Page 89

I met her out where we had conducted the binding ceremony, a fine mist clinging to the air in a way that reminded me of when I had seen Donika last night. The morning air was cool, raising the hair on my forearms and sending a chill through me.

Annelise was also donning her training gear, a glistening broadsword strapped to her back as she waved me over. She unstrapped the sword, resting it against the rubble.

“I figured this was as good a place as any. Plenty of open space,” she said, resting her hands on her hips. “You ready?”

I ran a hand through my mess of curls. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I stretched my arms upward, cracking my back and stretching from side to side. The last time I had trained with my storm magic had been with Isaac. Pain lanced through me at the thought. I still couldn’t believe he was gone. That he had been the leader of the resistance and my number one cheerleader… and he wouldn’t get to see this war come to an end.

As if Annelise could guess my thoughts she cleared her throat uncomfortably, casting her gaze away from me. “This won’t be like training with Isaac,” she said.

“No?” I raised my brow, expecting her to say something about how she wouldn’t go as easy on me or something like that.

“No. Bound magic is different from unbound magic. Its control comes from a different place entirely. It will be… easier.”

That was good news, at least. I could sense a pull on the other end of the bond and could tell that Nikolai had woken, the bedsheets empty but still warm beside him.

“We can start with some defensive magic,” Annelise offered.

I nodded. “Isaac and I were working on that.”

“This time you’ll have another Stormshade to contend with.” There was a ghost of a smile on Annelise’s lips.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

“You’ll need to truly fight me. I know Isaac didn’t… but you need the practice.” Her voice was cold as I met her gaze.

“I have no problem fighting with you.”

She flinched ever so slightly. If I had blinked, I would have missed it.

“Good.” Her mouth was tight as she turned her face towards the sky. “Bring up your shield, and I will try to penetrate it.”

I nodded, focusing on the magic deep in my core and allowing it to flow easily through my hands, creating an invisible air shield around me. I had practiced this many times with Isaac, and this kind of magic now came easily to me. I could sense the bubble of protection around me as Annelise called on her own storm, the morning sky darkening rapidly with oncoming rain.

The storm formed quickly overhead, rain pelting against my shield and bouncing off. I remained dry beneath its protection.

“Good,” Annelise called from across the clearing, her strawberry hair now plastered to her scalp beneath her own rainstorm.

She narrowed her eyes in concentration, her brow creasing as lightning streaked through the sky right outside my shield. I was startled, and my shield faltered for only a moment.

“Hold tight!” She called.

I nodded, focusing once more. When the lightning struck again it hit my shield, bouncing off. It was as if it were a bodily pressure. As if the shield were a blanket on top of me and I was physically repelling the electric strikes.

Annelise’s lips curved into a smile. “Very good. I’m impressed.”

“I had a good teacher,” I called out over her storm. Both Isaac and Nik had taught me well.

“Can you go on the offensive?” she asked, taking a step back.

I didn’t answer her, only let my magic reach out to the sky, sensing her own storm there. I funneled my energy into the forming clouds, creating one of my own. Two storms were warring in the sky, colliding together angrily against each other. Thunder shook the earth as the rain became a deluge. I held my shield in place, focusing my efforts on doing both things at the same time. The last time I had done this I had lost control… my storm had stolen my magic and lashed out at me, injuring me. I still had the scar on my shoulder to prove it.

Splitting my efforts as a bound Stormshade was much, much easier. Not only did the magic come easier to me, but concentration did as well. I found that I barely had to focus on the shield to keep it in place… as long as I didn’t get distracted. I released the storm overhead as Isaac had taught me, stepping towards Annelise.

She inclined her head, watching me.

Once I had released the storm it was easier to coax the magic out of it, instead of using the power from my own core.Thiswas the magic I had been yearning to practice.Thiswas the magic that had the Nightshades turning against the Stormshades. I drew energy from the cloud overhead and lightning struck, Annelise barely avoiding it as she jumped back.