Page 110 of Elemental Becoming

The sight of them still pulls me back to the morning they appeared, after I first chose to wield. The beginning of when the power answered me, when the magics between me and the elements sealed.

Waking to find them was a shock.

Feeling them—etched into my skin, thrumming with faint, living energy—made it real in a way nothing else had. Standing before my reflection that morning, everything I had tried to deny crashed into me at once. I could no longer pretend I was just afarm girl.

I was marked.

Chosen.

Spiritborn.

The first sigil rests just below the nape of my neck, fire curling in sharp, fluid lines. Beneath it, air twists in graceful arcs, untamed and weightless. Water flows next, endless and unbroken. And finally—earth. Solid. Grounded. The foundation beneath everything else.

Tonight, under the weight of a thousand eyes, I wear them bare for the world to see.

A reminder of what I am.

Yet somehow, the makeup unsettles me almost as much.

I’ve never worn makeup before. Dark kohl sharpens my brown eyes while gold dusts my lids, glinting like a blade in the sun. A soft flush warms my cheeks. But it’s my lips that unnerve me the most.

Because they are red.

As red as my dress. As red as firelight. As red as the heat in Thane’s gaze whenever he looks at me.

I had nearly wiped it all off after staring at my reflection for so long I almost convinced myself this wasn’t me. Lyra physically grabbed my wrists to stop me. Even though we sparred regularly at the outpost, I hadn’t realized just how strong she had become.

Elira laughed so hard she had to step out of the room for a minute.

Even my hair isn’t mine tonight.

Gone is the loose braid I keep when training or the dark waves that spill freely down my back when relaxing. Instead, intricate braids weave through my dark hair, pinned atop my head before trailing down my back.

It feels both regal and impossibly elaborate. I don’t know how Lyra convinced me to sit through it, but even I have to admit, theeffect is striking.

The long gold earrings brushing against my neck are the only jewelry I wear. Lyra had tried to force bracelets, rings, and an elaborate necklace onto me, but I refused. They felt far too fussy for me. Because while I may be dressed like a noble tonight, I’m still a warrior.

Which is why, beneath the cascading fabric of my gown, a dagger is strapped to my thigh.

I feel exposed yet powerful.

I come back to the present and turn, deliberately letting him take in the full effect. Silk shimmers with the movement, the cool air brushing against the skin my dress leaves bare.

When I look at him, I see it immediately—the way his eyes darken, the way his lips part just slightly, like he means to speak but loses the words before they form.

And gods, the longing in his eyes.

His gaze drifts lower, tracing the line of the sigils down my back with quiet, unwavering intensity. He isn’t simply admiring me. He looks like he’s committing every detail to memory.

His throat dips, fingers flexing at his sides before he lifts his eyes back to mine as I complete the turn.

Something in his expression sends heat unfurling low in my stomach.

Before I can spiral into overthinking, Lyra gently shoves me forward with a laugh. I nearly stumble, but before I collide with Thane, his strong callused hands catch my bare arms, steadying me.

“Bye, kids! I’m going to find Garrick.”

She winks at me, and I give her an insincere glare in response before breaking into a grin.