Brela sucked in a sharp breath and grimaced as her body trembled violently, right hand darting to her collarbone as she jumped back. “Shit.”
Cason yanked his hand away, cheeks burning. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that would hurt you.”
She let out a soft groan, eyes still squeezed shut as she continued to shake. “Not your fault.” She tapped the shard in her chest. “This guy hates other magic, remember?”
“If I had known…”
She waved him off before he could finish. “It’s okay. You’re a lot stronger than I expected, though.”
Cason cursed under his breath. He hadn’tmeantto hurt her. He was only trying to help.
Oh.
Oh,four hells.
He was trying to help his enemy. An enemy that had helped him, too, and suddenly he realized that he didn’t want her to be the enemy any longer.
That thought was more dangerous than the assassin standing in front of him.
Brela blinked a few times and poked the rings in her braid before frowning at him. “Why did you put your protective magic into it?”
Excuses. He needed excuses for what he’d done.
Cason shrugged. “I’ll be there the whole time, and I’m upholding my promise, but I thought maybe that would help ease some of your nerves.”
She straightened. “If anyone finds out you helped me—“
“Consider it my version of throwing a knife and missing on purpose,” he replied with a quick grin. “Do you know the movements for a shield?”
“Shielding isn’t your affinity…”
“I’m…” Cason chewed his lip. “I’m strong enough in the other two to make it work. I pretty much just strengthened what magic was already in the cuffs.” He sighed. “You know how to call a shield, right?”
Brela’s eyes were still wide, but she nodded.
“Good. If it comes to it, I’d prefer you not blast me with my own magic.”
Brela opened her mouth. Shut it. Narrowed her eyes for a moment. Finally, one side of her mouth lifted as she smiled softly. “You know, Cason, maybe I don’t have you figured out after all.”
And for the first time in his life, Cason wasn’t sure he had himself figured out either.
21
Sharpshadow
Four hells, gods above, and everything in between, itstillhurt. Brela had tempted the fire before, and had been sitting right next to him as it radiated out of his skin. She’d been sparked by a fraction of the lightning he possessed. But, good gods, to feel thefull forceof Cason’s magic? To feel it right next to her ear after his gentle touch had already sent a shock through her?
The thrumming hadn’t stopped in her head, her skin still pulsed, and if the wagon wasn’t already a bumpy ride, she was sure her own shaking would have knocked the wheels loose.
That didn’t even cover the pounding in her collarbone, in tune with her heartbeat. Cold chills stung deep into her bones and made her muscles and head ache with tension. But she could feel that prickling magic through every inch of her body, like a warmth and a curse at the same time.
Cason hadn’t just given her a spark of his power. He joked that he didn’t want her blasting him with his own magic, but blasting would have been an understatement. With the magic he’d infused into the cuffs in her hair, she could channel something more destructive than the celvusa smashing through half the wall in Gerrart’s office.
She could have taken out his entire house with this power. And leveled the rest of the street.
If she was smart and needed to get free from the King of Severina, she could ration the power into several different attacks. She could get herself, Elias, and Farrah out of the castle and halfway to Rooke with that much magic.
Cason had helped her. He could have put a thread of power in those cuffs, but no. Despite everything going on, despite the fact she was still his enemy, he had put more sun-blessed power in those cuffs than Brela had ever felt before.
