Despite my eyes being closed, I could see a skyscape of stars, the powerful systems of light and energy twinkling throughoutthe night sky. Infinite galaxies laid in all directions, telling the extensive story of our universe, and seeming to call me forth.
Focusing all my energy, I tried to reach for the stars, not with my physical body, but instead with the tether. At first, it didn’t move, but the harder I concentrated on it, the more the space around me shifted. My head began to pulse with pain.
A low vibration hummed in my ear, almost sounding like a melody of voices, but they were muted, as if underwater. My tether began to drift upwards, almost in a lazy, slow pull, and something about that felt wrong. I felt as if it was meant to move with much more power.
So I kept pushing and trying to reach upwards, trying to pull it along beside me as I imagined soaring toward the stars. To imagine the pull that each star would have and the light that radiated from them. To imagine wrapping that light around me and using it, channeling it inward to fuel my abilities. It felt like an impossible task, one that seemed endless. As if I would be reachingforever.
Then I felt it. A ghost of something reaching out to me—begging for my attention.
Yet, no matter what I tried, I couldn’t quite reach it. The entire moment felt forced, and I could feel the strain in my body, as if I kept throwing myself into a hard glass wall—again and again.
As I was about to give up, something sparked. I felt the light of the specific star I was focused on brush over my skin with an electric-field-like sensation. And for a moment it felt pleasant…until it didn’t.
My nerve endings lit up as if they were all on fire at once, my seared skin causing me to cry out as my eyes snapped open. The imagery broke. “Shit!” I hissed as I wrapped my hand around the point of pain, a whimper slipping from my lips.
“What happened?” Bastian appeared in front of me. “Fuck.” My gaze darted to where he was carefully removing my hand from its vice-like hold on my arm, a red welt appearing underneath. In response to the physical injury, my hand trembled and I took an unsteady breath.
“I think…I think I almost managed to connect to one,” I admitted, my voice tinged with pain.
“And after only ten minutes,” Noah said from a few feet away, looking pleased. “That is amazing progress, Kieran.”
Had it truly only been ten minutes? This was going to be a very long day.
8
BASTIAN
“You have to take a break, Kieran,”Noah warned, brow knitting together with his concern. “While I admire your dedication, this won’t come to you in a day. We’re making great progress as is, and there is no reason to push past your limits and hurt yourself like this.”
Her eyes flicked up to where he stood in front of her before narrowing on our new instructor, lips parting.
I knew she was going to refute his advice, so I cut in, “Kieran, stop.” At the risk of drawing her ire, I continued in a softer tone, “I know how important this is to you. I get it, Darling. But you’re covered in small burns all over.”
The taste of sulfur was on my tongue, speaking the words as I forced myself to sit and watch as the wounds appeared on her delicate skin. My hands were numb from sitting on them in an attempt to restrain myself. All I wanted to do was pull her from the daze she fell into as she attempted to link to her power.
Her gaze morphed from the pinched, determined look from moments prior to wide, doe eyes that punched me in the gut. “Just a little?—”
“That’s enough for today, Darling,” I said gently, doubling down.
It felt odd to have to find this stern, unwavering resolve with her. This wasn’t our usual dynamic, but watching her destroy herself, all for the chance of helping everyone else, broke my heart. Perhaps it was selfish of me, but if it meant Kieran suffering daily to achieve their salvation, everyone else could be damned.
Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as her gaze fell to her hands resting in her lap. Noah let out a sigh, the sound dragging my eyes up to meet his, and he nodded at me. Giving him my own sharp nod of understanding in return, I freed my hands from their prison of warmth underneath me and slid myself toward Kieran.
Immediately, my fingers found their way into her hair, massaging the base of her skull as I tilted my chin down toward her. “I’m proud of you, Darling. You’ve found a foundation to build upon.”
“I just…” She huffed before shaking her head slightly, the locks of her hair tickling against my hand wrapped within them as she did. “I just can’t stop thinking of the prophecy. I have to figure this out as fast as I can, Bash.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, hard, in an attempt to keep a hiss of frustration from escaping. Amelia’s foreboding words about wanting to speak to Kieranaloneabout the damned prophecy hadn’t sat right with me, but it hadn’t been brought up since they first met to discuss Kieran’s affinity.
Lifting my free hand to her lap, I grabbed her hand gently, squeezing. “Will you share the demons that haunt your mind with me, Darling?”
Her face turned toward me, hazel eyes running across my face like she was attempting to commit it to memory. I watched the soft flesh of her throat move as she swallowed, noticing the thumping pulse carrying her precious blood. Before I could allow myself to become entranced by it, my eyes shutteredclosed and I leaned across the short distance between us to press a kiss to her temple.
“You don’t have to,” I murmured, sensing the hesitation within her.
“I need to,” she countered. “Amelia told me about the book of prophecies. Bash, it has four hundred and ninety-seven prophecies, penned by the greatest Seer of old times.”
My eyebrows rose but I kept quiet, not wanting to interrupt her.
