Page 25 of A Fate In Moonstone

I blocked it and all words stuck in my throat.

Was he here to kill me?

My eyes darted to the exit, wondering if I could get there fast enough.

“You wanted a fight, so we’re fighting.” He came at me again and I stepped to the right, avoiding his attack.

“How did you—”

“The look in your eyes and the fact that you’ve been pushing yourself toward exhaustion for the last thirty minutes.” He stepped closer, his face completely unreadable just before swiping his blade at me.

“I didn’t ask you for help. We’re supposed to be staying away from each other, remember?” I lashed out, teeth bared, as I went on the offense. Dropping low, I swung my leg out to take him down, but he was ready. He spun around, sword coming down, and I rolled away, sword ready as he swung again. He was much bigger than me, but that meant I needed to add more speed to my attacks.

“My words angered you. Good. Hating me is good,” he stated with a sneer.

I hopped onto the pole and aimed the tip of my blade toward his shoulder. Having the high ground should have helped but he swatted my sword away like a bug.

“I didn’t say that.” The interaction with him was only part of the problem. But I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of admitting it.

Our swords clashed, our faces close enough to feel his breath against my cheek as he spoke. “You didn’t like Tor’s lips on yours then?”

Jumping back, I snarled and twirled the hilt of my sword in my hand.

“What the fuck do you want, Rune?”

I waited in case of attack, but he saw the drop in my shoulders. I was losing the fight inside. He accomplished exhausting me how I wanted and I hated that he knew what I needed.

“I want to know if you liked kissing Tor.” His gaze burned into mine, waiting.

Our breaths slowed as did time.

I dodged the question with another. “How do you even know about that?”

“Because I can smell him all over you. The mixed scents on your breath. It’s everywhere and I can’t escape it.” He snarled, the timber in his voice went low as he stretched his neck, then eyed the moon. His jaw tightened.

I dropped my sword. The clattering of the metal hitting the ground echoed around the silent area. He wouldn’t attack me without a weapon. This training session was over. I’d had enough.

“I can’t do, whatever this is.”

Defeated, I whirled around and took a step toward the exit.

A hand wrapped around mine and I gasped. Power shot up my arm and I nearly crumpled. Rune caught me and held me close.

“Sapphira.”

Vibrations in the ground rolled through me and I felt everything around us. Each step inside the palace, every shift in the earth. There was something else weaving into my core, and it was powerful. Like an ancient strength running rampant in my muscles, my bones, and my blood. Forging me into something whole and new.

Steady like the earth with something more waiting beneath the surface.

Then it was gone and I was very aware I stood against Rune’s body, one hand holding me steady, the other pushing the hair away from my face.

“Was that…your earth? It’s so...” Words weren’t coming as I tried to adjust to the new power settling inside me.

“Overwhelming,” he said as the pads of his fingers ran over my eyebrow, observing me react to his touch. “Tell me. Please,” he pleaded softly, his gaze slowly lowering to my lips then back to my eyes.

“If I say it, I damn us both.”

“Then let me burn.”