Something thrummed between us, our magic coiling and twining in a way mine had never done with anyone. Zuko’s venom still twinged, but the edge was blunted by the way Rune’s sat inside me like a protective ward.
“Your venom didn’t disable me,” I admitted quietly.
“I noticed,” she murmured, voice gone soft like she wasn’t sure why.
She shifted as if to stand.
My hand caught her hip before I could think. Not to stop her exactly, just to…touchher. The heat that jumped through my palm startled me.
I yanked my hand back.
I didnotmean to touch her without her consent.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she breathed. “I liked it.”
She was my mentor’sdaughter.
My boss’sdaughter.
And yet…
Our magic flared again.
“Let me,” she said, standing up and offering her hand.
I took it, letting her haul me up.
Rune had brought down a dragon—me—and I had let her.
Why did it feel like I’d crossed a line I couldn’t uncross?
Gavin cleared his throat. “Jesper…what was that?”
Rune turned toward him with the biggest grin I’d ever seen on her.She was beautiful.“I’m just that good, Pops. Don’t blame him.”
“My venom baby’s right,” Slater sang as he bounded over, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “I can’t believe you took down a dragon.” His red eyes slid to me, mouth curving into a knowing smirk. “Though, I have a feeling it’s because he let you.”
“Let me?” she gasped in horror. “Let’s do it again!”
“No,” Gavin chuckled before his knowing gaze swung to me. “You won fair and square. Right, Jesper?”
I nodded, feeling his gaze picking me apart. “She did.”
“What can I say?” Zuko ambled up with a smirk as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “My pretty little poison is just that amazing.”
“Understatement,” Koa added, ambling up with a sheepish smile.
“She did well,” Dimitri muttered, glancing away.
“So did you,” she told him. “You were the one controlling the mass of civilians panicking, after all.”
Much better than Hawk had.
Gavin nodded at the ten of them, narrowing his eyes at Eleanor. “Your squad passes. You took down the target in a surprising amount of time. Casualties were at a minimum because of that. Eleanor, go to the infirmary. Lorian, take her.”
“I’m on it,” Lorian said, already scooping Eleanor into his arms just as she finally passed out.
