Page 53 of Heir of Broken Souls (HOBF #3)

Chapter 53

Delilah

I gasp, my magic all but flinging me to the edge of the rowboat. My fingers are an inch above the water before Knox’s hand slaps down on my wrist, yanking me back toward the middle.

“What are you doing?”

My head shakes. I can’t take my eyes off the water. “I can’t explain it. It just feels right.”

Harlow, Axel, and Elysia’s rowboat comes up beside ours.

“ For the future lies within the golden hands, which will raise the once sacred land ,” Elysia whispers, repeating a section of the prophecy. “Her body knows what to do, Knox. Her magic is guiding her.”

Knox rubs the heel of his palm over his chest, his face wincing. “I don’t like this. It doesn’t feel right.”

Stepping onto the bridge between our minds I find his soul dull, shrouded in shadows of fear. I slide my golden hands up his cheeks, making him peer into my eyes as I send calming energy down our bond.

This is meant to happen. I can feel it, Knox.

I can also feel how wrong it is.

Pulling my attention into my body, I cock my head at Knox. “It feels wrong…” I repeat his words, considering. “Naia,” I call, turning to the mermaid. “You said nothing living dwells within this area, yes?”

She dips her head in confirmation, twirling her hand in the water. The movement makes me think.

“That’s because it’s being suffocated by dark magic.”

Before anyone can stop me, I rush forward on the rowboat and submerge my hands into the water. The icy sting makes my ears ring, and the question of how the mermaids can withstand this hovers on the edge of my tongue, but nothing matters now. I feel it.

“There isn’t dark magic nearby. The water is dark magic. It’s full of it.”

At my declaration multiple sets of hands shoot into the water, then come back with sharp gasps at the icy sting.

“Gods, aren’t you freezing?” Harlow hisses.

“Of course not,” Amelia quips. “We’re quite literally built for the water.”

Ignoring their bickering, Knox rises. “I don’t like this. Nothing about this feels good.”

If he wasn’t my mate and I wasn’t so concerned for the fear tinging his gaze, I would quip that he sounds like a repeating song.

“Dark magic has never felt good,” I say gently.

“Who put it here?” Axel ponders.

“Hazel?” Lenox muses.

Shaking my head, my gaze remains on the water before me. “This is far older than Hazel. It feels…ancient.”

“It doesn’t look like any form of life has dwelled here in years,” Naia offers.

The words of the prophecy, true or false, seem to burst to life in my mind.

For the future lies within the golden hands, which will raise the once sacred land.

Enter upon your discreet and all your answers will be at your feet.

My gaze lowers further to the endless depths of the ocean. Slowly lifting my head back, I watch as Zephlyn and Aurora fly in circles above. If they saw something below, a shadow even, they would have called out.

“What exactly did you find?” I ask Naia.

My question silences everyone around me. The pod look toward each other before Naia reluctantly admits, “Our power…sensed something dwelling below.”

I don’t let my shock show.

The mermaids’ infamous powers have been questioned for years, with not even Knox knowing what they’re capable of. We all saw a glimpse into how their powers work as they fought the water dragons, and yet something within me says what we witnessed was child’s play to them. Especially with her hesitancy in coming forth with another set of skills their magic can produce.

Their words only add to my theory.

“This is the spot,” I declare.

Quickly rising, I can feel everyone’s gaze turn my way and when I spot Knox moving out of the corner of my eye I turn to him, halting his movements.

No one else can be involved in this part.

I’m not sure where the emotions stem from, but all I know is that my power is urging me to tell him this down the bond.

Before he can protest, no doubt those protective instincts raging, I open my palm flat above me and freeze a block of water, just big enough for me to stand on. Gasps ring out behind me as I leap from the rowboat and onto the patch of ice. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until relief sweeps through me at the fact the ice holds my weight.

Gratitude shines in my chest as I hear Knox bark out orders. “Everyone move back!” He turns his gaze to the pod. “Naia, can you patrol the area while she…” He swallows thickly. “Can you just make sure this isn’t a trap? I don’t want to be ambushed by water dragons again.”

Naia smirks. If she was capable of smiling this is what it would look like. “Yes, Your Majesty,” she purrs before submerging herself and taking her pod with her.

Without him having to tell me I send waves of emotion down the bond between Aurora and me, telling her to continue circling the skies above. Reading me as well as Knox does, the griffins spread out.

My heart skyrockets as my magic, without my permission, rises again. Swirling throughout my body, it wraps around my hands, climbing like a vine up my arm. This is the first time since I fully accepted my magic that it’s risen to the occasion without me having to command it. My breath stutters out of me as golden tendrils cover my feet too. The magic hums in my blood, raising my body temperature to such a high that sweat glides down the nape of my neck, pooling at my lower back.

Finally.

Finally.

Finally.

The word pounds through my mind, but it’s not from me. It’s from my magic, its consciousness awakening.

A cry of shock flies from my lips as my body moves on its own accord. It takes me to my knees on the ice, and my gaze snaps to Knox in panic. His look of sheer terror makes my stomach bottom out.

My hands shove themselves into the water, and I suddenly know why Knox looks so terrified for me.

I’m gold.

Not glowing or glimmering. My entire body is gilded . This is nothing like my transformation in Azalea. My very power pours out of every part of my body.

I barely have a moment to think before my magic sighs.

Finally.

And then explodes in a torrent of golden power.