Page 28 of Loving Amari
“Check with Micah to see if he has anything in the scrolls. His ancestors have had premonitions of the past. He had something about Amil, he might have something about Nathaniel.”
“I’ll get on it.” Jacob puts a fist to his chest and bows his head, the gesture formal and respectful.
Damon bows his head in response.
Angie and Jacob step through the portal. It closes immediately, the blue and gold light disappears, leaving us in the normal lighting of my office.
Kade takes Leah’s hand and pulls it to her lips, gently kissing the back of it. The gesture is tender, intimate. “I’m going to the academy. We’ll be there if you need us.”
Kade and Leah teleport away, leaving a black cloud of mystical smoke where they stood. It lingers for a moment before fading into nothing.
Damon looks to Carla, whose face is pained. The tension in her shoulders. The slight tremor in her hands that she’s trying to hide.
“That’s not all of it.”
Carla looks to me with a frown but doesn’t argue. She knows I have to tell them. Knows they need to understand what’s happening to her.
Damon turns to me. Selene does the same, both of them focused entirely on my next words. “What is it?”
“Carla’s magic. It’s growing.” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “She was levitating in her sleep.”
The room goes still. No one moves. No one breathes.
Aya huffs like she’s annoyed, breaking the silence. “That means you’re ascending.”
Her words catch everyone’s attention. Damon’s eyebrows rise. Selene’s hand drops from her knife.
“Ascending is rare and only given to the most noble of witches. It’s Mother Fate granting her more power. She’s done it with Hazel. Looks like she’s chosen another warrior to help with this battle.”
Carla looks up at me, and I see it in her eyes. Fear. Confusion. Wonder. All mixed together in those green depths.
“I’m over it.” Aya looks at Tofi, who’s been standing silently beside me this whole time. “Come on, Tofi. We’ve got some work to do.”
I watch in awe as Tofi skitters around my desk to follow Aya. Her massive legs move gracefully despite her size. Theyboth suddenly just disappear, going back into the void of limbo. One moment they’re there, the next they’re gone. No portal. No smoke. Just absence.
“We are going to figure this out. We always do.” Damon’s voice is steady, confident.
Carla nods, but I can feel her trembling against me.
Damon takes Selene’s hand and they both make their exit, walking out the door. Giving us space. Giving us privacy.
The door closes behind them with a soft click.
She leans into me, just wanting to listen to my heartbeat. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close.
“Let me feed you.”
“I’m not really in the mood for food.” Her voice is muffled against my chest.
“I thought I lost you. Those three days were agonizing. Please, Carla, have mercy on me.”
She pulls back enough to look up at me. “Okay.” She just smiles at me, and that smile is everything.
I grab her hand and walk into the kitchen. The familiar space grounds me. I don’t want to think about our troubles right now. I just want to focus on her, our love. On the simple act of caring for my mate.
I walk Carla over to the kitchen island and pull out a chair for her, sitting her down. The stool scrapes slightly against the floor. I walk around to the other side and start pulling out pots and pans from the cabinets. The metal clangs together. Then I turn to her with a smile.
“How about a cheeseburger? I remember when I made you one before.”