This was apparently enough to sate him as he focused his attention back on the path ahead.
After the arch, he led me through rows of baby trees that appeared to have been planted within the last few years. Sticks rested against them in the soil, giving them something to lean on as they grew. Though they weren’t as impressive as the tree archway yet, there was something so beautiful about seeing a small tree before it grew large.
I was so enamored by the grove of baby trees I didn’t notice Leif had stopped until I ran into his back and almost toppledover. He caught me with a chuckle. “Someone is a bit eager, I see.”
It was then I noticed the massive expanse of blue in front of him. I could see the other edge of the water, which meant it wasn’t the ocean, but it was so much more blue than the pond Adis had kept that I couldn’t help but survey it in wonder.
Always attuned to my emotions, Leif pointed to the water. “There is a special stone in this water, and when the stone starts to decay or fall apart, it turns the water this color.”
“Is it safe for humans?”
He nodded. “The stone is a mineral, so the water from this lake may taste different, but it doesn’t cause any harm.”
I kneeled down by the edge, folding my legs beneath me as I dipped a finger in. It felt just like regular water. “Wow.”
“Wow is right.”
I looked up only to find a shirtless Leif in front of me, his hands resting on his pant laces. I couldn’t help but rake my eyes over his chest, taking notice of how well muscled he was—similar to another man I had seen without a shirt recently.
I hastily shoved that thought away too, chastising myself. My mind had been wandering far too much lately. Otho belonged to someone else.
And he might very well be my enemy.
As I watched him undo the laces of his pants, something coiled within me, but almost as briefly, I realized I needed to put a stop to this right now. I opened my mouth to tell Leif, only for him to remove his pants entirely, leaving him only in his undershorts as he took a running jump into the light blue water.
I watched as he tucked his knees to his chest, making a splash as he passed through the surface. He went under for a few moments, but was soon swimming toward me, his arms making perfect arcs through the blue water. “The water feels amazing. Want to come in?”
I wanted to, but that wasn’t the problem. “I can’t swim,” I confessed, sucking my lower lip into my mouth.
“Oh.” A crestfallen look crossed his features. “I guess I should have asked before I jumped in, huh?”
A smile crept to my lips, and I released my lip from between my teeth. Leif really did make me feel safe. “That’s okay, don’t let me hold you back. I’m happy to just sit here.” It was a lie, but I knew there wasn’t time for me to learn to swim today.
Leif shook his head, exiting the water. “No, I’ll come sit on the shore with you. I need to dry off before I put my clothes back on anyway.”
I couldn’t help but stare as his body emerged from the water. Whether or not we were weighted, I definitely found him attractive.
He collapsed on the ground next to me, lying on his stomach.
An idea came to me then, something I hadn’t dared to do on purpose since leaving Adis’s clutches. I clenched my fist before opening my hand and pushing a burst of air his way. It ruffled his hair.
He chuckled. “Impressive. What else you got?”
A blush crawled up my neck and cheeks. “Not much, honestly. I’m still learning a lot, and the books I read for Adis weren’t all that impressive.” I shrugged my shoulders, convincing myself it wasn’t a big deal that I wasn’t able to dry him with my lousy magic—considering the same magic had woken Otho?—
I shook my head to clear it.
“Hey.” His finger hooked under my chin, turning my face toward his. “It’s impressive that you can read magic, even if the books you have access to are a simpler aspect of Seid lore.”
I bit my lip and nodded, suddenly feeling shy. I moved my chin from his grasp and faced forward again. There was something that had been bothering me for a long time. “Why can’t you read, Leif?”
His throat bobbed, his gaze now fixed forward as well. “I can, a little.”
That was new information. “. . . does Collum know?”
His lips twisted. “It wouldn’t matter if she did. Readingmagic from those books goes far beyond reading the words. Anyone can learn to read for comprehension, but reading and being able to speak those words with the perfect cadence to deliver magic—that’s something that takes time to master. My mother taught me to read when I was little, but . . .”
The barrier all Seid children faced. “The Purge,” I whispered for him.
