Page 64 of Heart of Mischief

“I’ve come up with anew condition,”Charlie said as she and Elias hiked through the predawn darkness blanketing the forest. “Another requirement for us to work together.”

Elias snorted, kicking a rock out of his path. “This should be good.”

They’d parked his convertible in the place where Charlie normally put the Bronco and were walking to the old house. The night before, Charlie had texted Lou and Abigail and told them that training was canceled tomorrow in favor of her trying to access magical powers that she probably didn’t have.

Abigail, in typical Abigail fashion, had told her that her grades were going to regret it.

Lou, in typical Lou fashion, had demanded that, if she really did have magical powers, they be used to conjure them up some fake IDs.

“I’m serious,” Charlie said, shooting Elias a stern look. “I’ve thought about it, and this is a nonnegotiable for me.”

“Of course it is.” He made a sweeping gesture with one hand. “Require away, darling.”

She narrowed her eye at his use ofdarlingbut didn’t waste time telling him off; it would only make him use the term more often. “My requirement,” she said, “is that you can’t shift into mare form during these training sessions. Not unless we’re in immediate danger and you need to help.”

“And you need to help, she says.” Elias rolled his eyes. “As if you could handle catastrophewithoutmy help.”

“I’ve handled plenty without your help,” she said. “Including every time you tried to kill me. When you’re in shadow form, you’re stronger, faster, and able to conjure weapons out of nothing.”

“Mmm.” Elias inhaled, as if smelling a particularly delicious slice of cake. “I love it when a beautiful woman lists all of my best qualities.”

“That’s not my point,” she said impatiently. “My point is those qualities enable you to turn on me—or Henry, or Bjorn, or Vidar—at the drop of a hat. So, if you want to show me that I can trust you,no shifting. Not unless our lives are directly under threat, and I can’t handle it myself.”

“You’ve never even attempted to perform magic before,” he pointed out. “How am I supposed to know what you can and can’t handle?”

She bit her lip, looking up at the dark outlines of the trees. “I guess we’re about to find out.”

“Okay,” Charlie said, glancing around the clearing. “How do we start?”

It was just past 6:30 a.m., and Charlie and Elias stood in the clearing outside the old house. Henry was napping at the top of the porch stairs. A few paces away, the Vikings had dragged two rocking chairs out onto the porch and were seated there, mugs of mead in hand. When Elias had asked if they really needed to drink before seven a.m., Bjorn had been so offended that he attempted to dump his mug over Elias’s head. Elias dove out of the way just in time to save his precious hair.

“A Viking does three things,” Bjorn had said, staring down at Elias. “We eat, we drink, and we fight. And since it is time for neither eating nor fighting…” He gestured at his empty mug.

“Right,” Elias said, pushing himself to his feet and bowing his head. “My apologies.”

Bjorn rolled his eyes. “Mares,” he muttered on his way into the house for a refill.

Now, he and Vidar were settled in their rocking chairs, full mugs at the ready. The old wood of the porch creaked as they rocked. They were uncharacteristically quiet, sipping their mead and watching Charlie and Elias. Waiting. Expecting a show.

Charlie had a feeling they would be sorely disappointed.

Elias, in human form as promised, stood a generous distance away from Charlie in the grassy clearing. He didn’t look nervous or uncertain; he either had complete confidence that Charlie would be able to access her powers or cared so little either way that he would be happy regardless of the result.

Probably the latter.

He pointed to a wide, flat rock a few feet to his left. “Stand here.”

“Okay.” Charlie frowned, walking over to the rock and stepping up onto it. “Why do I need to stand on stone? Is that how Loki channels his power?”

“No,” said Elias. “I just can’t bear being that far away from you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Elias.”

“Iambeing serious,” he said, feigning offense. “But if you insist upon me having a secondary motive…” He took a few blessed steps backward, giving her some breathing room. “I’m testing a theory.”

“What theory?”

“You’ll see.”