My voice is deeper, sterner than it usually is, but controlled, calm. My eyes shift into an amplified focus, leaving no doubt in my mind that they’re glowing. The air tightens around us and my breath travels through my lips like the wind. Not a turbulent storm, but a noticeable breeze.
The grass flattens, making the line I drew even more pronounced.
This power locking in place, then settling back down, is vastly different than my seduction. With that one, once I send my commands out toward the guys, I’m left with a glorious boost of confidence.
Right now, I feel heavy inevitability.
Almost like I just said something that has no choice but to be recognized.
“Very good, Thayla.”
I exhale.
“What now?”
“Go cross the line, Riven.”
“What?” I screech, whirling around to Amick, but before he can say anything, Riven takes a step forward and panic surges through me.
I have no fucking clue what could happen to him.
Without another thought, I snatch him back by his hand, and I charge forward. Right over the line I just commanded couldn’t be crossed.
A zap, not one of pain but warning, slithers across my skin. It lasts a millisecond before a ripple whips through me, sending me soaring through the air.
I don’t have time to scream or react when wings wrap around me.
We touch the ground faster than I can even process what happened. My hands frantically pat down my body but freeze when I spin around.
My jaw drops and my head tilts back as I gaze up at V in a form I’ve never seen before.
Holy shit.
“V, you’re…absolutely massive.”
“Thank you. This is almost as large as I can grow.”
“A-almost?” I stutter.
His laugh rumbles around in my mind.
“Valories, you are magnificent,” Riven coos behind me.
I take a deep breath, eyeing V once more before turning back around. As soon as I go to thank Riven, I instantly realize by the way he’s staring at my Vedarya, he isn’t talking to me.
I roll my eyes and rub my heart, willing it to settle down.
“You okay?” Kyzen asks as he steps up to me.
“Yeah. That was startling. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. Or that.” I shove my thumb over my shoulder, and he nods as he too gawks at V.
“Yeah, I definitely didn’t know he could do that. As far as you getting shot through the air, I didn’t see that coming either. I knew something was going to happen, but I didn’t know what.”
Amick and Creed step up on either side of me and I run my hand down Creed’s chest as he wordlessly turns my jaw fromside to side. He lets me go with a grunt after he’s determined I’m fine.
“So that was pretty immediate,” I say as I stare into Amick’s unhappy eyes.
“Yes, I assumed it would be. Hence why I told Riven to cross the line.”
