Page 59 of The Nymph Prince

“Are you ordering me around now?”

Malik’s hard expression softened. “Only when it’s required. I will not have you wasting away into nothing.”

That was something a father would say, and I smiled despite my gloomy mood.

Once Malik left to find Dathan, I stripped out of my clothes and walked to the washroom. I sat on the edge of the large tub and ran my hand through the water, which was always heated.

A hot spring at the bottom of the sea, providing an endless supply of warm water. Father had gone to great lengths when he and Mother designed Avalontis. I poured a little of the lavender oil into the water before sprinkling some rose petals on top.

The day had only just begun and I already wanted it to end.

The roses helped. They reminded me of the green valleys I loved so much. They reminded me of a world I wished I belonged to.

Sinking down into the water, I sighed and tilted my head back to rest it on the tub. Small bumps coated my skin as I adjusted to the drastic temperature change. The scent of lavender and pink roses drifted upward, calming me. I relaxed for a while before giving myself a good scrubbing, washing the stench of sex from me.

Washing Alek’s scent off my skin.

If only I could scrub my heart in the same way.

14

Alek

I hadn’t meant to hurt him. The burst of power had come out of nowhere. When he’d hit that pillar and I’d heard his back crack, my heart had cracked in response.

Once set free, the power had a mind of its own, almost as though I was stuck inside my own body, screaming at myself to stop but not being able to.

Malik had charged me and I’d frozen him in place, just like I’d done to those pirates who’d attacked Kellan in Bone Bay. The ones I’d then forced to slit their throats with their own blades.

Oh gods, had I been about to do that to Malik?

And then Reif. I’d done the same to him.

After Lorcan and Malik left, Troy had looked at us with worried eyes. But he, too, left. Reif stayed, but animosity rolled off him. When I went to approach him, he held his hand up.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” I told him. “I’m sorry.”

He said not a word and only glared at me. Instead of protecting me from that moment on, I suspected he’d considermethe danger and watch my every move. Just the night before, he’d showed genuine concern over my wellbeing—when he’d thought I was going to harm myself—and now he looked as though he wanted to be the one to do the harming.

Eva’s calming touch helped me keep my sanity. Only just.

“Here.” Eva guided me over to the bench in the courtyard. “Sit.”

I did as she instructed, feeling numb.

“What’s wrong with me?” I asked, staring at my hands.

“Your powers are building inside you,” she answered, keeping her hand on my leg. To quiet my thoughts. “Learning to control them is key. Which is why our training is vital. Most mages are taught from a young age how to use their powers, so when they mature they already have a handle on them. And you’re more powerful than any I’ve ever met.”

“You have powers, too. Is one of them the ability to calm others?”

Eva nodded. “It aids me in my work. When a patient is in extreme pain, many have the tendency to panic. I help ease their mind so that I can heal them.”

“I wish I could use my powers to help others,” I said, blinking back hot tears. “All I do is hurt them.”

The look of betrayal in Lorcan’s eyes was seared into my memory. Why had he been so angry with me? Regardless of how angry he was, I would’ve never hurt him had I been in my right mind.

“You didn’t tell Lorcan we were meeting?” Eva asked.