My dad had just been on the verge of outright threatening the Head of the Guardian Movement.
For me.
Because of me.
Worse, actually. Because with him things rarely just stayed as threats.
If he…fuck…it would be over for him. He’d have his magic stripped, the very heart and essence of him, he’d end up inThe Voidimprisoned there. It would destroy him and my entire family.
I let out a scream as the powerful rush tried to ignore my will, wanting me to push harder, further, and slamming up against that part of me that wanted to keep this thrill going.
Wanting more, more, more.
To climb higher.
To reach every fucking where.
No!
My hands shook violently as I forced my arms down.
Down, down, down.
The lightning went out.
The raging flames of amber still shot up toward the sky, though.
Return. Fucking return.
I sucked in breath after breath, pulling harder, letting that sensation go. Forcing it away.
Distasteful. I had to believe it was disgusting.
And then it happened, my flame thinning out and retracting, reabsorbing into me.
The last couple of pulls were the worst and the force needed wrenched me down to my knees. I landed hard in the sand with a brutal jar.
But it didn’t matter.
My power went out.
I lowered my head, sweating, panting, shuddering.
And then arms were around me.
I jolted when I looked up, expecting them to be my dad’s, but they were Ketheron’s.
“You’re well. You’re well, tiny god.” He cradled me against him and even rocked me. “Shh. It’s over. You regained control. That’s what matters.” I heard footsteps, then him saying, “Isn’t that right, my gorgeous?”
I saw Ambrose now there, stroking Ketheron’s shoulder.
He smiled kindly at me. “Of course. That first extreme rush is difficult to reckon with. All powerful beings like us have faced that same fight. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, nothing dark about you, for that matter. Your father would tell you the same thing.”
Why wasn’t he?
“W-where is he? Where’s my dad?”
Ketheron helped ease me to my feet, and I turned in his supporting hold to see my dad now several feet in the distance arguing with Ryker Morgan. Both of them being aggressive about it.
