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I tried to imagine a force inside me like Kade described, and tried to draw it out, but nothing happened.
“You aren’t trying hard enough,” he told me, the flames in his palms evaporating into small clouds of smoke. “Use your emotions. Think of something that makes you angry.”
Sighing, I did as instructed and thought of Edris, and of my mother, and about the Blessing Ceremony. I thought I felt something stir within me, but then I thought about the assembly I’d have to address later that afternoon, and worry won out over rage.
“Hmmm,” Kade stroked his jaw, “Maybe…” he trailed off, and then swung his arms in a wide arc around me, setting the sand at my feet ablaze. I jumped back, but tripped, my hand falling into the fire. I yelped, and then as quickly as the flames appeared, they disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Kade rushed over, cursing, and grabbed my hand to inspect my fingers. “You weren’t supposed to fall!”
The skin on my first three fingers was red, but otherwise unharmed. Kade dropped it back to my side, scrunching his face.
“What?” I asked.
He reached up and placed a hand on my neck, sending my thoughts elsewhere, “Tell me if this hurts,” he said, and I felt his hand warm on my neck, then grow hot. After a moment more it was near burning and I yanked it off.
“That’s odd,” he said while probing my neck with his now cool fingers, “If your Grace was fire, it shouldn’t have hurt you at all.But, that was enough heat to melt metal, and it only reddened your skin.”
“That’s good, right? My Grace could just be developing and that’s why it hurt.”
Fire! I was Graced with Fire.It was an honorable Grace and one the denizens of my court would approve of.
“Maybe,” Kade relented, “But maybe not. I could try something else to see if your Grace reacts...”
“Alright.”
Kade’s fingers ceased probing my already healing wound and wound themselves around my neck. He jerked me forward, crushing his mouth against mine. His other hand grasped my waist and hoisted me onto him.
I yelped in surprise before letting the sensation take over. A fire ignited up my spine, and I kissed him back greedily, theneedoutweighing any sane thought in my mind. He caught my lower lip between his teeth and I whimpered, my hips moving against him of their own accord. He growled in response, tensed—and then dropped me.
I was dizzy on my feet, lightheaded and trying to regain control of my body. The burning between my legs subsided with each short breath.
“Well,” he said between pants, smirking, his eyes glazed with a sheen of carnal desire, glowing around the edges. “That didn’t work.”
Chapter Sixteen
The assembly was mostly made up of nobles, courtesans and council members, but I found the faces of a few townsfolk among them. In the front stood Edris, looking regal in white trousers, with a deep purple tunic embroidered in gold. Near him stood Ronan, his jaw set in a grimace, and Silas, the Captain of the Horde armies.
My skin bristled at so many eyes staring up at me. Alaric was at my side on the dais in the Great Hall, hands clasped behind his back. And when I turned to look at him, he gave me an encouraging nod. I kept my eyes downcast as instructed, even though Thana styled my hair to swoop low over my forehead, concealing the ever-changing colors in shadow.
Until we knew what it meant, we had all agreed it was best to keep it hidden.
“I apologize for being absent these past days,” I began, not remembering what to say, even though Thana had drilled the words into me over and over when Kade and I returned from the sparring courtyard. “I was taking rest in my chambers but can assure all of you I am well.”
Tiernan caught my eye, standing alone in the corner of the hall, close to the dais. His gaze travelled the length of me, making my stomach tighten. Darius had designed me another gown, this one silver, fitted, with a deep ‘V’ shape cut into the front. It was beautiful, and comfortable, but also the most revealing thing I’d ever worn.Keep their attention here,he had said with a wink before I left to address the assembly,and they’ll forget why they’re even there.
It seemed, in Tiernan’s case at least, Darius’ trick had worked.
“Were you Graced?” one of the nobles near the front of the room asked outright, a few others around him whispering and nodding.
I was prepared for that question, Thana had given me the perfect response, something that would neither confirm, nor deny anything—but the words eluded me, and I froze.
“Why did the water cause you pain?” another noble shouted from somewhere else.
And yet another shouted, “Why is the emissary still among us? Send him away!”
I clenched my jaw, wanting desperately to hold on to something sturdy. “I—well, I—”
I realized then how neither of the questioners addressed me with the proper title. I bit the inside of my cheek to regain control. And I was about to command silence from the crowd when Edris stepped forward and the people hushed.
