When he says my name like that, full of power, it’s hard to ignore him. I blow out a long breath and lift my gaze, meeting his. “Yes?”
His thumb sweeps across the back of my hand. “You can do this.”
He sounds so sure.
“But what if I break it?”
He shrugs. “Then it’s broken. This is a piece of my past.” I open my mouth to protest, but before I can say a single word, he silences me with a kiss. “I won’t deny that it’s important to me, but it pales in value when compared to you.”
Heat unfurls inside me. “Really?”
“Absolutely.” He draws me closer, my back resting against his chest, and he wraps his arms around me. He kisses the back of my neck and murmurs, “I believe in you, Birdie.”
I’m not sure whether it’s the conviction in his voice or the way he’s holding me, but before I realize what’s happening, I’m agreeing. Pressing my lips to the Hunter’s, I stand, brush a wrinkle out of my dress, and draw in a deep breath.
Despite my trepidation about working on this specific piece, I am confident in the steps I need to follow.
“First, find your magic and channel your intentions into it,” I mutter, reminding myself of Jasper’s instructions as I pass the amulet to my left hand.
That, at least, isn’t too difficult.
Closing my eyes, I reach within myself to that place where my magic resides. My Mark warms pleasantly as I scoop some magic from my well.
My intentions are simple: protection. I don’t even need to think about any other options.
As much as Gabriel may be obsessed with me, to borrow Skyler’s turn of phrase, I feel the same way about him. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing, whether it’s walking through camp hand in hand, spending time with our new friends, or coming together in the oldest of ways, because as long as I’m with him, I’m happy.
I never knew it was possible to feel such joy over something as simple as companionship before. I want this amulet to keep my Hunter from danger, and as long as he wears it, it should do just that.
After a moment, I open my eyes. A bright flame containing the expanses of the sky rests in the center of my palm. It’s a foot tall, and sparks flit around it. I can sense my will has been imbued in the magic.
It will not harm, but protect.
“So far, so good,” I murmur.
I catch sight of Gabriel out of the corner of my eye. He’s sitting on the bed, feet planted on the floor and his arms are resting on his knees. His gaze is locked on me, steady and unwavering, and when he notices me looking, he smiles encouragingly. “Keep going; you’re doing great.”
His praise warms something inside me I didn’t know was cold, and I return his smile before refocusing on the flames. This part has consistently proven to be the most difficult, even with all my practice. Bringing the flame and amulet together, I concentrate on them, encouraging my will to flow through my magic.
The blue fire is all I see, the crackle of the sparks all I hear. My whole world is comprised of this singular moment. Each thud of my heart is a reminder of how important this is. Every other time I’ve fed my magic into something, it’s been for practice, and there haven’t been any true stakes involved.
But this feels different. I’m holding Gabriel’s amulet, and I’m using my magic forhim. I need it to work, because what good is having magic if I can’t use it to safeguard the man I love?
Minutes pass before the top of the flame disappears into the amulet, and it takes several more before all the magic has been absorbed. By the time the task is complete, I feel like I’ve run a race. My chest is tight, and beads of sweat dot my brow, but I did it.
I extend my hand towards Gabriel, the amulet glowing a faint blue in the center of my palm. A steady hum lingers in the air, a sign that the magic is replenished and at full strength.
Gabriel stands and strides towards me, moving with the grace of his profession. Instead of taking the amulet, he bends and captures my lips with his. When he pulls back and rests his forehead against mine, a grin stretches across his face.
“See, Birdie?” he murmurs, his hand curling behind my neck. “I knew you could do it.”
“You were right.” His praise warms me more than a thousand suns ever could. “Thank you for believing in me.”
His free hand snakes around my hip and under my bottom, and he lifts me effortlessly. “When will you learn, Wren?” He starts walking us towards the bed. “I will always believe in you.”
And then, after Gabriel lays me down and takes the amulet from my hand, reattaching it to the chain, he kneels between my legs and shows me exactly how proud he is.
45
