Shifting Alliances by Riley Storm

Author:Riley Storm [Storm, Riley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: High House Press
Published: 2019-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

21

The long, lonely walk back to the quarters she shared with Kasperi felt more like a stroll down death row. Doors closed on all sides of her. Nobody looked at her. Whispered words fell silent as she neared and struck up again when she was out of range.

It all weighed heavily on her. Like the blasted collar. Stopping her hand as it went to grab the metal, she forced her arm back down to her side. Amber had touched it a million times already; what good would it do to remind herself of it again? It was her penance, her punishment, for not being good enough. For not learning fast enough. She would never take it off now, she knew.

Maybe the Magi could make her something else, something smaller. A bracelet, or earrings, something she could wear at all times. Forever. Never letting her magic come through again. Then she could go back out among the real world, to begin living her life again. She could leave this madness behind.

Shifters, magic, archaic rules and excessive violence. Did she really feel like she belonged here? This wasn’t for her. She was a server, and a damn good one. If she could control herself, then she could work her way back up. Get her old life back.

And what of Kasperi? Just leave him behind?

It would be tough, but she knew he would understand why she would give up her magic. To be permanently without it. This wasn’t the life Amber had envisioned living. He would be okay with that. Then he could go back to his life as well, and not have to worry about protecting her at every turn. He could be free.

That was what she would do, she decided. She’d track down the Magi. Ask him to make something permanent. Maybe he could tattoo it onto her skin somehow; who the hell knew? Whatever it was, she needed her magic gone, so that it would never come back. Never bother her again.

Nobody would ever be hurt again by me. They would be safe. I wouldn’t be the monster.

Black thoughts swirled in her mind. Images, thoughts, things she’d experienced since learning the truth of what lived inside her. It wasn’t pretty, and nightmares of what she was becoming had haunted her sleep. This needed to end. She’d thought it was over today, but then the Queen had come in on her side.

The door to the room slammed open, and Kasperi came barging in, still decked out in his battle gear. For a brief second, she saw him as the reaper, come to prevent her from doing any harm—and that scared her. She’d only ever seen him as her protector. What was going on?

“Up!” he barked, motioning sharply with a hand.

“What?”

“Get up. Let’s go.” His voice was hard, commanding. Expecting obedience.

“Go where?”

Kasperi’s gaze hit her like a punch. His eyes were glinting, filled with a steel that she’d never had directed at her before. It startled her. Why was he angry with her? She’d done nothing to him!

“To fucking practice.

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