Lana closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. “I am worthy of this light,” she whispered.
I squeezed her hands in mine and let her focus. The light flared quicker than before, and this time, my shadows didn’t have a chance to coax anything out of her. She exploded with light, shining even as she opened her eyes and smiled at me.
She let go of my hands, and even though the light faded enough to see her clearly, her smile remained as she jumped into my embrace, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I knew you could do it.” I set her down and kissed her cheek. “You never needed magic to be worthy. You were a force before this, but now? My love, you are the light to my dark. The good to my evil. And nothing and no one will ever stand in your way again.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips. “Thank you.”
My shadows weren’t ready for Lana’s magic to recede.
Please stay. We’ve gone too long without you.
“Soon,” Lana whispered back to them.
She really could hear my shadows. Maybe her light would speak to me too one day.
The intimacy of the moment shattered as Jax yelled, “Come eat.”
Lana practically floated back toward the campfire with her head held high. Even in the twilight of the evening, she glowed. My shadows and I would follow her and her light to the ends of Atheria.
The morning arrived too quickly, but as soon as the first rays of sunlight peeked through the trees, we were up and dismantling our campsite. Last night, Lana lay restless for hours next to me until my shadows helped settle her magic. Now that it had freelycome to the surface, it didn’t seem to want to return to any kind of dormant state.
While it may take years to understand the full extent of what her light magic could do, I knew she could call on it and it would answer. Her fear about Ian’s reaction to her magic appearing, broke a small part of me. They’d spent years under Andras’s thumb, suffering, enduring endless hours of torture. While I was no stranger to torture myself, the thought of my mate repeatedly hurt multiplied my rage and need for vengeance tenfold.
I trotted behind Ian, just like yesterday, as we made our way closer to the border of the Southern Forest. Lana rode beside me, and I couldn’t stop glancing over at her, needing to reassure myself that she was here, and we were still together.
The ride to the Southern Forest only took a few hours. As the tree line came into view, the caws of a strox could be heard echoing in the distance. I’d never forget the sound of the beast from the third and final trial. Ian put up his fist in the air, signaling for us to stop.
“From here on out we are in uncharted territory. No one has entered the Southern Forest before and lived to tell the tale. Weapons out and be on alert,” Ian instructed. “Should anything happen, our priority has to be getting Lana out and to safety.”
I rolled my eyes, saluting Ian. “Aye aye, Captain.”
Lana’s huff of exasperation told me that the reminder of us placing her as the priority pissed her off.
I shot her as stern of a look as I could. “Ian is right. No taking any unnecessary risks. We find the journal and get the hell out of here. I, for one, don’t want to be some beast’s breakfast this morning.”
“Second that,” Jax quipped. “Mysthaven may have had voidlings, but your creatures are horrifying, Lana.” His whole body shivered. “I can’t believe I drew the short straw on coming along just because Storm is a more patient trainer.”
“You would have had everyone sitting around, listening to ridiculous stories instead of training,” Lana said, wrinkling her nose at him.
“Focus," Ian commanded.
I summoned a shadow sword as Lana pulled out the white dagger, turning it in her hand as we entered the forest. The blade glowed the second we passed the tree line, humming slightly in Lana’s hand.
“I’m going to guess that means we’re on the right path,” she whispered.
A shadow passed above us, its cry indicated we weren’t alone.
I tilted my head back and watched three strox circling above us. Their midnight-blue feathers glittered in the morning light above the canopy of trees. If even one of them decided to attack, our party wouldn’t last long, but three? I pushed down the urge to tug Lana onto my horse and ride out of here.
The intense need to keep her safe would hinder her if I didn’t get it under control. She was more than capable. If only this bond would listen.
We know how that feels, my shadows said wryly.
As we slowly edged our way farther into the forest, it became clear why Fae didn’t return after entering. Beady eyes peered out from fallen logs, and a hiss permeated the air around us.
There was a charge in the forest as five creatures slithered out from their hiding spots.
