“No, seriously, Kara, wake up,” he said urgently, shaking her shoulder.
“If it’s about breakfast,” she mumbled, hair in her face, eyes still shut, “I’m not hungry. Go back to sleep.”
He lost patience. They’d been on the run for their lives a few days ago. How could she sleep this well already? “Hale – this isn’t about breakfast. Look at this!”
He shoved his hand right in front of her face, to show her how damn emerald his hand was. The magic – he wouldn’t sayhismagic – danced there, mocking him. She finally opened her eyes and blinked once. Then again. Still half-asleep.
Tell me you see this too, Kara.
“That’s my magic.”
“I know it’s your magic!” he hissed. “Why is it in my hand?”
Kara stared at the emerald glow, then back at him. “It must be the bond. Can you – can you use it?”
“Apparently,” he growled. He placed his healed hand over his other injured one. Emerald bloomed at once, knitting the cuts back together instantly.
“It just works? Without any studying at all?” Kara exclaimed incredulously. “That’s amazing!”
“Not sure that’s the word I’d use,” Sebastian said grumpily. “What if it goes off accidentally? Heal someone I’m supposed to be fighting?”
Kara snorted. “The horror.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Sebastian... you still have your magic, right?”
The blood drained from his face. “I–I don’t know!” he shouted, panicked now.
“Well, try,” she said calmly.
He thrust out his now perfect hand, scowling at it like it had personally betrayed him. Nothing happened.
Come on! Work!
Kara bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter, but it bubbled up anyway. “Don’t hurt yourself,” she giggled.
“This isn’t funny, Kara!” he snapped. He shook his hand furiously. “What if it’s gone? What if I–”
Just as Sebastian nearly gave way to complete panic, his crimson magic flared to life across his palm. Familiar heat raced up the veins on his forearm, crackling over his skin. He sagged backwards with sheer relief, and dragged both hands down his face.
“Oh, thank the Four.”
Kara laughed outright, half nervous, half delighted. “You areridiculous. You have two types of magic now, and you’re upset about it?”
He shot her a glare through his fingers. “It’s not normal, Kara! Not possible! You can’t just pick up another House’s magic overnight. It takes years. You have to live in the land, train for it–”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Looks pretty possible to me.”
He dropped his hands to his lap, completely dumbfounded. Kara grinned at him. Of course she found this whole thing hilarious.
Suddenly she stood, excitement lighting her face. “Sebastian, do you think that means I can–”
Before Sebastian could say a word, crimson blazed across Kara’s arm – jagged tendrils of light over her skin, alive with power.
“Kara!” he barked, jumping up, half-horrified, half-bewildered.
She gasped – then beamed. “Ahhhh! I’m strong!”
The magic sparked, blazing across her hands like it had always belonged there. She looked like Thorne, born and bred. Kara flexed her fingers, andhercrimson pulsed, wild and hot. “Oh, I can feel it – I can actually feel the power.”
Sebastian pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. “This isn’t happening. This cannot be happening.”
