“The wraiths are so cold,” I murmured.
Swinging me up, he held me against him.Feeding caused his body temperature to rise and it felt like I waswrapped up in a warm blanket. I pressed closer against him as hishands ran up and down my arms.
“I should have stopped feeding sooner,” hesaid.
“I’m fine.” I nuzzled his neck. “How do youfeed from them?”
“I take in their essence,” he said. “It’sexcruciating for them. It’s the worst thing they can experience inHell as it literally drains a piece of them. All demons feed fromthem in such a way.”
“What about the angels, how do they feed inHell?”
“Angels feed from souls too. Whether it’sfrom their happiness and giving them bliss like the ones in Heavendo, or from inflicting suffering such as we do. The fallen angelsadapted once they entered Hell.”
“Probably another thing that separated themfurther from their bond with life,” I murmured.
“Perhaps.”
“But only the fallen angels know what reallycaused it to break and they’re not going to tell me,” I said.
“No, they’re not.”
Leaning forward, I kissed his lips. “Whatother pain do the wraiths experience?”
“There are many torments in Hell. I’d prefernot to share them with you.”
He would if I asked him to, but it was asubject we’d both rather drop. He rubbed his hand over my back anddown my spine when I released a contented sigh. “I feel betternow.”
“Good enough to show me what you’ve beenteaching yourself?” he asked.
I didn’t want to leave the warmth of hisarms, but I’d waited long enough to show him what I was capable ofnow. “Yes. Stop here.”
He set me on the ground and I took areluctant step away from his embrace. Taking a deep breath, I kneltto rest my fingers against the earth. I closed my eyes and tried torid myself of all other thoughts as I concentrated on the groundbeneath my fingertips.
The life teeming within the earth flowed intome, further defrosting my bones. My eyes opened as sparks ofgolden-white light danced across my fingers. I kept my hand againstthe ground as I lifted my other palm before me and allowed the ballof energy to grow.
I flipped the ball over before me, circlingit through my fingers. The golden-white glow of it illuminatedKobal’s face, making him even more radiant as he watched me. Thelast time we’d worked together on this, I’d barely been able toform something the size of an apple, and I hadn’t revealed I coulddo much better than that when I’d worked with Corson and Bale.
The light pulsed further within my fingers,growing until it reached beyond my palm and became nearly twice thesize of a basketball. “What I did to Azote earlier was the firsttime I’d ever done anything like that. The life burst out of me ina stream of energy with him, instead of a ball.”
“I saw. Hit me with it,” he commandedgruffly.
I did a double take as my eyes looked fromthe ball to him, then back again. “No!”
His eyes lifted to mine, and I could see theglimmer of pride within their depths but also his steelydetermination. “I’ll be fine. I’ve fed and I need to know some ofwhat you are capable of. Hit me with it.”
“No.”
He grabbed hold of my wrist, causing the ballto swell larger as his life flooded me. Before I could do anythingto stop him, he spun my wrist around. The ball followed the abruptmovement. I tried to jerk it back as he thrust my hand forward,slamming it against his chest. An explosion lit the air around us,momentarily blinding me. His grip on my wrist was torn free.
“No!” I shouted as he shot five feet backwardand into a tree. The impact of his body caused it to splinter downthe middle. I launched to my feet and raced toward him. “Kobal!” Igasped, falling before him and clutching his cheeks between mypalms. His head turned toward me; he blinked as he tried to focuson me. I tore his burnt shirt back to reveal the puckered andblistered skin beneath it. Tears filled my eyes as I gazed at thewound I had created. “Why did you do that?”
“You pack a punch, Mah Kush-la,” he murmuredand gripped my hands.
“Why did you do that?” I demanded again, myconcern for him fading to exasperation when he smiled at me.
He pushed himself up against the tree.“Because now I understand more of what you’re capable of, and yourpowers are still growing. More practice will only strengthen yourabilities. I was prepared for the blow and still look at whathappened.”
“I hurt you.”
