Page 2 of Water and Wild

Elyria summoned her wild magic . . .

And something else answered.

From that deep hole inside herself where she kept her worst parts buried, her inner shadow roared.

Black wisps danced across her skin, smoke dissipating into the air, a dark fog spilling over the ground. Elyria’s heartbeat pounded in her ears, drowning out the gasps of the gathered crowd. Her dark power was a serpent unfurling in her chest, something primal, uncontrolled.

She didn’t want to control it.

It must have shown on her face, because when she looked at Kerrigan again, his eyes were wide. He stumbled back, wings flaring for balance. A line of fire lit up the ground in front of him, separating them with a wall of flame. He backed away, hands raised in surrender, words of apology and pacification spewing from his mouth.

She didn’t hear him. Or if she did, she didn’t care. Not as power trilled in her blood, surged through her veins—intoxicating, consuming. He had burned her. He had hurt her.

And the darkness inside her wanted to return the favor.

Elyria moved toward Kerrigan, ribbons of shadow stretching from her fingers, reaching for him, eager and hungry.

Someone yelled out as shadows raced into the fire, consolidating, solidifying, forming something sharp, something that needed to cut, to k⁠—

A wall of water slammed into Elyria’s chest, knocking her back as the shadows dispersed in an explosion of mist. She skidded across the dirt, breath stolen from her lungs, her vision fracturing.

“That’s enough, Elyria.”

Elyria snarled, the darkness not allowing her to register the smooth voice, almost more familiar than her own. Whirling, she leapt toward whoever it was who dared interfere, dared disturb the dark.

A wave swelled beneath her feet, pushing her off balance. It split, rose, forming long tendrils of water that iced over as they connected, until a frozen cage spun around Elyria, containing her.

She screamed, and vines ripped through the dirt to smash her icy prison. Still, it gave enough time for her new attacker to surge forward and wrap strong brown fingers around both of her wrists, forcing her to cross her arms over her chest.

“I said, that’s enough, my love.”

Golden eyes met her own. Concern swam in them, creasing Evander’s brow, tensing his jaw.

Elyria blinked, the heat of battle still curling in her veins, her shadows restless beneath her skin.

She blinked again.

Then surveyed the scene around her as she sucked in a slow, horrified breath.

Kerrigan was on the ground, blade forgotten by his side, eyes wide, mouth gaping. Water dripped from Elyria’s wrists where Evander still held her in place, his tideweaving magic thick in the air.

Elyria looked at Kerrigan, her tongue tripping over apologies and excuses and explanations as she searched for the words—any words. None came out.

“You’re dismissed, Kerrigan.” Evander’s soft baritone felt like it was still very far away.

“Yes, Lord Ravenswing,” Kerrigan said shakily, rising to his feet and dusting off his breeches. With a final, wary look at Elyria, he scuttled away, the remaining crowd dispersing after him.

“He’ll be fine,” Evander said softly, pulling Elyria close. “Let’s get you home.”

She hesitated. “I—I didn’t mean to⁠—”

“I know.”

“I almost⁠—”

“But you didn’t.”

“Did he see?” She bit her lip. “Did everyone?”