A sudden dizziness makes me stagger until I have to lean on the tree to avoid falling.
“Whoa,” Althea huffs, rubbing her chest with one hand. “That was... impressive.”
“Is this normal?” I ask, pointing at myself. “I feel like I'm exhausted, I suddenly feel like throwing up.”
“It's the cost,” she explains, shrugging as if it were something basic I should know. “Magic isn't free, Nell. Especially when you use advanced abilities without proper training. You're lucky you didn't pass out.”
“Are you okay? I'm so sorry, really. I didn't know what I was doing,” I assure her, taking her hand in mine.
“You froze me,” she explains. “You created a sphere of frozen air and temporarily neutralized my element.”
“I didn't mean to... I didn't even know I could...”
“It's an advanced ability,” she interrupts me, sitting with her back against the tree trunk. “Air elementals can control temperature; make molecules move slower, creating cold, or faster, generating heat.”
I kneel next to her, still worried.
“I'm sorry, really,” I murmur, caressing her cheek with the back of my hand.
“Don't be sorry. You don't have to apologize. Yesterday, Sylara told me you were learning too fast to be half human. According to her, that's impossible. In any case, I'm proud of you,” she adds with a beautiful smile.
There's something in that smile that keeps me from looking away from her mouth. Without realizing it, I lean slightly toward her, feeling her body temperature somewhat higher than normal.
Althea also leans in; I'd even swear she parts her lips slightly.
For an instant, I lose track of time and reality. She places a hand on my waist, drawing me toward her until her mouth is millimeters from mine.
“Stop, please,” I sigh, placing my open hand on her chest.
I don't understand what's happening. I'm incredibly turned on, so much that I'd make love to her right here without hesitating for a second, and that scares me. I don't usually react like this, and the problem is it's happening to me with several different people.
“Are you sure?” she whispers, shifting her eyes to my nipples, which show through the fabric.
“Althea, I'm very confused right now. It's not because I don't find you attractive or lack desire, but I need to sort out my thoughts, because this is starting to be fucking crazy,” I explain, breathing deeply before standing up and moving away from her.
Chapter 13
Nell
The next morning, a tiny drop of sweat slides down my temple as I wait for Sabina at the pier. And I'd rather be anywhere else in the world, with anyone else before her.
The siren appears at the end of the dock, moving forward with that impossible beauty no human could imitate. It's not Sylara's perfection, but I have to acknowledge it's something hypnotic. Each step seems like a dance, as if at any moment she might jump, slip under the water, and disappear.
“You're late,” I growl as a greeting, not bothering in the slightest to hide my anger.
“You know? Time is a different concept underwater,” she responds with that tone that drives me crazy and at the same time makes me want to push her body against a wall to kiss her.
“Okay, whatever,” I huff, crossing my arms. “Can we get this shit over with as soon as possible? I have better things to do.”
Sabina rolls her eyes and shakes her head. The green of her irises seems more intense today.
“It's not like I feel like being with you, sweetheart,” she declares, taking out a small flask from her bag and sipping the salt water it contains. “But Sylara and Althea insisted.”
I prefer not to respond. The air around me stirs slightly, showing my anger. Small whirlwinds of sand begin to form at my feet. Sabina looks at them and sighs.
“Follow me,” she orders, gesturing with her head and turning toward a more secluded area of the pier. “We can't practice where people can see us.”
I walk after her reluctantly, cursing Kaelisar, these three elementals and my own stupidity for letting myself be dragged into this mess. Why do I have to learn from her? I've already trained with Sylara and Althea. It should be enough.
