Em looked at Amund in surprise, and Lex had to admit, his description was uncharacteristically eloquent. Only…what the hell?
Like her memory, Lex’s power was spotty at best. “I can’t control it.”
Camille waved her hand slowly in front of Lex. “Even so, it is there, waiting for you to command. Kushiel bestowed upon you a great gift.”
It would be easier for Lex to believe she’d been fathered by an angel if she’d actually met the man.
Garrin stiffened beside her, and she looked up.
“Powerful magic can be misused or used against oneself,” he said. “You’ve not had decades of practice like the rest of us.”
“Speak for yourself,” the Halven named Derek said. “Maybe some of us don’t need decades to master our abilities. Elena and I”—he looked at the woman beside Keen—“and even Reese over there have only had our magic for a year or two. Yet Elena stopped a disease from destroying your world. Never underestimate a powerful will.”
Garrin’s jaw shifted. “I listen to you only because you came to help Lex and we need all the soldiers we can get, but don’t cross the line, Halven.”
“This again?” Derek shook his head, his shaggy brown hair falling in tousled layers around his handsome face. “You people really need to get over your prejudice toward the half-breeds of the realm. We’re here to stay.”
Lex caught Garrin’s eye. “He’s right. You once believed I was Halven. Did you think less of me then?”
“You were always different,” he replied. “But I won’t see you harmed.”
“And I won’t be. You have a plan. We’ll stick with your plan, and in the meantime, I’ll try to help Camille.”
He hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Lexandra will practice her skills. The rest of us will coordinate travel across the Land of Ice. It will be grueling, but less deadly with Camille’s assistance.”
Lex mentally flinched at the idea of another trip across the Fae equivalent of the Arctic. But even that didn’t surpass the fear of a narcissistic king after her. She’d take the Arctic with Camille and Amund’s portaling abilities any day.
She glanced at Garrin, and her mouth twitched. It was cute how he thought he decided whether she practiced her powers or not, but she let him believe he did because it doused that stubborn temper of his.
Garrin stepped away and pulled Camille aside, murmuring something that had the portal creator growing paler than she already was. But she nodded in response. Then Amund and Zirel, along with Keen and Jas and a few others, crowded around Garrin.
Isle approached along with Camille. “I will show Camille how to draw from your power.”
Lex nodded and practiced reading the portal creator’s magic. If she had to describe it, she’d say it was light, like smoke. She focused and pushed it at Camille the way she’d done with Em and Zirel’s magic.
It worked. Sort of.
Camille’s head sank, dark crescents shadowing her eyes. “I sense Lex’s power, but I cannot absorb it the way I should.”
Isle touched her friend’s shoulder. “Are you certain you cannot draw more?”
Camille shook her head. “I could portal all of us off this mountain, but not very far. If I slept…”
“Sleep, friend,” Isle said, and escorted Camille to a quiet corner inside the cavern.
Lex gave them space, and Elena, who’d remained quiet all this time, approached her along with Keen’s girlfriend, Reese. “You will want to know our abilities as well. The more powers you are familiar with, the better prepared you’ll be.”
“In some ways, your and my powers are similar,” Reese said. “We both use others to inflict the most harm.”
“Or help,” Elena said. “Not everything is about harming.”
Reese grinned. “Most of the time it is.”
Elena sighed in exasperation. “Thanks, Reese.” She shook her head. “Everything will be fine, Lex. But it can’t hurt to know more magic.”
Lex nodded. “I’d like that. I want to understand what I’m doing, just in case.”
Elena sent her a soft smile. “Just in case.”
