Page 113 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

Fear, and a sadness so consuming, crumpled her body, and Kora sank beneath the surface. The hot water was a welcome relief after freezing cold darkness. A shadow appeared, blocking the light, and she shot up, gasping, worrying Kordelia had come for her again.

“It’s just me.” Raiden’s voice was gentle as he pulled up a stool and sat beside the stone tub. Kora instinctively wrapped her arms around her chest, her cheeks blushing. Despite the sweet, scented bubbles covering her, she didn’t want Raiden to see her naked . . . not like this.

Raiden’s stare softened, and he placed something on the wide side, next to a small cluster of candles.

A chocolate tart.

“You need to eat. Your essence has been drained, you need sugar.” She frowned—how did he know? “I . . . saw, or felt, what happened. In here.” Raiden tapped his head.

Kora thanked him before nibbling at the pastry. Her stomach roiled after heaving everything up, but she continued, determined to grant some life back into her body.

“My magic is gone again,” she croaked.

Raiden’s eyes shuttered. “Kordelia’s hold on you was strong. I managed to break through a little, but whatever you did has put her back in her box for now.”

“She stole my element.” Kora twirled her hand, unable to manipulate the water she rested in. “So I used the divine power. Light against the darkness.”

The emptiness was so raw, so encompassing, that Kora ran a wet hand down her face in hopes it would hide the tears that flowed. She’d been so close. She’d almost felt . . . whole. But once again, she was back to square one. And with such little time left, she would fail Erick.

Raiden sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ve never experienced it on that scale, but . . . if I couldn’t connect to my element, it would feel like a huge part of me had died.”

“Yes,” Kora met his gaze. “It does.”

“You’ll get it back. It’s in there, it can never leave you. It’s impossible to steal another’s power. It’s intrinsically tied to who you are.”

“Or it was never mine to begin with.” Kora wallowed in the bath as she finished the tart. Kordelia stole it effortlessly, along with wielding a darkness like Barron’s.

Raiden tensed. His stare darkening. “It was always yours. She’s an apparition of the past. When you’re ready to face her again, I’ll be there with you. For now, your divine power has subdued her.”

Kora took in his gaze. Raiden’s resolve was as steely as his scent. She filled her lungs with it, using the fresh air scent to soothe her lingering panic from the sensation of her lungs crushing in the darkness. It was quickly followed by the sweetness of jasmine . . . and orange blossom.

“Did you use my soaps?” Kora twirled her fingers through the warm, bubbly water.

“Not all of us have posh taste,” Raiden winked. “Didn’t want my basic soaps offending you.”

“Says the son of a king.” Kora’s lips twitched, and she flicked her fingers at him, water spraying over Raiden. He chuckled as he wiped the water from his silver strands, his eyes once again dazzling Kora, and her toes curled beneath the bubbles.

“Take your time in here.” Raiden’s smile faded as he eyed the leech marks. “Meet me in my room when you’re ready. I’ll get something for the bites.”

Kora nodded meekly. Whilst she couldn’t resist watching every fluid movement Raiden made, a realisation dawned on her as he exited his pristine, white bathing chamber.

He made her feel safe. More so than anyone. Maybe . . . more than Aryn.

She was safe with a Galenite.

49

Raiden

What happened?” Aryn appeared behind Raiden’s door with Sirona hot on his heels.

“Kordelia,” Raiden answered in a single clipped word. Steam wafted from beneath the door to his bathing chamber.

“I need to see her.” Aryn pushed forward but Raiden blocked his path, his shoulders brushing the doorframe. “Let me through, Windward.”

“This time skildaj, walk away,” Raiden warned. “Trust me on this.”

Aryn paused, his eyes near glowing as fury radiated from him. Raiden realised how interesting it was that Kora formed the same protector bond with Aryn, and this time around he was even more linked to her. He’d appeared, pounding on the door, with a half-asleep Sirona yawning behind him, all too aware something was wrong. Raiden soundproofed the bathing chamber with his gift so as not to disturb the Huntress.