“Which is why we’ll practice. But I really think this can work. We’ll go slow, okay?”
I nod as I swallow against the tightening of my throat. “It’s worth a shot.”
Violet fire flares to life at my feet. It grows with every ragged breath I take, turning into a fiery tornado swirling around me that whips at my hair and the skirt of my gown but never burns me.
Suddenly, my muscles lock, my back bowing as an atomic blast of power detonates in my chest and sends flames shooting in every direction. They spread across the floor and lick at the walls, the rich tapestries burning like dry tinder and turning to ash.
“Come on, sweetheart, stay with me. Don’t step back into the past. Be present with me in this moment.” His hands press in as he follows the direction of the strands at my waist to settle on my lower back, encouraging me to relax against him and just breathe. “You can do this, solnyshko. I believe in you.”
Stepping back, I summon the courage I’ve always relied on in battles. This lack of control is just another foe to beat. “Okay, I’m ready,” I say, shaking out my hands. “But step back. Like way back.” He takes a whole two steps and plants his feet. I’m not amused. “Finn. I’m serious.”
Crossing his massive arms over his chest, his expression remains impassive. “So am I. I’m sure you’ve heard of the ‘power of suggestion’. If I put fifty feet between us, that’s sending your subconscious the message that I’m worried about you hurting me. But I’m not, so I’ll stay right here.”
I growl in frustration, but I know an immovable object when I see one. “Fine. It’s your barbeque,” I say petulantly.
I’m not serious, though. Because deep down I know I’ll do everything I can not to hurt him. I cared deeply for him back in that cavern, but my feelings for him have grown exponentially since then. Despite not being able to say the words, I have fallen in love with him. And a bond this strong is something not even magic will ignore.
“Start by taking deep, cleansing breaths,” he encourages softly. “Listen to the calming sounds around you and allow yourself to fall into a meditative state.”
Closing my eyes, I do as he instructs. Several minutes pass, and I’m in such a relaxed state that I’m almost surprised when he speaks again.
“Good,” he says. “Now start by cracking open that door to your Mystic powers. Release it in small doses, like the flickering flame of a candle.”
My fingers tremble slightly as I summon my Mystic power, my magic crackling ever so gently in the air. We both watch in awe as ethereal wisps of energy curl around my fingers, shimmering strands of violet light.
“That's it,” he murmurs proudly. “Embrace its warmth but control the flow.”
“I’m doing it,” I say in a shocked whisper.
“Yeah, you fucking are, baby.” He grins widely at me. “Now try cracking that door open a little more. Give yourself access to about 10% of what’s there if you can.”
With newfound determination, I allow a bit more of the magic through that barrier. My eyes widen with amazement as the tendrils respond, growing brighter and more vibrant. Slowly, I guide them to extend down my hands to where the gauntlets start at my wrists, dancing and swirling with my intention.
A glimmer of confidence sparks in my chest. It might not be much, but this is more control than I’ve ever felt.
“Excellent, little sun,” he praises. “Now pull it all back and close the door.”
The order shocks me enough that that’s exactly what I do, although I’m not sure if it was entirely intentional. “Is that it? That’s all we’re going to do?”
“Not by a long shot. But I wanted you to see that you can call it back to you. It may have been only a fraction of what you’re capable of, but you were in complete control the whole time, Taryn.”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “I was, wasn’t I?
Finn steps in and tips my face up for a quick kiss. “Damn straight you were. Now let’s go again.”
“Aye-aye, Captain,” I return cheekily, earning me a swat on my ass that does nothing to deter my sass. I’m in too good of a mood.
We continue practicing, starting at my baseline of 10% and slowly increasing it from there. He has me pull back every so often to renew my confidence in my control, and the compression of the ropes does its job, giving me the sense of my magic being contained and unable to overpower me.
The work is exhausting, but now there’s a fire lit under my ass, and I’m determined to not only be able to call on the magic but also do something with it before we head back. It takes me several hours to build up to the 25% level. That’s when I start trying to manipulate the water in the stream like we saw Edevane do in the cavern.
Again and again, I practice with little success. I can’t tell if I’m doing anything significant or it’s just the way the water naturally flows.
But then I do it. With sweat dotting my brow and my jaw grinding my teeth into dust, I lift a bubble of water the size of a dinner plate and hold it a foot above the stream, with a bonus Blaze-Gill swimming in panicked circles.
“Oh, my gods, I did it!” My shocked excitement breaks the hold I have and the fish and surrounding water splash back into the stream, but I’m too happy to care.
Finn laughs and picks me up to swing me around in celebration before steadying me and delivering a breath-stealing kiss. “I knew you would. I’m so proud of you, Taryn.”
“I couldn’t have done any of this without you,” I say with my heart in my eyes. “Thank you, Finnian.”
“Anytime, solnyshko.” He smiles wide and winks, then holds me out by my shoulders. “Okay, now that you’ve mastered that—”
With a dubious arch of my brow, I say, “Mastered?”
“Whatever, there’s something else I want you to try.”
I lace my fingers together and push them out, cracking my knuckles. “All right, shoot.”
“I want you to practice teleporting.”
The blood freezes in my veins. He wants me to do the thing I couldn’t do that almost cost him his life. A new wave of shame and guilt—my constant companions—washes over me. It must show in my expression because he quickly gathers me against him.
“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not because of that. Sweetheart, please stop blaming yourself for something that never came to pass. You’re too fucking hard on yourself.”
Am I, though? It’s a rhetorical question because the answer is a firm no, but he won’t agree with me, so I don’t ask it out loud.
Stepping out of his embrace, I say, “Why should I practice that right now, then? I need to focus on things that will help us in the fight against Edevane. Teleporting is great when you’re trapped, but we’ll be in the open with him.”
