Page 41 of Above (Darkness Reigns #1)

Nova

“I found a book called Conquering the Stars’ Gift yesterday.

Well, I stole it. But what did that man need it for?

He didn’t have magic, only wealth he didn’t deserve.

Anyways, I was reading the book, and it explained that warding was like building a wall, brick by brick.

I think I’m going to try it on our house. Just to keep everyone safe.”

T he next morning, while I was in the tub soaking and reading up on crystallization before our day of exhaustion, I heard a loud pounding on our door.

While Talon was seemingly popular with our fellow trainees, he had never once been visited in his room.

Startled by the sudden and unusual visitor, I quickly willed the water to stop pulling from the piping that ran from the well and allowed it to cease heating.

I needed my focus to be entirely on whoever waited in the hall.

Grabbing a thick towel and wrapping it around my body, I rose to the balls of my feet and made my way through the bathroom, not stopping until I was at the door. Three more loud knocks rattled the wood, lighting my nerves on fire.

Who was that?

As I so often did, I questioned what the best move would be, escaping into my mind.

If it were Talon back from his morning run, he would just come in.

The only other trainees who had reason to be on this floor were cores.

While I figured they knew I was staying with him, I doubted they would knock for me.

If they wanted me dead, they’d just attempt to break the wards and come get me.

My answer came when the person spoke, their tone soft and resigned, so different than the harsh and deep way it normally sounded.

“Tal, it’s Az. I know you and the—” he cut himself off, as if choking on the word.

Akhata. That was what he meant to say. Sighing, he continued.

“I know Tershetta is in there with you, but I’m hoping you and I can finally talk alone.

You’ve been avoiding me and putting it off, but it’s important. ”

Talon had been avoiding Altair? How long had that been going on? I had never seen Altair approach Talon, but by the sound of it, he didn’t want me around for the discussion. Which meant it was probably about me.

Should I tell him Talon wasn’t here? Or would it be better to stay silent? If he knew Talon wasn’t with me, then he might kill me. Then again, he seemed eager to keep me alive until the moment suited him.

“I’m going to wait here until you come out, you know.

” Okay, only option was to tell him. But, ever since Altair’s note had slunk into our room, I had asked Talon to allow me to help reinforce the wards, pushing both of our magic to the limit to block any sound from escaping and prevent Altair from coming in.

Which meant the only way to speak to Altair was if I opened the damn door.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I gripped the brass handle and ripped the door open.

Altair had placed his palms on either side of the frame, leaning forward with his face tilted down.

He wore loose fitting black pants and a plain black shirt that clung to his skin, showing his shadow-marked arms. His silvery, platinum hair was surprisingly unkempt, the longer pieces up top falling forward.

The first thing he must have seen were my damp bare feet, but I watched as he slowly moved his eyes up, his moonstone silver irises fading to a darker, more menacing shade.

“Talon isn’t here,” I deadpanned, refusing to show him any emotion. Altair only stared at me, his jaw tight and gaze refusing to meet mine. “Like what you see, Snake?”

Finally, he looked up at my face, acknowledging my presence.

But what I had said did not serve me as I hoped.

Instead, it charged the air, the hairs on my arms standing upright and my saliva becoming too thick to swallow.

Fear left my heart pounding violently in my chest, a ringing beginning in my ears.

Altair seemed to notice, because he leaned in, forcing my face to tilt up in order to continue looking him in the eye.

With a slight cock of his head, he finally spoke, his voice back to its normal deep and raspy tone. “Oh, Little Void, don’t we all?”

Then he pushed off the door frame, leaving toward the stairs.

When I let out a hefty breath so loud it seemed to echo down the hall, Altair lifted a hand and snapped.

My towel ripped downward, plummeting to the ground as if it were a hundred pounds.

A shriek barreled out of my mouth, and I scrambled to cover my exposed body.

Altair, for his part, didn’t even bother to turn, continuing forward as if unphased.

“Ass!” I screamed, but he was already through the doorway to the stairwell, only his raspy chuckles left behind.

Leaning down, I swiped up my towel and backed into the room, slamming the door with a growl of fury.

“Stupid, ridiculous, annoying, despicable snake!” I shouted to the empty air as I tore through my bag, grabbing a set of freshly washed leathers and undergarments. I quickly donned them, groaning and complaining the entire time.

As I was tugging my sock on, I hopped straight onto something sharp, my hiss of pain louder than normal. Blood instantly began dribbling out of my heel, which had been pierced by one of Talon’s silver lion pins. Zade heir through and through.

This one wasn’t his usual, the silver detailing dull compared to his preferred red and silver set he wore daily. In fact, I had never seen this one. Had I knocked it out of his bags when I was angrily grabbing my clothes?

When I wiped it off on my pants and moved to toss it into one of Talon’s open bags, I stilled, awful thoughts swarming my mind.

Take it. Sell it. Use it.

This would make a pretty coin at Artie’s, there was no doubt about that. In fact, there were a plethora of wealthy eadi who would jump at the chance to wear core family sigils. Would Talon even miss it? I had never seen him so much as pull it out to look at it.

I was considering my reading, thinking of how, with the right supplies, I could potentially crystallize my elixir and will magic into it. Maybe that could work. But I would need a lot of coin to produce three.

No, he wouldn’t miss it enough to pass up the opportunity.

I tucked the pin away, checking the time on the always ticking clock.

I would easily have the time to stop at Artie’s and the other shops needed for the supplies before breakfast. Plus, there would be no guilt from spending this coin, because my family wasn’t counting on it like my elite pay.

As the tick-tock continued, I tugged on my other sock and shoved my feet into my worn black boots, lacing them up to the top where they reached my calf.

Using two clips, I wrestled my hair into a sort of bun.

Then I pulled my bag onto my back, willed the nearly endless charm on it, and pushed through the door.

And there, right in front of me, was another once in a lifetime chance.

Altair was gone, searching for Talon somewhere on the island, and his room was without a doubt empty.

I had been working hard to hone my warding magic, and I was fairly certain I could break his if I had the time. Maybe if I skipped breakfast.

Was an hour and a half enough time to do it all? If I waited until tonight, then I wouldn’t be able to get the ingredients until tomorrow morning, and who knew if everything would align correctly? If this moment was my only chance, then I needed to take it.

So, like the evil, vile akhata I was, I crossed the hall and began dismantling Altair’s wards.

It wasn’t easy magic. It took an intense, almost out of body focus.

It meant nothing else could wander into your mind.

As much as Talon thought determined intention wasn’t necessary, I knew this particular instance required it.

Lifting my hands, I flattened my palms against his door and scrunched my eyes shut.

Let me in. Let me in. Let me in. Let me in.

A hum began from deep in my chest, the vibration rattling my ribs as I continued.

Let me in. Shatter. Break. Fall.

My head shook, knowing those words were too vague. The door could listen instead. Or the wall. Or the entire building.

Open. Let me enter. Welcome me in. Open. Open. Open.

Another clock ticked from the far wall of the hallway near the stairwell entrance, the sound making me grind my teeth.

Ten minutes passed.

Open.

Twenty gone what felt like seconds later.

Open.

At thirty I began to sweat so profusely I was slipping.

Open.

Thirty-five. I was going to faint.

Open.

Forty. Yes, definitely wouldn’t make it much longer.

Open.

Forty-two. Talon could show up looking for me at any moment.

Please.

Then, after forty-four minutes, I felt the ward fall. The press of it against my skin faded, my palms no longer burning at the feel.

My fingers flew to the knob, turning it so fast my sweaty skin lost the grip and my forehead flew forward, banging against the wood.

“Az?” Otarn. She must have been given the room that shared a wall with Altair’s.

I pressed my way in, quietly closing the door behind me and dashing into the room.

I had only been in here once, but I remembered enough to not be lost in the odd darkness that consumed the space.

As quickly as I could, I found his enormous bed and dove underneath, not having to crawl as low as I did with Talon’s.

I was under just in time for the knock at the door to sound.

“Az, are you okay?” she asked, concern making her voice sound heavy. I had heard rumors that they were engaged, even saw a ring on her finger, but it seemed like perhaps they truly were in love. Because that was the voice of someone who cared beyond forced bonds. “I’m coming in!”