AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She tipped her chin at the arcanium. “It’s there. Transmuted by you into water and moon magic, stored here so you can use it.”
He absorbed that information. “I can access it without touching you?”
“Feels that way to me. Do you disagree?”
“No,” he replied slowly, gaze going a softer black as he focused his attention on his wizard senses. “But I didn’t know that was possible.”
“I’m not sure it is, for any other wizard but you. Maybe all House Phel wizards can do it, but since you’re the only one, we can’t know. Still, that the arcanium functions this way is a strong argument that they could. I think you should experiment.”
“Right.” He shook his head, as if trying to clear it. “That’s what we intended.”
Extricating herself from his embrace, she got to her feet, feeling more than a little creaky. Gabriel watched her stretch, more concern in his eyes than lust, and she went to the cabinet where she’d put her clothes, dressing again. “I think you should raise the manse,” she suggested, when he continued to sit there in deep thought, naked and cross-legged, like a sculpture carved in homage to masculine beauty.
“What—now?” His gaze sharpened, a hint of alarm in his expression.
“Don’t think,” she warned him. “Just do it, while you’re in the flow of all this magic, all of it focusing on you in the center of the arcanium. Your ancestors likely sat in that very spot to accomplish the feat in the first place. House Phel wants to rise again. Lift it up and stabilize it. You have a world of magic waiting to do exactly that.”
“Without you?” he asked, uncertain.
“You already have me.” She gestured to the fiery silver rivers. “This is easy for you, Gabriel. It’s been done before. You’re simply restoring what was there before. Just do that: put the manse back where it belongs.”
He nodded, closed his eyes, and took in a long meditative breath. As he bowed his head, his silver curls fell around his beautiful face, and Nic carved the sight into her memory. This night would be one she would remember forever.
Gabriel’s magic streaked through and around her, the water beyond the arcanium illuminating, fine bubbles streaming along the outer glass. The lens of the moon window glowed as if lit from within, a full moon shedding her silver light on her favored child. Beyond the closed door, a quiet rumble throbbed, like distant thunder. The magic quaked, pulsed like a heartbeat, like surf crashing onto shore. Once. Twice. Thrice.
And then quiet.
The arcanium still shimmered, but more like moonlight on water than lightning. Gabriel opened his eyes, fastening them immediately on her. “I did it.” His voice was hushed with awe but held no doubt.
“Of course you did.” She nearly burst with pride. As much grief as she’d given him, he’d mastered a truly tremendous feat of magic with only a bit of teaching. It was important that he believe how possible it was, but Nic knew full well how few—if any other—Convocation wizards could come even close. It was a relief, too, to have the manse raised and stabilized before any other wizards arrived to witness the difference. Yes, the folk of Meresin would talk about the seeming miracle, but the wizards of other houses would put it down to the exaggeration of common folk. They wouldn’t realize how truly spectacular a feat Gabriel had wrought, and that was for the best. Let them underestimate House Phel for the time being. Nic went to Gabriel and held down her hand. “Why don’t you get dressed, and let’s go see?”
He drew the tendrils of his attention back from the distant spaces, giving every impression of a man setting down a precarious load, watching it settle as he gradually withdrew his support. Using her hand for help, he got to his feet, wincing. “Are you this stiff and sore?”
“It’s a hard floor. Maybe you’ll listen to me next time when I say a mattress is a good idea.”
Sliding an askance gaze at the unused silver bed pushed off to the side, he winced. “I’m not sure I’m ready to escalate just yet.” He squeezed her hand, studying her with that concern in his eyes. “I can feel how low your magic is now.”
“It will come back,” she promised. “That was a major incantation, and, while your control was enhanced by your attention on erotic control, you’re still heavy-handed.”
He winced. “I apologize.”
“No need.” She swept a hand at the glowing arcanium. “It wasn’t wasted. Look how much is still stored even after you raised and stabilized the entire manse, all at once. Get dressed and let’s see what you’ve wrought.”
He didn’t move, instead drawing her near and slipping his arms around her waist, snugging her lower body against him. “Whatwe’vewrought. I said I did it, but we both know this was a result of our combined efforts. I could never have done this without you, my heart.”
My heart.Her own tripped with pleasure—and nerves. It was odd to be dressed while he was naked—and tempting to run her hands over him. But shewasdepleted. If she seduced him into more sex, she might replenish her magic some, but she’d likely sleep through the next day, which would only alarm Gabriel. Besides, she needed to be up and ready to greet the wizards.
Going up on her toes, she kissed him and grinned. “Well, I want to see what we’ve wrought. If you want to prance around naked, I’m good with that.”
He mock growled. “I never prance.”
“Could be a sight to see.” With nowhere to sit—they really needed to get some furniture down here, too—she plopped herself on the floor, struggling to pull on the disgustingly wet leather boots. “I swear these things shrunk,” she complained. “I’ll probably get a foot fungus, and then—”
A familiar silver buzz zinged through her, and the leather boot dried, turning supple under her hands. Surprised, she glanced at Gabriel, who was lacing his pants—alas, for that—and watching her with a smug smile. “Nice trick,” she acknowledged.
“I can feel that connection to you,” he replied. “As if I could use your own water magic through you to do that,” he added thoughtfully.
Hmm.That was interesting. She didn’t want to get his hopes up about the reciprocal bonding, but this could be a result. Unless other wizards and familiars could do that sort of thing and didn’t talk about it, which was possible.
