“Imagine making trees move at your will, branches whipping through the air, or controlling vines.”
“I'd prefer to avoid vines, if that's alright with you,” she said with a shiver. “Someone used vines to . . .”
“What did he do to you?” I growled.
“He's dead. He won't coil his nasty vines around my wrists and ankles to pin me in place any longer. He can’t drain me.”
“Who. Fucking. Drained you?” I stormed toward her, my hands lifted, and my fingers curled into claws. I latched onto her shoulders and glared down at her. “Tell me!”
Her eyes widened, and she must've responded instinctively, because she lifted her hand and shot a bolt of flaming lightning right at me.
30
REYLA
I’d acted without thought, though regret slammed into me almost as quickly as the wall of water Lore generated from the air and shoved in my direction to deflect my lightning.
The wall of water hit gentler than it should’ve, all things considered, but still engulfed me, drenching me through and extinguishing my puny attempt to defend myself. I stood on the stone floor, highlighted by the moonlight, sputtering and dripping while his rage at my father limped out of him with the drop in his shoulders. His too-gorgeous eyes widened with the realization of what he’d done.
Farris whined, but a quick wave of my hand soothed him.
“I’d suggest we were even,” I told Lore, gulping. “Except my bolt didn’t touch you, and I’m now soaking wet from your wall of water.”
“I’m sorry,” he said gravely, his hand lifting my way beforehe dropped it like his shoulders. “I . . . I don’t know what came over me.” He flicked his finger, and a hot wind whipped through the room, quickly drying my clothing and hair. Good thing I’d taken it down from its prior arrangement and bound it in a tail at the nape of my neck.
“Handy, isn’t it?” I said, my smirk somewhat restored.
He blinked. “What?”
“Your magical abilities. First you get me wet, and then you dry me just as quickly.”
Thankfully, he didn’t pounce on the potential double meaning of that statement. Although, I was still sort of wet in places it was best he didn’t know about. It had been like this between us from the moment we’d met. Him snarling and coming across much too sexy. Me responding to the fire he lit deep inside me.
Guilt should be playing a big role in my thoughts about now, but I couldn’t seem to dredge it up and smear it all over me. I’d planned to avoid him, but here I was, working with him at the request of my husband.
I was falling for Merrick. I wouldn’t try to deny it.
But Iwoulddeny that I was also falling for Lore.
“Crystals,” I said. “Back to business.” With shaky knees, I strode over to stand in front of the table. “Tell me what to do.”
“Yes, um . . .”
I’d never seen Lore lose his sharp poise, and I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to do so again. Snarly Lore messed with my equilibrium. Uncertain Lore made me want to drop to my knees and . . . It was also best not to think about touching areas I’d recently threatened.
“Crystals?” I prompted.
He shook himself like a nyxin coming in from the rain and joined me at the table. “Yes, crystals. I am sorry.”
“I accept your apology. My father is dead, and while I appreciate your willingness to thrust yourself between us, there's no need. My friends and I eliminated the problem already.”
“Yes. You did.”
I refused to simper at the admiration in his eyes.Wet, Reyla. Don't let him make you any wetter.
The weight of something indefinable hung between us as silence filled the room like a thick fog. This man pulsed with tension. I could feel it working its way deep into me, mixing in with a healthy dose of anticipation and uncertainty. A shiver ran through me as the remnants of his water attack were quickly pushed away by the heat of his gaze.
I planted my hands on the rough wooden table and leaned toward the colorful stones. “You said I need to send my power into them?”
