Page 67 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Zander smirked, his gaze flicking to Jax’s invisible shield like he actually envied the power.

“Backlash.” His voice held something almost approving.

Jax grinned, flexing his fingers as if he’d just been gifted an advantage he planned to use to its full extent.

Zander turned to me.

“Ashlyn, you’re next.”

Jax winked as we exchanged places. “Make it rain, sweetheart.”

I rolled my eyes. “No promises.”

I stepped forward, planting my palm onto the stone.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Kaelith?I sent the message telepathically.

Silence.

Not that I was surprised.

The connection remained untouched, a cold, unmoving presence in the back of my mind, like a door bolted shut from the other side.

But that didn’t stop the magic from rising.

This wasn’t like yesterday.

This was more.

More powerful, more consuming—like something vast had just opened inside me, stretching outward like a storm unfurling.

The sky crackled above us.

Dark clouds swirled overhead, rolling in fast, and a deep rumble of thunder vibrated through the ground.

I gasped as my veins burned, heat searing beneath my skin like energy trapped inside me.

And then?—

A bolt of lightning tore from the sky.

It came down hard and fast, striking the ground right in front of Jax.

He yelled, stumbling back, grabbing at his eyes as if he had been blinded.

Meri was on me in an instant, gripping my arm, the cooling sensation of her power rushing through me like a calming tide.

Zander was staring at me, unreadable—but I could see it in his eyes.

The truth I had been avoiding.

“Storm Reaper,” he murmured.

The words made my stomach drop.

His expression darkened.