Shadows of the Lost by Maxym M. Martineau

Author:Maxym M. Martineau
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks

EIGHTEEN

GAIGE

I hated him. I hated every inch of his flawless, smooth skin, the intricate shade of his fern-green eyes. I’d hated how he’d looked at me with such unfettered want directly after our kiss. And then buried it behind an impassive mask. I hated that my fingers still burned from with the memory of his hips in my grasp. I even hated that raw, guttural sound that had loosened in his chest when we kissed. I hated the feel of his lips, the heat of his breath.

Most of all, I hated the way he walked away.

Once he’d excused himself, I’d remained behind with the Council to explain more in depth the nature of my shadows and the correlating attacks. By the end of it all, I was emotionally exhausted. I could have happily curled up in some dark corner and tried to sleep for an age, but Leena broke away from the group and steered me toward a more private space along the quiet tree line.

“Leena, I really need a moment to myself.”

“I need you to come to the beast realm with me,” she said as she held out her hand.

Her words took me aback, and I barely managed to respond. “What?”

“I know how much pain I’d be in if I suddenly couldn’t see my beasts. And until we try, I can’t guarantee anything but…” She hesitated, considering her words as she shook her head. “There might be a way for you to visit them without another Charmer’s help.”

At first, her words didn’t fully register. The whole reason I couldn’t see my beasts any longer was because my Charmer magic was dead. The emblem on the back of my hand was no more than a faded etching of what it used to be. There wasn’t a beast in this realm or the next that could restore me to my former self. And yet, a quiet ringing filled my ears.

“I don’t know if I can,” I said, voice suddenly hoarse.

She frowned, and her hand fell to her side. “What do you mean? I’ve taken Noc several times. Your powers won’t prevent you from entering.”

“No, I know. It’s just…” I forced a swallow. “I don’t know if I can lose them all over again.”

Sadness filled her expression. “Oh, Gaige. I can only imagine what you’re feeling. I know it’s a lot to risk, but I need you to trust me.” She held out her hand again. “Please.”

I considered it for a long moment, too scared to acknowledge the small spark of hope she’d ignited in me. If I spent too much time examining it, I’d most certainly walk away. So before I could do that, I took her hand.

The moment our fingers interlocked, the rosewood Charmer’s symbol on the back of her hand bloomed into a magnificent tree. Roots wrapped around her fingers as branches and vines climbed up her arm, trailed beneath her clothing, and eventually sprung to life across her neck and cheekbones. Flowers blossomed along her temples and framed her eyes, and then a luminous white light washed over us.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.