“Not yet,” Altair said. “I want you to know what you’re capable of without him, what your limits are. What it’s like when he isn’t channeling magic into you, so you’re better able to control it once he does.”
“Okay,” she said, closing her eyes. The connection to her magic now was instant, the woman made of fire reaching out to hold her hand automatically instead of shying away. Scrunching her face tighter, Iyana envisioned a spark of flame in the palm of her hand. Only when she could feel the heat did she open her eyes—to find nothing there. Not even an ember. Sighing in defeat, she mentally pleaded with Altair to let her be done.
“You can’t be done, astalle. How can you expect to take down an emperor without your magic?”
“Get out of my head…” she mumbled.
“My star, you can’t learn if you give up when things don’t immediately go your way. Magic is a muscle and needs to be strengthened through hard work and determination.”
Shutting her eyes again, she wound her way back to her magic source. The woman was made of fire, after all, maybe she’d be able to help.Got any ideas for me?Iyana thought.Or better yet, throw some fire into my hand?A calming presence filled her, feeling like a mother’s touch. Tears threatened behind her closed lids; she tried her hardest to hold the sobs in. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been longing for her mother until that moment. How grounding the image of her mother had been in the dungeon. She had motivated Iyana to cling to life more than once. The calm, and love, within her allowed her to focus on the individual aspects of fire—the heat, the light, the crackle as it devoured its fuel, its burn when one wandered too close, yet the comfort and safety it provided. And she felt it. A small spark in her fingertips.
Opening her eyes, there it was, a flame hovering over her hand, no bigger than a date. Pride sparkled in Altair’s golden gaze. Iyana grinned. She maintained the fire in her hand until she glanced at Emmeric, her flame reflected in his bright blue irises, a heat to them reminding her of when she rode in front of him on the way to Athusia.I am still a man,he’d said as he ground his length into her. Iyana was ashamed to say she’d thought of that moment more than she wished to. There was a tug in her chest, and pleasure-filled warmth rushed through her veins. She and Emmeric gasped simultaneously, the connection taking hold of them both.
The fire in her palm grew from the size of a date to a mango, then a coconut, and soon was blazing taller than she stood, continuing to grow. Altair was shouting at her tocontrol it, but there was no control. The fire was now a living being; it was in charge, and she was its vessel. It licked at the leaves of the trees above them, but Iyana could not tear her gaze from Emmeric’s. Suddenly the connection dropped, and her chest heaved with the unexpected emptiness, but the fire continued to rage. Then Altair was there, his hand on hers, and the fire bowed to his calming touch, reducing to only an ember. He plucked the ember out of her palm, allowing her to disconnect from her magic, and placed it in their pit, starting a much more controlled blaze. Iyana realized the reason for the broken connection as she saw Talon climbing off of Emmeric—he had tackled his friend to save them all from her.
Oh gods.Iyana began to shiver. Easily, so easily, the entire forest might have gone up in flames, endangering all of their lives. Covering her face with her hands, she sank to the forest floor, but strong arms encircled her waist, keeping her upright.
“Come with me,” Altair growled, practically dragging her into the trees away from the others. Which was for the best. She had no idea how to gain control of the magic, especially with Emmeric in the mix, and most importantly, she didn’t know how tostopit when she needed to.
Iyana paid no attention to where Altair dragged her, until he forced her against a tree, the bark digging into her back. The sharp pain made her gasp. He crowded into her space, lifting her chin with a finger until she looked him in the eyes. He was furious. The angriest she’d ever seen him. Honestly, Iyana deserved his anger. He’d been nothing but patient with her, training her magic which differed from his own, listening to her whine and complain about the thing that wouldn’t come naturally to her.
“What did I say before?” he asked, his voice low and full of malice.
“I’ll practice more,” she said. “Promise. I’ll focus, really start to—” Altair cut off her voice when he wrapped his hand around her throat. It was gentle, without pressure. Iyana could still breathe, but felt as though her ability to even do that much might stop as he stroked the pulse point on her neck with his thumb.
“Not about practicing,” he said. Iyana was confused. If he hadn’t dragged her out here to ream her about the magic, then… “I told you toneverlook at Emmeric like you wanted to fuck him.” Oh.Oh.His voice lowered even further as he continued those torturous circles on her neck. “A punishment may be warranted.”
“Like what?” she asked, breathless.
Altair hummed, dragging his lips up the side of her face to her ear. “I could think of a few things.” He nipped at the skin behind her ear, trailing the tip of his tongue down her neck.
“Yeah?” Iyana’s heart was beating out of control. That she was able to utter a single word was miraculous.
“Yeah.” Tightening the hand around her throat, he crashed his lips to hers, devouring her. She kissed him back, matching his tongue’s every stroke. Her hands found their way to Altair’s broad shoulders, fisting his shirt to tug him even closer. Iyana felt close to combusting, and she wanted to catch fire.
Then Altair was spinning her around, pushing her breasts against the tree, hand still at her throat. He pulled her face back, kissing her hard again, her peaked nipples rubbingjustright against the rough bark. Altair ground into her ass, and she felt he was as excited as she was. She’d wanted this so badly. Keeping his hand wrapped around her neck, he drew her flush with his muscular body. His other hand created a trail of heat as it found its way to her lower abdomen. He toyed with the hem of her breeches. Back and forth, back and forth, not going where she desperately needed him. Iyana thrust her hips forward, trying to get him tomove.He chuckled, the sound pulsing through her entire body.
“So eager, my star.”
“Altair, please,” she panted.
“Please what? Use your words, astalle.”
“Please touch me. I need you.” Then his handfinallydipped below her waistband, and softly passed over the bundle of nerves at her core. Iyana gasped, her headfalling back onto Altair’s shoulder. His fingers began to move, slowly and lightly at first. More, she needed more. He explored lower, and groaned at the wetness already pooled there.
“So ready for me,” he murmured in her ear, nipping it lightly. Iyana moaned as he pressed one finger into her, then two. Finally moving, filling her the way she’d been craving. His thumb rubbing circles on her center, increasing pressure, then decreasing, driving her to the brink of insanity. All the while, he nipped and kissed his way from her ear down her jaw, his hand still firmly on her throat.
Iyana’s breathing intensified, her stomach clenching. The sensation was too intense, too much. Altair’s thumb increased in pressure on her clit, and his fingers inside of her curled in exactly the right spot. Iyana gripped his forearm, nails digging into his skin. Her lungs forgot how to breathe.
“Come for me, astalle,” he whispered in her ear. She shattered into a million pieces, crying out Altair’s name, her body a shooting star streaking across the sky. Her vision returned to her slowly as she descended back into her body. Spent and satisfied, but ready for so much more. Reaching behind her, she ran her hand up Altair’s hard length, feeling it twitch in her palm. Gods, she wanted him so badly inside her, claiming her.
But he grabbed her wrist, stilling her movements, his hand retreating from her pants. Altair turned her back to face him, putting the fingers which had just been inside her into his mouth. Groaning, he sucked and licked her climax from his fingers. She almost came again from the sight.
“Delicious,” he growled. She reached for the ties of his pants, but again he stopped her.
“Altair,” she panted, needy.
“This is your punishment, astalle. You’ll wait for more.”
