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I looked up at the sky and saw that the clear blue expanse was thick with raging storm clouds. They roared overhead, swirling in a spiral of dark green. I lifted my hand out to them and a clash of lightning split the sky. My body jerked violently and everything went white.

CHAPTERELEVEN

IOPENED MY EYESto five worried faces hovering over me. My head was in Riven’s lap and I could hear the strain on his teeth from clenching his jaw as hard as he was. “What happened?”

Gerarda smirked. “You electrocuted yourself.”

“I thought you were dead,” Nikolai rasped. Vrail reached into Nikolai’s chest pocket and handed him his own handkerchief to wipe his eyes.

Syrra crossed her arms and glanced at Riven. Both seemed unconvinced that I was unscathed.

I blinked. I remembered the crack of lightning and the smell of burnt earth. I fidgeted on the ground, expecting to ache from the blow, but I didn’t. I didn’t feel pain at all. My head was suddenly clear and each breath felt easier than the last. The warmth of my magic hummed under my skin, somehow more powerful than ever before.

I grabbed Riven’s hand and he flinched.

“You feel it too?” I whispered as his eyes shone violet.

Riven nodded. “Your magic is stronger. Warmer.”

“And yours?”

Riven’s jaw pulsed and he shook his head.

I sat up and waved my hand over a patch of weeds. My gusts flattened them immediately, but the whirlwind in my chest barely roared. I flexed my fingers, knowing they were capable of so much more.

I spun around in excitement and something scorching shot down my arm. A new form of magic dancing under my skin. It felt raw and deadly.

Vrail squealed shoving Nikolai to the ground. His eyes widened in surprise as Vrail threw herself on top of him. “Not in front of Keera.” Nik had the audacity to wink at me from the dirt. “She’ll get jealous.”

Vrail started slapping the hem of his jacket. “You’re on fire, you fool.”

Nikolai’s eyes widened in horror as he saw the smoke. Syrra grabbed a waterskin from her saddlebag. She snatched Gerarda’s blade from her hand and sliced through the leather, dousing Vrail and Nikolai with the flames.

She tossed the skin to the ground and smirked at me. “It seems Lash’raelth is no longer our only fire wielder.”

It took me a moment to realize she was talking about me. “Idid that?” I whispered, staring at my fingers. The hot liquid rumbled under my skin once more and a small flame ignited over my hand.

Vrail stood up and studied the flame. “What did you feel when the seal broke?”

“It was hard to cut, like it was draining all the energy out of me.” I retraced the movements of my arm with my free hand. “But then when it finally broke, I felt a flood of power and the sky cracked.”

Vrail’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem drained now.”

“I feel amazing.” I smiled widely. “Better than I have in months.”

“But not until the seal was broken.” Vrail bit her lip.

Gerarda elbowed Vrail in the arm. “What does it matter. It worked.”

My chest fluttered at those words. I stared at Gerarda’s smug smile. She’d been right to drag me out to the cliffs and prove me wrong. I felt my magic surge inside me and thought of just how much more it would grow with every seal we broke.

Vrail’s lip twitched upward. “I just hope the seals don’t take their toll.”

“Everything isn’t a problem for you to solve.” Gerarda patted Vrail’s full cheek and flipped her blade casually through the air. “This is a victory.”

Riven flinched and bent over. He let out a small gasp of air that made Syrra rush to his side.

“What is it?” she whispered.