Everything would be alright.
Chapter Sixty
Isla
Itwaslikenothingshe’d ever felt before. Even the force of the dagger paled in comparison tothis.
Raw power surged in Isla’s veins like lightning, a crackling heat that poured through the recesses of her soul, strengthening her mind, stabilizing her heart. Her skin vibrated with energy, and she felt…everything.
The sea before her was a living creature, the push and pull of the waves reverberating in her blood. When she inhaled, it was as if she’d never truly drawn breath before that moment. She tasted the sweetness of the wind, sensed every whisper as it spoke to her, felt it like silk on her fingertips. A fire ignited inside her, a blazing warmth that preyed on her passion and desire. She could smell the smoke in her blood. And the earth…the earth throbbed beneath her feet and into her bones, calling to her.
She was one with nature, and she was unstoppable.
Sebastian stood before her, his hands shielding his face from the light she’d emitted. When he lowered them to look at her, fear lined his face.
As it should, the power within her taunted.
Surprise lanced through her as he reached out and grasped her waist, drawing her nearer. “Isla…you shouldn’t have done that. I tried to warn you. I told you to leave.” He dropped to a whisper. “She’s going to kill you.”
“Who are you talking about?” Isla asked, the new heat inside her purring at his touch, making it hard for her to concentrate. Everything was soheightened.
His gaze snagged on something behind her, and the blood drained from his face.
“Hello, darling.”
Isla whirled around. She recognized that voice. Out of instinct, she carefully slipped the dagger behind her and into her waistband, covering the hilt with her shirt.
Celesine was here. But why?
She glided to where Isla and Sebastian stood, the bottom of her thin black gown trailing in her wake. She looked as Isla remembered: long, luscious, raven hair curling down her back, her olive skin shining under the beams of the sun. Yet her sweet, petite form did not match the harshness radiating from her, the hard set of her jaw, the cold victory in her eyes.
Warning bells rang in Isla’s head. Instinct had her craving to look over at Arden and Papa, to make sure they were out of harm’s way, but she couldn’t risk Celesine turning her attention to them, too.
Then it hit her. Rynn could hear thingson the wind. That meant she would be able to, as well. She hadallof their powers now.
How in the world was she supposed to learn how to use them? They hadn’t prepared her for this. They hadn’t planned for it to reach this point.
Isla felt each of the elements so clearly in her mind. She tried to pick them apart, to separate them like threads in her subconscious that she could pull on when needed. Each aspect of nature spoke to her as if they longed to be molded to her will.
Focusing on the tug of wind, it responded instantly, swirling through her fingers and into the locks of her hair like an excited bird. She steadied her breath and listened to the rapid beat of her heart, letting intuition guide her. Isla pictured the path from her to her family and sent the air away from her. It twisted and twined through the space between them until it brushed a gentle embrace against her father’s body.
She stifled a gasp as a steady throb of a heartbeat resounded in her ear, followed by anxious breaths. She could hear them from across the beach, sheltered behind the rock.Good. They were out of sight and safe, for now.
As Celesine approached Isla and Sebastian, Isla observed her dress was actually a deep amethyst, so dark it appeared black. The bodice was low on her breasts and hugged her figure tightly until it reached her waist, where it loosened and swept down her legs. A transparent purple fabric flowed from the shoulders of the gown and over her arms, giving the appearance of a cape when she lifted them.
“I must express my disappointment. I didn't think you would fail, Your Majesty,” Celesine said smoothly, running her fingers up Sebastian’s chest. His jaw tightened and he looked away.
Bile rose in Isla’s throat.This can’t be happening.Had it been the Aether all along? Her powers of mind manipulation—Rynn said she never used them because they took away the free will of others, but were they strong enough to dothis? To take over an entire being and bend him to her will? Isla’s disgust and confusion with the immortal before her mixed until it was tangible and bitter as it rose and crested in waves, the heightened emotions within her making her dizzy.
“Celesine!” Jade called, and Isla turned to see her, Kai, and Aidan coming toward them, Rynn supported between the latter two. His face looked ghostly pale; he’d lost too much blood, and if they didn’t get him to a healer soon, Isla didn’t know if he would make it.
Panic like she had never known kicked at her insides, her vision going gray as her pulse vibrated through her entire body.
Is this how the elementals feltall the time?Was there a way to shut off the strength of these feelings flowing through her? She couldn’t eventhinkabout any of them dying without almost blacking out in terror. They had to get out of here.
“Celesine, what’s going on?” Jade asked, her eyes flitting between Isla, Celesine, and Sebastian.
Kai approached, her tone strong despite the void in her eyes where the power of her element had once been. “Jade, I don’t think Celesine is who we thought she was.”
