I could not bear to see his horrible father call Derrick weak again.
He gave me a little smile and pulled out a small round tin from his pocket. “Thanks to the Viper, this is helping, at least. I use it for all my…cuts and scrapes.”
He handed me the tin. I opened the lid and the fragrance of the balm inside hit me like a fist. Smelled just like home. I swiped my thumb in the creamy balm. “Close your eyes.”
Derrick obeyed and I raised up on my toes. My hand rested against his cheek and he exhaled.
I spread a little balm underneath his eye. “Why did your mother call you Midnight?”
His smile was soft. “I used to have a lot of nightmares when I was little, mostly of a horned monster. Midnight is usually when I would wake up from them.”
The door into his mind opened more under my touch. Every bit of magic inside of Derrick sparkled, lighting each of his blood vessels up like a roadmap. His entire body thrummed with magic, waiting for my orders.
I paused for only a moment to appreciate it—the heir to Lycaster was under my command.
The crystal warmed my leg. Even though the image of Duke Hyton’s tight fist around Derrick burned in the back of my mind, what made my white flame dance was not anger. I was not even sure what emotion I was channeling, but I did not care.
Derrick lit up even more. “But really, I think Mama just wanted something else to call me. Anything but Alastar. Anything but Derrick.”
The music in my mind got louder, like we were in the middle of our own dance floor that my magic had created. I closed my eyes. Power pulsed in my fingertips and Derrick’s blood grew warm beneath his skin as I touched his wound.
“You have many names, Midnight,” I whispered.
“I am whoever I have to be.”
I pictured his handsome, unmarked face when I saw him for the first time at the Suitors’ Ball. My heart had stopped, my stomach fluttered, and I had wanted nothing more than to be with him. I took that memory and sent it through my heartbeat, pulsing through my blood to my fingertips.
White light glowed behind my eyes. The magic was listening, and so I commanded:
“Change him. Fix him. Heal him.”
After a heartbeat, everything went still. I moved my hand from his cheek to his shoulder and opened my eyes.
I smiled—the bruise was gone.
Derrick opened his eyes. He had no idea what had just happened, but he smiled back. He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. His warm lips on my skin sent a symphony through my mind, the notes lifted and peaceful.
My heart pounded with triumph. My magic was building. My muscles felt stronger. Somehow, I even felt a little taller. I was not just a sorceress, I was ahealer.
Whoever the Viper was could take credit for healing the bruise. I was just happy that…well, I was finally a little happier.
Daigen was right, following my heart’s desire would lead me down the right path, even if it seemingly made no sense.
My eyes found the crescent moon that was slowly disappearing amongst the stars. I only hoped my heart’s desire would give me the right answers soon.
My feet were light as I danced on the waves.
The low song of the sirens vibrated under the seawater, but I was not afraid. Light from the full moon crested on each rolling wave.
“One of these days, I will teach you how to swim. You just have to wake up.”
Even though the voice from the sea felt as delicious as a satin ribbon against my ears, I stopped dancing. Why would I need to wake up?
My eyes felt like they were weighed down with boulders. I slowly rolled my head, feeling the pillow beneath me.
I was in bed, not in the sea.
I slowly opened my eyes and oriented myself in the pastel shades of Annalisa’s bedroom.
