Reader Conlin removes the crystals that are attached to my skin like magnets to metal and hands them back to Reader Tearson. His eyes are beaming excitement as he takes the crystals and tells me what this all means.
“You have very strong Offensive, Defensive, and Elemental magic. As well as a strong affinity for Healing magic. I would not be surprised if your Healing magic develops into a very strong affinity with some work. It seems Spell magic, however, will not be your forte.”
“Holy shit!” someone exclaims.
Reader Tearson’s brows furrow, but he ignores the outburst and begins to place the crystals back into the bag, his focus and huge grin still trained on me.
“You’re nothing short of extraordinary, Your Greatness, but I would expect nothing less of the last Sentinel. I’m in awe of everything we’ve discovered here today.”
I smile bashfully at his statement. His reverence and awe feel unearned, and I can’t help feeling awkward about it. I try to ignore the praise over my existence and focus on being glad to have some answers finally. I remember him telling me that he has scans from archives that will tell me more about everything I’ve learned today, and I feel lighter with the realization that I’ll have access to more answers as time goes on.
I take a deep breath and look around the room. I’ve been waiting so long to know what was revealed to me today, but this moment feels somewhat anticlimactic. Maybe I’m in shock, or maybe my anger from what happened earlier is tainting things.
Reader Tearson stands up and walks over to Silva. He begins to chant slowly finishing with some unusual hand movements and then moves to Evrin repeating the same thing. I assume this is the sealing he was telling me he would do at the end of the reading. I’m relieved that it’s now over, and I realize just how drained I feel. Images of my comfy bed flood my mind, and I stifle a yawn.
I still have questions about my parents, among other things, but I’ll deal with that tomorrow. I don’t think I can process any more information tonight. Reader Tearson finishes the binding and approaches me. He bows again and asks Reader Conlin if there is anything more they need.
He gives a quick shake of his head and then bows to me as well. I’m instructed that we should leave the room in the opposite order that we entered it, so I thank the Readers and then follow the dim lamps back out of the door into the empty hallway.
I know that I should wait and have many of the conversations I’m sure the others are dying to have, but right now I just want to be alone. I sprint up to my bedroom and lock the door behind me. I strip hurriedly out of the white dress and turn on the tap to fill the tub. I sprinkle bath salts and splash in some bubble bath, and I breathe in the relaxing aroma of lavender as it fills the air around me.
I’m perched naked in the dark on the edge of the huge bathtub when the first knocks sound at my door. I hear a muffled voice, but I can’t make out who it is or what they’re saying. I ignore them. I toss my hair up into a messy bun and sink into heat and bubbles. I adjust the tap making it even hotter and lay back while the rest of the tub fills.
I’m a Sentinel. The last in a line of hunted and murdered magic users. I have a ton of unusual abilities, and I’ve forced five guys into a permanent magical connection with me whether they like it or not. I possess affinities for four of the five branches of magic and the only family I have in this world either wants to use me or kill me.
Fuck.
I never thought I’d see the day when being an unwanted, homeless teenager that fights for a living seemed like a simpler way of life.
37
Ipause at the top of the stairs hearing voices coming from Bastien’s room. I knock lightly on his door, and follow the shout tocome in. Bastien is sitting on his bed and his face morphs into a heart-stopping smile when he sees it’s me who’s knocking.
“I wondered when you’d resurface," he teases.
I give him an apologetic smile. “Yeah, I just wanted some time to…you know…deal. I guess," I offer in lame explanation as I walk further into the room.
As soon as I get within reaching distance, Bastien grabs me and pulls me into his lap. I chuckle and settle into him, his closeness soothing some if the anxiety I’ve been feeling since the reading yesterday.
“Just as long as you know you don’t have todealwith everything alone," Valen tells me with a comforting smile.
I return it and start looking around Bastien’s room. His bed is simple and masculine and sits up against the gray stone wall like mine does. Where I have side tables, he has thick polished wood floating shelves. There’s no fireplace like there is in my room. Instead, there is a huge built-in entertainment center with a behemoth TV, and different game consoles placed amongst some pictures and other knick-knacks.
A large brown sectional where Knox and Ryker are sitting stretches in front of the entertainment center. By the wall of windows to the right of the bed are two fluffy, cushioned hanging hammock chairs, one of which is occupied by Sabin reading a book.
I shake my head at myself and chuckle humorlessly. Aside from some basic facts like age and the kind of magic he has, I know next to nothing about Bastien, or any of them really. I learned more about Sabin when we went riding, but all of this feels so out of order suddenly.
“What’s that noise for?” Valen asks from next to me and Bastien on the bed.
“I’m just realizing that I’ve kissed most of you, and forced all of you into a permanent bond with me, but this is the first time I’ve been in anyone’s room. I pretty much know next to nothing about most of you. How fucked up and backward is that?”
Several of them chuckle.
“What’s so backward about it? You kicked my ass, found yourself consumed by attraction for my awesome personality--and rock-hard body. You’ve marked me as your Chosen, and eventually, I’ll be turned into a magic weapon wielding, powerful, ultra-cool badass; the likes of which the world hasn’t seen for almost a thousand years. I’m sure there are tons of stories out there just like ours," Bastien finishes nonchalantly, and I can’t help but smile.
“Learning all about each other will come with time, and Bruiser, you’re welcome in my roomanytimeyou want.”
Bastien leans me back in a mock dip and his smile turns lascivious. He plants a quick kiss on my lips, and I laugh at his playfulness. I needed this. I’ve been so wrapped up in my head trying to piece things together and sort through everything I learned yesterday.
