Smoke & Shadow (Waking the Divine Book 1) by Harper Shay

Author:Harper Shay [Shay, Harper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-24T16:00:00+00:00

ZANDER

I wasn’t too thrilled about opening up to Ari. I assumed that the stain left on my soul from a dark childhood had left me tarnished and not worthy of her.

My family would kill her when they found her. They would take their fear and anger for her race out on her body, and she would die slowly and in excruciating pain. I couldn’t let that happen, but my battle was if she was better off without me. The love and determination on her face and fused in her words made me think not. It would be smarter to stay together, to fight alongside one another. I believed that if our powers ever merged, we would be really damn hard to beat.

I hesitated; still, I never wanted to see her hurt again, but she had great power within her, and I knew this choice would be both of ours to make. I was making mine now, if she wanted me in her life, I would be present, and we would work through whatever was thrown at us, together.

As soon as my large hands covered her much smaller ones, my soul's grief evaporated, knowing I wouldn’t reject her again. It felt as if her acceptance of me relieved the pain my soul was in. I knew I belonged with her—by her side as she journeyed through this world and found her purpose.

"What do we do now?' Ari looked at me with a small amount of fear, and my arms automatically wrapped around her small form.

"We should go back to the rest of the group and make a plan," I rested my cheek on the top of her head as she squeezed me to her a little tighter. We held one another for a few more quick moments before she slowly backed away.

"I need to talk to the wolves," she slowly looked up at me. "They are a part of this story, and I feel their guidance would be helpful."

"I’m still kind of curious about the hold you have on them," I admitted, showing a slight smile. "The Vuk aren’t normally obedient beasts, and they usually stick with their own elementals and packs."

"You will have to settle for learning as I do." Her smile was playful as she pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I know nothing of the Akasha life, their lands, or the beasts that inhabit them."

Of course, she didn’t know. She was ripped from this world before she even had the chance to know anyone or anything in it. It was a good thing she was; with the Dark War, she never would have survived.

I was here to help and guide her now. Being on my own, I’d learned a lot about the people that inhabited the lands. I had also lived through a lot of learning on my own. This would just be the first journey we would take together.

"Ari, you’re not alone. I will be by your side for as long as you will allow it," I told her with all sincerity as I wrapped my fingers in hers.

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