I didn’t argue, knowing if I wanted to continue working on honing my magic in this way, I could do so when I made it back to my room. For now, I wouldn’t say no to getting back to the house and seeing how Kieran was faring. After that, I had a date with the warmth of my shower.
After exchanging goodbyes, I exited the cabin, letting my wings unfurl from my back and immediately catapulting into the air.
9
BASTIAN
A loud sighleft me as I crossed the entryway of the house, letting my wings tuck back inside. The conversation in the kitchen drew my attention as I walked in, and I found everyone gathered at the island, eating and listening to Kieran as she spoke animatedly.
“Oh!” she exclaimed as I came into view. Sparks of gold sparkled in her eyes, the low-hanging kitchen lights reflecting in them as she spoke. “I was just catching them up on how my training went. Perfect timing to fill us in on yours too!”
My eyes immediately did a full sweep of her body to categorize any wounds blemishing her skin, and relief poured through me at my inability to find any. It seems she had gone to the healers like I asked, and now Kieran looked full of energy and perfectly okay.
A thread of guilt tugged at my mind with the realization that I’d managed to take her blood without her consent or knowledge. I wanted to tell her but for once I hesitated, not wanting her to think I was a monster. It was one thing to hurt others, especially in her name or to protect her, but to put her at risk? The concept had me withdrawing, realizing I needed more time before I could explain myself to her.
“Maybe tomorrow,” I murmured, dragging myself up the stairs.
I felt the intensity of their eyes on my back, but I couldn’t find it within myself to shoot a joke over my shoulder at the group. The warmth of the shower in my room was calling my name, and the only thing that could make it better was if Kieran joined me.
Training had left me physically exhausted, my head pounding and muscles aching, the hours of manipulating my own blood having a much clearer side effect than my normal magic usage.
“I’ll put your plate in the fridge,” Gabe called up the stairs as I crossed the landing toward my bedroom. I called out my thanks before pushing into my room and making quick work of undressing and turning the shower on. While waiting for the water to heat up, I leaned against the countertop, stretching my arms above my head. Locking my fingers together, I pulled my linked hands to either side until I felt the burn of the stretch in my muscles.
“Oh!”
Kieran’s surprised voice filled my bathroom, clearly having quietly entered and walked through the bedroom, shocking me a bit.
“Hello there, Darling,” I purred, infatuated with the blush that crawled up her cheeks as her eyes roved over my body.
I couldn’t be sure if what she saw was appealing to her, but she didn’t turn away in disappointment, so I’d take that as a point in my favor. I lowered my hands to rest against the counter at my back as I tilted my head at her.
“I’m…I’m,” she stuttered, eyes lifting to mine before slowly falling back down. “I’m sorry. I knocked, but now I realize you must not have heard it over the sound of the water in there. I’ll come back later.”
“Don’t.” The word left my mouth before I could think it through, causing her to pause mid turn. My mind raced, trying to come up with a possible scenario in which I could convince her to stay. “What did you need, Darling?”
Freezing in her path, she hesitantly turned back to face me, this time keeping her gaze firmly on my face. “I just wanted to see if you were okay. You didn’t seem like yourself.” She dragged her lip between her teeth, nibbling on it as her feet shuffled beneath her.
Steam began to fill the bathroom around me, drifting into the bedroom and dissipating before it reached her. How could I tell her the truth while also excluding the fact that I was pushing myself solely to find a way to help her?
Quite the conundrum.
“It was eye opening,” I offered, shrugging. “But I’m realizing there’s a lot I have to learn and open myself to. My body is a bit sore from attempting to manipulate my magic in new ways.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her about her blood, but right on cue, a small spasm rolled over my back. I winced, twisting at the waist in an attempt to stretch out the source of the pain. Soft footfalls informed me of Kieran’s approach before she appeared next to me, a hand slowly lifting to touch my shoulder. “Turn around and tell me where it hurts.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed, turning to do exactly that. My eyes landed on the glass of the shower as her fingers trailed down my shoulder and over my back. She skirted along the muscles there, gingerly pushing as she went. A spasm rocked me as she pressed just beneath my shoulder blade.
“Right there.”
She set to work, pressing her thumbs into the muscle, keeping a firm pressure as she worked her way around the area before moving closer. Never before had someone shown me such tenderness, not even my own mother.
I couldn’t even remember tenderness from her prior to my brother’s death, where her hatred of me was birthed.
“This would work better with some warmth, but I don’t have your powers—there’s no way to conjure heat to my fingers, unfortunately.”
A chuckle rumbled through my chest before I jerked my head in the direction of the shower. “There’s a very convenient heat source a few steps away.”
I was only half-joking, not expecting her to agree.
