Can we try again?The water slides up beside the connection and eases into it, and it feels necessary and right. Once connected, we repeat everything Fallon did previously.Thank you.
Ecstatic, I jump around to face Fallon. “I did it. What do you think?”
“You certainly did,” he says, a broad grin on his face. “I guess I’m not too bad a teacher. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ll get there.” His smile slips, and he brings his face closer to mine, like he wants to kiss me. The smell of earth and sunshine teases my senses. I reach up and loop my arms around his neck and pull him closer. He’s staring into my eyes, and when I return his gaze, I get lost in his green depths. The tingling between us spikes with our proximity. “Theron’s right, your eyes have flecks of green in them.”
Wait, what? Embarrassed, I drop my arms from his neck and step back. Heat crawls from my neck to my face.
Swinging around, I stare at the pond. By the tingle at my back, I know he hasn’t moved. Closing my eyes, I feel for his signature, like I did with the water. It stands out, a separate entity, but clearly defined. “Fallon, I can feel you. Kind of like I do when we touch, your energy is different from everything around it. Can you move around? Maybe back away? I want to see how far this goes.”
Fallon takes a few steps back, but I can still feel him, so I motion for him to continue. A minute later, I turn with my eyes closed and point. Opening my eyes, I follow the end of my finger and see Fallon standing amongst the trees, about a hundred yards away. Excited, I laugh before closing my eyes again. “Move around, and farther out,” I instruct him, wondering how this is possible.
No matter where he goes or how far he steps, I feel him. I wonder if it would work between walls or across the city.
Opening my eyes, I see the decision in his gaze to test this for himself. He closes his eyes, while I run from spot to spot, close, then farther away. No matter where I go, he finds me.
One second, he’s far away, and the next he’s up close. “This is amazing! I’ve never heard of this happening. Have you?”
His green eyes flicker, and he tilts his head to the side while he considers my question. “I haven’t, but I’ll ask my father.” He pauses. “I’ll be honest, your powers are responding similarly to Elven children. Even though you don’t have green eyes or the ability to animate yet, my gut says you’re Elven. It might take a while to learn everything though. Do you want to keep training?”
For the rest of the day, we work on pulling apart the compounds of water. It’s the first step to creating water. But it’s tough to recognize the various elements, then use energy to combine them into a physical substance. Learning the compounds makes it feel less like magic and more like science, but I push myself to pay attention. Earlier today, when I was speaking with Mother Nature, I felt this ball of energy in my chest vibrate in response to our connection, and it felt magical and new.
14
DAIRE
Fallon and Arden walk into the lobby as I step out of the portal. They’re both laughing and joking with each other. She’s disheveled, probably from training, since Fallon is still immaculate, but it’s her mental state that catches most of my attention. While obviously happy with the day, her eyes hold a twinge of sadness in them. I frown and step forward to get her attention.
“Daire!” she exclaims. “What are you doing here? Is everything okay? What’s happening with the rebellion?”
Fallon narrows his eyes. “What do you need?” He’s always been particularly intuitive, and the warrior in him misses few details.
I give him the condensed version. “Vargas, Callyx, and I figured out Alain’s behind the rebellion. Given the power he yields as Lucifer’s best friend and second-in-command, the chance of him succeeding is pretty high. I don’t have much time, but I need your help. I’ve fooled him into thinking I’m headed to a designated place behind the enemy with my troops. Instead, I left most of my troops hidden in my father’s camp, but now I need troops. Our enemy will be expecting us, but if I can arrive with additional forces, we might be able to crush them between the two armies. Alain’s original ‘plan,’ but with my spin on it.” I pause to gauge Fallon’s reaction to my plan. He’s more experienced in battle, given how often his father goes to war without the slightest provocation.
“It could work. Who are you planning on recruiting? I assume most demons are on one side or the other?” Fallon asks before he catches on. “I see. I assume you’ve already requested help from Theron and Valerian?” When I nod, he doesn’t waste time. Calling a portal, he waits for me to give him the coordinates.
“We have a narrow window of surprise. If it takes too long to convince your father, we’ll do without the support,” I state. “We have to hit our timing.”
Fallon glances at Arden and winks, his exhilaration with the upcoming battle easily apparent. “I’ll see you soon.” He steps into the portal, and it closes.
“Should I gather my stuff now?” she asks, bouncing from one foot to the other. Her anticipation of the battle similar to Fallon’s, but with a hint of nervousness. “I need to gather a few things, including my armor, and I’ll be ready to go. Maybe ten minutes?”
I still. The thought of her in battle with a horde of demons makes my throat clog with fear. And if she got killed because of me, it would be a thousand times worse than Danica. “Arden, this is going to be a brutal battle. We only have a slim chance of winning, and if we lose, the forfeiture is going to be staggering. I need to be able to lead my army with a clear head.” I grasp her arms. “I know you can fight. Believe me. I’d easily put you in the ring against the most brutal fighter with confidence. Battle is different. It’s bloody and filthy and full of desperate soldiers who will sell you to the enemy to save themselves. I don’t want you to see battle. It changes you, hardens you. I’m begging you to stay behind.”
“He’s right.” Astor’s hard voice spills out from the shadowed corner. “Battle brings out the worst in every race. But for demons, it’s an excuse to let their sadistic side run free. The battle frenzy gets so bad, they’re likely to kill the enemy and turn on their own. It’s a fucking bloodbath.” Astor glances at her, then away. “I’m sure Valerian will also want you to stay here, where it’s safe.”
Confusion and anger wage war on her face. “Don’t you need every fighter you can get? Not only can I physically defend myself, but I’m a powerful magic user. And I’ve got experie—”
I hold up my hand to stop her and glance at my watch. “Sorry. I don’t have time to argue. Keep the wards up. We’ll text you updates.” I lean over and touch my lips to her cheek. With a deep breath, I lock the sweet smell of her into my memories and step back. “Be safe, Arden. Astor, are you ready?”
She frowns even more when Astor steps forward. Instead of his usual joking quips, Astor doesn’t say anything to me or Arden. She stares at him sadly before giving us both a soft smile. “Be careful, please.” It’s the last thing we see before stepping into the portal.
* * *
When Astorand I step out of the portal, two distinct troops are waiting for us. Satisfaction and gratitude rise up at the sight before me. The cadre is powerful, not only because of our rank or powers, but because we command armies. Lethal warriors with collectively thousands of years of battles under our belt. And with the literal hell we’re facing, we’re going to need every ounce of skill and power we possess to win this battle.
Directly in front of me, Theron, with his icy demeanor, stands tall, in formfitting, black Fae armor made of an almost impenetrable fabric, conversing quietly with his second-in-command. Legions of winter Fae soldiers in similar attire stand at attention in precise lines behind him without a single expression on their faces, but their eyes move rapidly, missing nothing. His general tilts his head in respect and turns to address their troops. Theron strides to meet me in the middle of the field.
