And then he sucked in a harsh breath and pushed me back a step.
“Stop,” he said, but with a coy smirk.
It was working, though.
And the knowing look in his eyes made it clear he was aware what I was doing. When Zayn got excited, his fear often slipped away.
“Thanks,” he said, beaming at me then as he shifted his weight and stabilized his power.
“I’ll use my Necromancy,” I told him.
I called my power.
An unexpected rush shot through me. Magic flamed, shooting up in two-foot-high raging amber flames.
“Shit,” Zayn exclaimed.
I sucked in a breath, despite an intense flood of adrenaline, and that thrill urging me to not just hold it, but push onward.
Go higher.
No, go deeper.
Drink it down.
Fucking relish it.
I managed to get control and pull it back quickly, my eyes darting all around.
Everyone was focused on their exercises thankfully.
“You all right?” Zayn asked me, eyes wide with so much worry.
Worry I couldn’t afford.
“Fine. It’s just a side effect of some of the training I’ve been doing with my dad.”
“Side effect?”
Sure.“Yeah. Learning how to call my power instantly at a high level without causing that scraping sensation and compromising myself in the process. There’s a trick to it for necromancers. I guess I’m still mastering it.”
“Mastering that, but having already mastered so much else in a really short timeframe?” Zayn rightfully questioned.
Fuck.“I guess some things are just more challenging. Even when you can master some of the advanced things more easily, some of the basics can elude you for a bit.”
“All right, yeah, I get that. Just… if you’re pushing things too hard—”
“I’m not.” I snuffed out my power, then called it back steadily, two controlled shimmering amber balls levitating over my palms. “See? All good here.” I focused and carefully began to spin the orbs—both at once in opposite directions.
“Damn, that’s some sweet control.”
There.We were good. Potential crisis averted.
“What can I say? Sylas Morgrave makes a hell of a trainer.”
Let him believe it was down to my dad, rather than my own competence. My dad was known the world over for his incredible control and mastery, so tying it to that lent weight to my stability projection.
I mean, it wasn’t just a projection. Not to me. I knew where I was at. I knew I was stable, that I could do this.
