almost killed him,” she whispered looking at it, horrified at what her power had done. She bit her forearm to keep herself from screaming.
After all this time, she thought she would’ve had better control over magic, but Søren had jolted her temper and it had lashed out of her like the day she had killed Vasilli’s minion. She had almost killed someone again because she couldn’t get it together.
Anya still felt the residue from Søren’s magic in her from their kiss the night before. If she had held onto that from one kiss, she didn’t want to think about what effect forcing her power into his body was going to do.
A warm hand touched her shoulder softly. “Is any of the blood yours, shalosť ?”
“ Nyet ,” she murmured as Yvan sat on the floor beside her.
“Did you kill someone?”
“Magic almost killed Søren,” she mumbled, looking up at him over her knees. “Didn’t mean to. I killed him and then healed him.”
“ Yeba, ” Yvan swore. “How is he now?”
“Not sure. He was walking upright when I left him.” He reached over and lifted her chin.
“Are you hurt?” She placed her hand over his, holding it to her face.
“Not physically, I just…” He moved and put an arm around her shoulders. The heat rising through the navy fabric of his shirt told her that the firebird had returned. She leant into him and let the warmth comfort her.
“I’m tired of being this emotional,” Anya said as she wiped her cheeks with the backs of her bloody hands. “I have no control over anything anymore. I can’t control my power when I’m angry even after all of my lessons. I am …frustrated with everything. I am so angry all the time.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to stay here with the Álfr when I leave for New Orleans?” she asked, even though she didn’t want an answer.
“No, whatever gave you that idea?”
“I saw you with that woman today and you looked relaxed and safe and happy, and I wouldn’t hold it against you if you did stay. I would really miss you but…”
“You are babbling, Anyanka. I’m not staying behind when you go. I never, ever would let you face Vasilli and Yanka on your own. The woman that you saw me with uses fire magic. Ruthann thought it would be good for me to speak with her about the firebird.”
“Oh.”
“Oh, indeed, you crazy girl. If I were the kind of man to leave you in your darkest hour, I wouldn’t consider myself a man at all. The Hero doesn’t leave the damsel because she is in distress, even ones like you that are always in distress.”
Yvan kissed the top of her head and she managed to smile at him, but it didn’t help alleviate the sick wrenching inside of her that had been under her ribs since she had seen him with the woman. He opened his mouth to say something when the door behind him opened.
“Hello, Anya, I was coming to see you…” Aramis stopped mid-sentence when he saw Yvan. “Why are you covered in blood? What has happened?”
“Yvan can tell you. I need to get clean,” Anya said as she got off the chair and hurried to the bathroom. She turned on the shower taps as she heard their voices begin arguing.
Fifteen minutes later, Anya walked from her rooms in a pair of baggy flannel pyjama pants and a singlet, only to find Ruthann sitting expectantly with Aramis, Søren and Yvan.
“I’m going to have to start renting my rooms out for meetings,” Anya commented. “What is it I can do for you all?”
“Søren told me what happened today. That was sloppy but not entirely unprovoked. I’ll spend some time showing you how to control it when your emotions rise, but we need to discuss these writings of Ilya’s first.”
“You are going to admit I know what I am talking about now?”
“I knew to begin with. I was very surprised that Ilya hid a secret message and that you could find it,” Ruthann sighed. “It was a sign that you should have it.”
“Well, hand it over. I’ve stayed sitting here doing nothing for
After all this time, she thought she would’ve had better control over magic, but Søren had jolted her temper and it had lashed out of her like the day she had killed Vasilli’s minion. She had almost killed someone again because she couldn’t get it together.
Anya still felt the residue from Søren’s magic in her from their kiss the night before. If she had held onto that from one kiss, she didn’t want to think about what effect forcing her power into his body was going to do.
A warm hand touched her shoulder softly. “Is any of the blood yours, shalosť ?”
“ Nyet ,” she murmured as Yvan sat on the floor beside her.
“Did you kill someone?”
“Magic almost killed Søren,” she mumbled, looking up at him over her knees. “Didn’t mean to. I killed him and then healed him.”
“ Yeba, ” Yvan swore. “How is he now?”
“Not sure. He was walking upright when I left him.” He reached over and lifted her chin.
“Are you hurt?” She placed her hand over his, holding it to her face.
“Not physically, I just…” He moved and put an arm around her shoulders. The heat rising through the navy fabric of his shirt told her that the firebird had returned. She leant into him and let the warmth comfort her.
“I’m tired of being this emotional,” Anya said as she wiped her cheeks with the backs of her bloody hands. “I have no control over anything anymore. I can’t control my power when I’m angry even after all of my lessons. I am …frustrated with everything. I am so angry all the time.”
“I know.”
“Are you going to stay here with the Álfr when I leave for New Orleans?” she asked, even though she didn’t want an answer.
“No, whatever gave you that idea?”
“I saw you with that woman today and you looked relaxed and safe and happy, and I wouldn’t hold it against you if you did stay. I would really miss you but…”
“You are babbling, Anyanka. I’m not staying behind when you go. I never, ever would let you face Vasilli and Yanka on your own. The woman that you saw me with uses fire magic. Ruthann thought it would be good for me to speak with her about the firebird.”
“Oh.”
“Oh, indeed, you crazy girl. If I were the kind of man to leave you in your darkest hour, I wouldn’t consider myself a man at all. The Hero doesn’t leave the damsel because she is in distress, even ones like you that are always in distress.”
Yvan kissed the top of her head and she managed to smile at him, but it didn’t help alleviate the sick wrenching inside of her that had been under her ribs since she had seen him with the woman. He opened his mouth to say something when the door behind him opened.
“Hello, Anya, I was coming to see you…” Aramis stopped mid-sentence when he saw Yvan. “Why are you covered in blood? What has happened?”
“Yvan can tell you. I need to get clean,” Anya said as she got off the chair and hurried to the bathroom. She turned on the shower taps as she heard their voices begin arguing.
Fifteen minutes later, Anya walked from her rooms in a pair of baggy flannel pyjama pants and a singlet, only to find Ruthann sitting expectantly with Aramis, Søren and Yvan.
“I’m going to have to start renting my rooms out for meetings,” Anya commented. “What is it I can do for you all?”
“Søren told me what happened today. That was sloppy but not entirely unprovoked. I’ll spend some time showing you how to control it when your emotions rise, but we need to discuss these writings of Ilya’s first.”
“You are going to admit I know what I am talking about now?”
“I knew to begin with. I was very surprised that Ilya hid a secret message and that you could find it,” Ruthann sighed. “It was a sign that you should have it.”
“Well, hand it over. I’ve stayed sitting here doing nothing for
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