Reya’s training might not be fixing my main fire fear, but it’s doing something—I don’t freeze as much anymore and my Threads are snapping into place faster than they used to.
“What about girls?” I ask, dropping my arms and trying to stall her before she strikes again. “You seeing any?”
It doesn't work, her hand throws out, and flames tear free from a nearby lantern, rushing me and clawing for my wrists.
“Nothing serious, not since Talen...”
Tensing every muscle, I strain as I pull the air around me, my Threads catching and driving the blaze outward, forcing it to recoil and whip back toward her.
“You just need to find a female version of him.”
Reya ducks, letting out an awkward half laugh. “Yeah, well, I already did—but she’s not into girls. At least I don't think so. But even if she was, I wouldn’t be able to touch her.” My eyes narrow on her in confusion. She shakes her head. “Never mind.”
The next strike of fire lashes out from her, and I move to swipe it aside, but the rustle of canvas behind me pulls my focus as a silhouette steps through, too dark to make out their face.
But I don’t need the light to know who it is.
I’d know that posture anywhere.
Talen.
My heart stalls, locking up in my chest at the sight of him, just in time for Reya’s fire to slam into my back, knocking the wind right out of me. Grunting, I double over, dropping my hands to my knees.
“Ohhh.” Reya steps up beside me, her tone far too pleased, like she’s just solved a puzzle. “That’s why you’re so snappy tonight—someone hasn’t gotten any action in a while.”
I ignore her and keep my head down, my attention anchored to the mat, not her—and definitely not him—as I drag in a breath, willing the flush from my face.
Anger. Focus on the anger.I tell myself that, but now he’s here, my body doesn’t seem to want to listen and every nerve in me wakes for an entirely different reason.
“You know you just need to forgive and fuck.” She adds.
“It’s not that easy,” I mutter, forcing myself upright despite my pulse still racing.
It’s not easy because it’s not really even about him anymore; it’s about me. But I don’t tell her that.
“Sure it is.” She tilts her head in his direction, where he’s now leaning back against a support pole at the side of the tent.
His arms are crossed, one boot hooked over the other, while the lantern above catches along the chiseled angles of his face. My gaze catches on his before I can stop it, and his mouth shifts into a smile that instantly makes me forget why I'm punishing myself and keeping my distance.
“It usually is with girls anyway,” Reya adds, stepping in closer. “You ever tried?” I turn to her, raising a brow. “Being with a girl, I mean.”
Blood races back into my cheeks. “I—uh—I never really thought about it.”
I pray the lie will hide the fact that I’ve actually spent the last month picturingexactlywhat she’d be like—not because I want her, but because I can’t stop thinking about the fact that he has.
“You know…” Her voice dips, softening at the edges, as she lifts a hand and brushes her fingers lightly down my arm—slow enough to make the hairs there rise. “Talen’s always had a thing for the most beautiful girls. I used to be so jealous at the Citadel, all the female cadets coming and going from his dorm…” Glancing down, I can't help noticing the way her breasts rise and fall with each breath, and my whole body goes still.“See,” she murmurs, “you’re so tense, you need to let something out.”
Her touch lingers a second too long before she lets it fall to my leg. I swallow but it catches as my throat tightens.
“Reya—” Her name barely makes it past my lips as I shift back, hitting the solid wood of the support pole behind me.
“Shhh.” She follows, her breath warm at my ear as her fingers trail ever closer to the edge of my waistband. “Just look athim.”
The tent falls silent as the sound of my own heartbeat starts to drown out everything else, a pounding drum-line that kicks harder the second I glance down at her hand.
God, my ribs ache with the effort of staying calm—like everything I’ve been holding in these past four weeks is pressing outward all at once, begging for release, desperate for somewhere to go.
I should stop her?—
