Page 4
This time, the little calf mimicked the movement almost perfectly.
A flicker of pride crossed Asterion’s face. “There.”
Korinnae beamed.
After another few practice strikes, she plopped down on a large flat stone bordering the training circle, hugging her knees as she watched her uncle resume his routine. Every now and then, she’d imitate one of his punches from where she sat, earning herself a smile when he noticed.
Ria sighed.
The girl was better, not by much, but better. The shadows beneath her eyes weren’t quite as dark as they’d been a week ago. She laughed a little more easily. She wasn’t flinching at every unexpected sound.
Still…she wasn’t recovering the way Liora had, and Ria couldn’t help the comparison. Liora’s healing had accelerated, and judging from the unmistakable gasps, muffled laughter, rhythmic thumps, and the occasional barely contained moan drifting from their room at decidedly inconvenient hours…there was no mystery about what kind of therapy she and her basilisk were embracing.
Good for them.
A tiny, thoroughly uncharitable part of Ria couldn’t help feeling jealous. Her own romantic life had become something of a wasteland, a virtual drought. Not that she’d had much time to think about dating between training, healing, and just staying alive. But the mission came first; it always did.
Being touch-affined certainly didn’t make things easier. Her magic responded to contact—a hand clasped in hers, a reassuring hug, fingers brushing against skin—all of it strengthened her abilities, allowing her power to flow more naturally. The more drained she became, the more she craved a simple human connection. It wasn’t about romance; it was simply how her magic worked.
Ria huffed an amused breath. Of course, actually using that magic here was another matter entirely.
She glanced toward the center of the training yard, where Asterion was reducing yet another practice dummy to expensive kindling. The hulking mountain of muscle disapproved of magic. Every conversation they’d had about it ended the same way, with a clipped warning, a skeptical look, or some variation of we don’t need witchcraft to solve our problems.
Fine. She had other talents. Potions, healing tinctures, protective wards etched into stone instead of woven through spells, alchemy, more than enough practical knowledge to make her useful without drawing on the currents of magic humming beneath her skin. She hadn’t needed to rely on her touch affinity nearly as much as she normally would, even if, every now and then, she could almost feel the unused power stretching inside her, impatient to be called upon.
Ria wandered to the shade of an old cedar where she had a perfect view of the grounds without feeling like she was intruding. She pulled her phone from her pocket, while Asterion’s steady rhythm of grunts and splintering wood gradually faded into the background as she scrolled through videos. Before long, a familiar song filled her earbuds, and she found herself humming along, her foot tapping against the damp grass.
“What are you watching?”
The small voice made her jump.
She looked up to find Korinnae standing beside her, peering over her shoulder with unabashed curiosity. A nail pointed at the glowing screen.
“Oh.” Ria smiled, pulling one earbud free. “That’s a music group from the Upperworld.”
Korinnae’s eyes darted from the performers dancing across the screen to Ria herself. “They’re pretty,” she declared with complete sincerity. “Like you are.”
Heat crept into Ria’s cheeks.
“Thank you,” she said, laughing softly. “They’re from Korea, the part of the world my father’s family comes from.”
“Ooh.” Korinnae leaned closer, practically pressing against Ria’s shoulder as she tried to study the tiny figures on the display. “What are they doing?”
“It’s one of their dance routines. They spend months practicing so everyone moves together.”
The calf watched in fascination as the performers spun and shifted in perfect synchronization. “Can I get those videos?”
“I wish it were that easy.” Ria held up her phone. “This came from the Upperworld. Most things from there don’t work in Vale Crossing.”
“Then…why does yours?”
“Hephaestus fixed it for me.”
Korinnae’s jaw dropped. “The god of fire and forges?”
Ria nodded. “The very same. Although he’d probably remind you, he’s also the god of craftsmen, inventors, and engineers.” She grinned. “He’s surprisingly good with mortal technology. He made a few…adjustments so I could still connect to the Upperworld when I’m traveling.”
The little minotaur looked at the phone with renewed awe, as though it had suddenly become a legendary artifact instead of a slightly scuffed smartphone.
