Page 30 of In the Blood (The Forgotten Fae #1)

sixteen

I felt numb as I headed to training the next morning. When I saw Louis, I didn’t bother to greet him with a smile.

“Good to see you too,” he said, throwing a wave of water at me. I instinctively lifted my hands to block it, not even realizing that I’d produced a shield of wind until Louis whooped in excitement.

“You just produced your first shield! And with a new element!” He came in for a hug, but pulled back when he noticed my lack of enthusiasm. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He studied my face as I squinted at him with swollen, bloodshot eyes.

“Galen... H-he confessed that the Elders have been making him hurt people. They’ve been searching for improper pairings and hybrids. He killed someone. I don’t know how to make it stop—what to do.” Louis patted my back as I soaked his shirt with tears.

“Fuck… How have they managed to hide something like this from Rafael and I?” He swore, clenching his fists.

“The Elders, my mother, they’re soulless—they’ve lost their damn minds.

Killing faeries because of who they choose to love?

Hunting hybrids? I can’t even imagine what they’re doing to humans if they’re treating faeries this way.

” He spit on the ground as his cheeks turned blood berry red.

He shot a stream of water at a nearby column until the force of the flood uprooted it and knocked it over.

I joined him, sending ice crystals towards the column, coating it in a heavy frost. I kept going until thick cracks began to form in the marble—until tiny fissures exploded into a million shards.

Channeling emotion into magic… it was cathartic, but I co uld feel the danger in its embrace—lulling me in, demanding I give more and more of myself.

Louis coached me as I alternated between wind and ice, aiming at his shield of water.

Wind seemed to channel from a place of sadness, eager to join with ice.

Sadness and anger were an undeniably compatible pair.

Misery loved company, after all. I’d spent too much of my youth defeating one, only to battle the other.

And now they were taunting me—swirling around in an icy gust, as I struggled to find control.

Next, I practiced shielding, which required more mental discipline than I currently had.

Louis sent a stream of water at me, while I tried and failed to block him.

Too soon, I was soaked and frustrated. I hadn’t managed even one shield, besides the one I hadn’t meant to make.

I scowled at the youngest Ruhn brother, wanting to give up.

Louis patted my wet head. “Look at the bright side, someday you’ll be able to use wind magic to dry yourself off.

Wind wielders can even learn to fly . If I could choose another element to wield, it would be wind.

It can be an invisible weapon, your greatest defense, or even a pair of wings.

” He was trying to cheer me up. And it was exciting to think about what I might be capable of one day.

But today, I just wanted to go back to bed.

By the end of the lesson, I was lost in my thoughts—standing alone in the middle of a frozen tundra where no one could reach me.

A dull edged knife seemed to be imbedded in my chest, slicing deeper whenever I thought of Galen.

He’d infiltrated my mind to the point of obsession .

I couldn’t concentrate. Despite the energy I’d expended, I had no appetite.

I hoped he was alright. After one-hundred and fifty years with Sylvia as his mother, how could he be?

The terrors he must’ve experienced as a boy—at the hand of his own mother.

It made me realize that there were worse things than losing a parent; at least I knew what unconditional love felt like.

My mother’s death had shaped me, but it was her love that had truly defined me.

How had Sylvia shaped her son? Had her lack of love defined him?

I needed to see him. What was he doing right now? Working, I supposed. Always doing what he was told. As Robert and I walked back to the castle, I could no longer resist. I had to at least ask. “Will you take me to Prince Galen? Please .”

I knew I was going down a path of no return, but perhaps I’d been wrong to push him away. He needed someone. And the truth was, I couldn’t fight this any longer. I was lonely. I needed someone too. I needed him .

Robert answered, “Anytime you request to see him, I’ve been instructed to bring you to him straight away—on Prince Galen’s orders. Follow me.”

He led me to the back of the castle. My pulse raced as he unlocked a door on the outside of the building and it swung open into complete darkness.

My vision slowly adjusted and I saw a set of spiral stairs descending into the inky depths.

I followed close behind him as we climbed lower and lower, until there was no natural light left.

I knew what horrors lived at the deepest levels of castles. He was leading me to the dungeons.

Dusty sconces lined the walls, cradling frail, flickering candlelight.

Shapes formed in the shadows, making me see things that weren’t there.

The air was musty, growing cool and damp as the temperature dipped.

And still we went lower. Claustrophobia gripped me, squeezing my chest until I was gasping for air.

I concentrated on one foot in front of the other, counting the beats of my drumming heart.

What was Galen doing down here?

I was clinging to Robert by the time we arrived at an iron door.

I braced myself as he unlocked it, ushering me into a jarringly bright room.

Fires lined the walls, burning along the stone floors.

I could only assume earth magic had created this gigantic lair.

It was odd to see such an expansive space underground.

No prisoners in sight; only Galen, shirtless and glistening, as he dueled with another male.

There were no weapons, just fists wrapped in protective layers of fabric.

They moved like two primitive dancers: Swerving, side-stepping, ducking, and swinging.

They were moving faster than I’d ever seen men move.

But I supposed they weren’t men… they were faeries.

My stomach lurched as Galen turned towards me and froze. I watched in horror as he was struck in the stomach, causing him to fall backwards and skid across the floor.

He glared at his sparring mate as he stood up and brushed himself off. “Leave us, Frederick.” The man disappeared in a flash of black smoke. A shadow wielder . Louis had told me they were exceedingly rare; it couldn’t have been easy for Galen to find him.

“Hi… sorry for startling you.” I motioned to a violet bruise forming under his ribs, feeling suddenly shy.

I hadn’t meant to interrupt his training se ssion.

He stalked towards me with nothing but a pair of black pants on.

The light of the fire played on his olive skin, highlighting every hard line. My mouth went dry.

Crossing his muscular arms, he towered over me. I mirrored his stance, not knowing what to do with my hands. They wanted to reach out and touch his sweat-sheened chest.

“Hello, Marigold. You didn’t startle me.

I picked up your scent as you were coming down the stairs.

In fact, that scent of yours has been driving me crazy, leaving a trail wherever you go.

If you want to sneak up on me, you’ll have to learn how to shield.

You should also be honing your senses—you wouldn’t want a predator catching you unaware again. ”

I gave a nervous laugh. “I doubt I’ll run into another pack of wylks anytime soon.”

“I wasn’t talking about the wylks.” He gave me a beguiling expression that caused my heart to beat so erratically, I was sure he could hear it.

I cleared my throat, trying to regain composure. “You forget, I’m part-human. My senses will never be as sharp as yours.”

“I never forget what you are.”

My stomach dipped as our eyes met. “Does it disappoint you—that I’m human?”

“No,” he said, circling me like a shark.

“But it would be easier to court you instead of Isla, if you weren’t.

And you’d be less distracting.” He came into my personal space.

The sweat-laced scent of cloves hit me in a crashing wave.

Leaning down, he softly kissed my neck. The tickle of breath was a phantom breeze, sending chills down my spine.

He lingered, before pulling away with a heavy sigh.

“You’re wet .” He smirked.

“Excuse me?”

“Your hair, your clothes. Is it raining? Did you fall into the lake?” He held a lock of damp hair between his fingers.

“Training. Louis. Water.” I’d forgotten that my hair and clothing were still not dry. The more I wielded my ice magic, the less I noticed temperature changes in my own body. I was shivering, but not from the cold.

“So what brings you down to my lair?” Galen asked, sliding his hands into his pockets .

“Well… you’ve been ignoring me for weeks.

Then last night, you announced that you wanted to dance with me instead of Isla—at some festival I don’t belong at.

You also revealed to Arnold that I’m a world walker, before showing up in my room…

” I didn’t finish my thought. I didn’t want to bring up what he’d told me last night.

“I-I don’t understand what you want—what game you’re playing. ”

I tracked him as he prowled behind me, until I could feel his heat at my backside.

He traced his hands along my shoulders and down my arms, before resting them on my hips.

His confident swagger never failed to disorient me, even after I’d seen all of it drained last night.

I now knew it was a shield to deflect from the pain he kept hidden.

“No games. I wasn’t ignoring you. I was protecting you…

from me . You should know to stay away after last night.

” He spoke into my ear, making the hairs on the back of my neck prickle with pleasure.

“I find myself struggling with what I want and what I should do. What I want is to take you right here. Gods , what I want is to undress you so… very… slowly.”

His hands wandered from my hips to my stomach, then up. They brushed along the sides of my breasts, making my breath hitch. “I want to claim you—bury myself inside of you, until you are begging for me to bite you—”

“And what should you do?” I asked, panting. I was going to combust if he took his fantasy any further.

“I should leave you be. I should court Isla. I should be the Prince I’ve been groomed to be for the last one hundred and fifty years.”

It felt like he’d just poured a bucket of ice on me. “Don’t become what they want you to be, please.” I turned around so I could look at him. “I have my own Kingdom I’m obligated to. It would get complicated… if we were to get involved.”

Duty always got in the way of desire.

“That’s right. You did ask me to return you to Aurelius Castle the first day we met. Marigold, are you a Princess ?”

The last bit of heat died in me—at the word Princess. I stepped away from him, giving us several feet of space. “No, not exactly. It would be easier if you didn’t ask questions that might affect my safety.”

“I understand. I wouldn’t trust me either. ”

“It isn’t personal.” There was so much more I wanted to say… but I couldn’t. “So are you going to keep ignoring me? Because I don’t need you to protect me. I see you, Galen… past the charm, past your title. I see all of you.”

“Marigold, I—” He froze, flustered, and began again. “How would you like me to approach our relationship?”

“I’d like to try and be friends. I’m…" I paused, finding the words difficult to say out loud. "I'm lonely. You were the first person I connected with here. And I think you could use a friend too. Can we not enjoy each other’s company without sex?”

He gave a sinful smirk. “We can try.” I tried to contain my laugh.

“Why do you train down here?” I asked, looking at the space comprised entirely of stone.

“My magic can get dangerous out in the open. Wind… trees… people. Down here, I’m safe to play with fire whenever I’d like.

” Flames hovered over both of his hands.

He turned away from me and sent large tangerine streams soaring away from us.

My face felt the impact of the heat, even as it was directed away.

He formed a large circle of fire around us that rolled along the floor like molten waves. I lifted my hands and a snowy blizzard swirled around us, instantly cooling the hot air. Where ice met flame, the air sizzled and hissed, creating steam.

We turned to face each other. I fought the magnetic pull that whispered, “ Touch him. Kiss him .” Flame danced in the reflection of his eyes. What would happen, if we chose to stop fighting this tension?

Galen’s fire stopped abruptly and my ice followed. We moved apart, breathing in the warm fog we’d created. “Let’s get you back to your room, love. You’re too damn tempting… and I only have so much self-restraint. If you’re smart, you’ll stay away.”

I nodded, but he knew as well as I, that neither of us would listen to his words of wisdom. We were on a path of inevitable collision. My only chance of escaping unscathed was to get home before he made me his. Immortal enemy or not, I wanted him. Badly .