Serenna bucked and squirmed under Ayla like a worm writhing in water. She yanked in air past the sting of her sister’s flaying words and the fact that the realm had reduced her to nothing more than fodder for the wraith.
Ayla’s perfectly painted lips peeled back from her teeth when Serenna didn’t respond. “Why do you think our sire selected me as the prince’s consort instead of you?”
Serenna steered her mind away from the half-formed bond with the prince—the twin silver cords connecting them. It wasn’t like Vesryn had chosen her either. Essence had randomly linked their Wells. She knew he wouldn’t have looked at her twice if the magic hadn’t forced his attention.
He said he wanted to figure out what this power between us means before we fully accept the bond, but why would he bind himself more completely to someone who can’t even fight off another recruit?
Embarrassment seared Serenna’s cheeks. The prince was witnessing Ayla defeat her. She hadn’t forgotten that his intervention—using their connection and summoning her power for her—was the only reason she’d survived the wraith’s assault.
Simmering frustration with Ayla’s constant advantage had Serenna spitting words. “Tell me,” she goaded, despite being helpless on her back, “how does it feel being sold to the highest bidder?”
“There is no greater bloodline than Falkyns’.” Ayla’s sapphire eyes flashed as she dug her nails into Serenna’s arms. Scarlet braid spilling over her shoulder, she leaned closer, words malicious with her disdain. “You will not ruin this for me.”
As if Serenna had any hope of altering the will of the realm. I can’t even get up! A disbelieving, bitter laugh burst from Serenna’s lips. Ayla is dragging this out on purpose, proving she’s better and doesn’t need magic to subdue me. Stars scorch her!
“I’m sure our sire will be so proud when you spread your legs to produce a litter for his line,” Serenna bit back, scraping her heels in the sand. She pointlessly tried hooking Ayla’s legs, straining to knock her sister off. “Will the king pay him extra once you prove your worth? Or will you get a pat on the head? Enlighten me, I always get confused with your elven customs.”
Ayla’s fingers cinched tighter around Serenna’s wrists, grinding her further into the sand. “I heard you failed to bed that half-breed our sire wrapped up in a bow and delivered to your miserable human court.” Ayla sneered, hovering above Serenna’s face. “Why would he waste opportunities on you when you couldn’t even manage to fuck a whore?”
Serenna sucked in a sharp breath. Jassyn was Ayla’s family after a fashion—a half uncle or something. Not that blood relations meant anything to the elves. It didn’t surprise her that this vile viper regarded him in such a way.
Hands balling into fists next to her head, Serenna’s loathing of this…this detestable creature incubated under her rage, threatening to hatch with the heat of her fury. Serenna’s revulsion erupted, snapping out its wings. Her vision went red.
Ayla emitted a satisfying gasp when shadows burst from Serenna, tombing them in a pocket of darkness. Magic twisted around them, a blurred obsidian cloud, shading the sun. Serenna brought Ayla to her knees before with rending. I’ll do it again!
Vesryn’s corrective intervention brushed against her mind. Serenna, play nice.
Erupting with frustration from the prince denying her retribution, Serenna swatted his presence out of her mind. Stomach jolting, her eyes widened when Ayla pulled back her arm. Shocked dismay broke through Serenna’s rage as she registered that her sister intended to punch her in the face.
Time slowed to a distorted crawl. Serenna scrambled to use a different talent, floundering to haul up another ability from her Well. A tingle rushed to her fingertips, her perception towed toward something else lurking at the edge of her awareness.
A window opened in her mind, like peering through glass, grasping at a fleeting reflection. A sudden breeze stirred, the gust rolling strands of hair across her face. Something peculiar whispered in the wind, a dormant heartbeat reviving, rousing from a long slumber.
Vesryn battered Serenna with commands that she didn’t decipher as Ayla’s fist inched closer. Shadows dispersing, her hold on Essence waned.
Gazing inward, Serenna’s vision unfocused as she perceived a strange, silent breath of energy beyond the magic in her Well. There was a shift in the earth, a puzzle piece clicking into place.
A puff of dust kicked up in a whirl of air, gently spiraling across the yard. She saw them. Dancing currents—streams of power waiting to be called.
Reaching out with her mind, Serenna snatched at a draft. Her senses flared like feathers, blazing to life. Foreign sensations, separate from the rush of Essence, snapped the world into a crystal focus, somehow synchronizing her with the breeze.
She twisted the gale, warping it to her will.
Ayla screeched, flying off Serenna’s body like a sail yanked taut, wrenched away by an invisible force. Her sister tumbled and rolled across the yard.
Panting from the effort, Serenna didn’t have time to dwell on what she did with her power. She clambered to her feet, dashing toward Ayla while tossing out a hand to lash her sister to the sand with coils of force.
Vesryn probably sent magic through the bond like he did during the attack. Helping me. Again.
Jumping on Ayla, Serenna faltered as soon as she raised her fist.
Obviously reading Serenna’s desire to beat her sister to a pulp, Vesryn’s humor spiked. Like this, he said, seeding a vision into her mind, showing her the correct way to position her thumb.
Serenna’s chest heaved with indecision while she caught her breath. She lowered her arm over Ayla’s immobilized body, knowing she only had moments before her sister countered her magic and freed herself from the hold.
I won’t brawl over the prince.
Why not?
Serenna scowled at Vesryn across the ring—she hadn’t meant to send him that scattered thought. He smirked, unsheathing a dagger to idly flip.
Your arrogance concerns me, she snapped. Don’t you have—
Ayla headbutted her.
Serenna shrieked, reeling back as her teeth impaled her lip. The sharp pain in her mouth sliced through her foolish hesitation.
Flinging out a hand, Serenna launched a wave of force at the prince. She snatched Vesryn’s knife out of the air with a whip of power. Yanking her magic, the weapon soared across the ring like an arrow. Breath hitching, Serenna begged the stars that she’d catch the dagger by the hilt instead of the blade.
Miraculously, the leather grip smacked into her waiting palm. Serenna shoved the blade against Ayla’s throat. Baring her teeth, Serenna’s lip burned as it split further.
“Yield,” she seethed.
Ayla’s nostrils flared. Her eyes dashed to the magus monitoring the duels, but they didn’t intervene—likely deferring to the prince, allowing him to decide when to stop the escalation.
Serenna knew he wouldn’t.
A pulse of Ayla’s power hummed in response, poised to retaliate. Serenna jammed the knife into her sister’s ivory skin, drawing a stream of blood.
