Page 21 of Princess of Bael

Lifting my arm, I allowed a flicker of flame to dance across my fingertips. This sort of power shouldn’t come so naturally to me here in this plane. Yet I was completely in control of the flaming ability—something I proved by stirring a spiral of fiery energy that swirled up my arm.

It glimmered and purred all around me, responding to my every command and intensifying by the second.

I sighed, momentarily at peace as the substance grounded me in this realm. My eyes fell closed, allowing me to enjoy my surroundings.

A woodsy scent teased my nostrils, lulling me into a state of sublime comfort.

Only to be interrupted by the clearing of a throat.

Ezra.

It took only a second for me to realize the calming scent belonged to him, the undertone of leaves teasing me to full awareness. His golden orbs swirled with power as he stared down at me. He took in the power racing up and down my arms, but rather than snuff it out like the first time we’d met, he merely admired the view.

I almost wanted him to try to steal my fire again, just to see what would happen.

Could he douse my flames with ease like the day we’d first met? Or would I burn him in the process?

Hearing him scream from my fiery embrace would be quite an alluring sound. Alas, his gaze merely returned to mine as he said, “We should go.”

“Go where?” I asked, not bothering to call in my power. Instead, it intensified, roaming up to my neck to flirt with my hair.

“Somewhere safe where we can regroup and decide our next steps,” he replied, his focus shifting to my throat.

“And that would be…?” I prompted.

His attention slowly returned to my eyes, his pupils flaring. “My place.”

A snort escaped me unbidden. “I’m supposed to feel safe atyour place?” I nearly laughed. “Right.”

He blew out a breath, then palmed the back of his neck while looking skyward, as if searching for patience.

Let me know when you find it, I thought, rolling my eyes and lying down in the grass beside the tree, content to wait here all day.It really is nice in this place. Soft. Pretty. Peaceful.

Very different from Hell, where the directions and coordinates changed constantly. I’d spent many years just getting lost down there.

“I trusted you enough to come here. Now it’s your turn to trust me enough to go where I suggest.” He held out his hand, his gaze taking on a hard glint. “It’s that or I leave you here for another angel to find. Unless you’ve managed to develop a teleportation gift that I’m unaware of? Beyond that trick on your wrist, I mean.”

My jaw clenched. But he did have a point. He’d taken us to the coordinates I’d shown him. Now I could let him take me tohis place.

A realm between the realms.

The precious Divinity.

Wherever the fuck that was.

“Are you going to kill me for knowing too much afterward?” I asked as I pushed myself up off the ground without the assistance of his hand. My flames died in the next instant, but the energy lingered behind, ready for me to call it back at a moment’s notice.

“If I kill you, it won’t be for knowing too much,” he returned, his expression as dark as his tone.

I met his stare with one of my own. “I’m not afraid of you.”

He hummed something unintelligible in response, then grabbed my forearm again and wrapped us up in his dark feathers.

I tried to ignore how soft they were against my skin, but it was hard not to notice it when combined with his warm touch.

Butterflies took flight in my abdomen, replacing the earlier queasiness.

Sweet scents tickled my nose.