Page 145 of Axis of Fire

Seeing the outrage on my face, Airis smiled.

Actually smiled.

And God, his smile was something else.

The moment I realized I'd been staring, I quickly looked away.

My laptop had finally finished loading, and I muttered,

“I can't deny that I'm kind of shocked after learning about this ability of yours.”

“Only elemental mages can manipulate another person on a physical level,” Airis replied. “That's one of the reasons we're considered dangerous.”

“So I could do that too?”

“You could.”

His expression darkened slightly.

“If you practiced forbidden magic.”

I straightened immediately.

“Wait. We actually have a forbidden magic course?”

“For the strongest group, it's mandatory.” Airis nodded. “Though there are strict rules and limitations surrounding it.”

I was already preparing my next question when my laptop chimed softly.

The sound immediately stole my attention.

“That’s enough information for you today, Fireling,” Airis said.

His voice was quieter now.

Softer.

“You spent the entire day trying to stay strong. Now it's time to rest.”

He slid the plate of sandwiches closer to me before taking a bite from his own.

As though he hadn't just said something that settled warmly beneath my ribs.

As though a single sentence hadn't made me feel more cared for than I wanted to admit.

Or more cared for than I could remember feeling in a very long time.

******

And once again, after dinner, Airis and I were sharing the same bed.

Only this time, it was mine.

And unlike the bed in Airis's room, mine wasn't nearly as large, which meant I could feel his warmth and scent far too clearly.

Surprisingly, that wasn't what kept me awake.

For what felt like the hundredth time, I replayed my parents' words in my head.