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No one said a word as they got off the couch and left the room. Reaching out, Atlas took Gavin’s hand and led them to his room. It was more like a small apartment than a room. The door opened to a little living room with a kitchenette in one corner, really just a counter with a sink, mini fridge, coffee pot, and electric kettle. There was an open hallway to the left that led to the bathroom and bedroom.
Atlas loved his space. He’d taken care to paint, furnish, and decorate it in a way that brought him peace. From the art on the walls to the bookshelf full of all his favorites, everything felt like a piece of him.
“This is nice,” Gavin said, looking around.
“Thanks.” He walked to Gavin, taking him in his arms and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I wasn’t trying to lure you away for sex, you know.”
Gavin smiled, small and sweet. “I didn’t really think you were.” He fiddled with a wrinkle in Atlas’s shirt. “We haven’t exactly had a lot of time to explore this.”
“We haven’t.” Atlas swallowed and rubbed his thumbs over the small of Gavin’s back. “I’d like to, though.”
“So would I.” There was no hesitation in Gavin as he held Atlas’s gaze with his own. “I’d also like to unlock my power. Watching you all tonight…” He shook his head. “It was amazing. Being strong enough to help and protect people that way. I want to do that.”
The thought both thrilled and scared Atlas. Of course he wanted Gavin to embrace his power and stay there, but Gavin becoming a mage meant Gavin being in the line of fire. His own protective instincts flared, but this was Gavin’s decision, and he’d support him no matter what. “You’ll be an amazing mage.”
Gavin’s cheeks filled with a beautiful pink blush. “Thank you.”
Leaning down, Atlas claimed his lips in a passionate kiss, trying to convey with lips and tongue all the words he wasn’t sure how to say.I’m here. I want you. I can’t wait to discover how we’ll be together.
Gavin pulled back some minutes later, eyes bright and blush deeper. “I seem to remember someone mentioning cuddles.”
Atlas chuckled and rested their foreheads together. “If I can promise you one thing about the future, it’s that you’ll have my affection and all the cuddles you can handle.”
Gavin beamed. “I’ll hold you to that.”
* * *
“I’m pleasedyou’ve decided to join us, Gavin,” Violet said as soon as Atlas and Gavin walked into the kitchen the next morning.
Shooting a look at Atlas, Gavin raised an eyebrow.
Atlas chuckled. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Oh,” Gavin muttered, cheeks heating. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to being around the seers. To Violet he said, “Thank you.”
Violet smiled at him. “There’s several steps to prepare for the ceremony and a waiting period of at least four weeks. Plus, Kerak needs to be present. I’ll reach out to him now.” She vanished.
Gavin let out a breath, blinking at the empty space where Violet had just been standing. “Okay,” he said, drawing out the k. “First, why the waiting period? And who’s Kerak?”
Atlas paused in front of the coffee pot. Instead of answering, he pulled two mugs from an overhead cabinet, poured coffee into each, and added cream and sugar. Picking the mugs up, he turned and sat them on the island, meeting Gavin’s gaze.
“Kerak is the Demon King. The most powerful demon in this realm, and the reason for the waiting period is to make sure you understand what being a mage means and how accepting your magic has the potential to change you.”
Apprehension pulled at Gavin’s insides. “Change me?”
With a sigh, Atlas came back around the island and pulled Gavin into his arms. “Suddenly having access to magic you’ve never had before is abigchange. Some people handle it better than others. The seers like to give carriers what they call Magic 101 before the ritual.”
Pulling back, Gavin picked up one of the coffees and took a drink. It wasn’t often someone fixed coffee for him, and Atlas had doctored it perfectly. “Thank you.” He took a moment to think through what Atlas had said. Would suddenly having power change him? He’d like to think not, but he honestly couldn’t imagine how it was going to feel either. “I think waiting is a good idea. I hadn’t really considered how much of an adjustment it might be.”
Giving him a small smile, Atlas nudged Gavin’s arm as he took a drink from his own cup. “You’ll never be alone in it. Every mage here—and in the world—has been in the same situation.”
Taking another drink of his coffee, Gavin let that thought sink in. It occurred to him that there was a whole world of questions he hadn’t asked yet. How many mages were there? What exactly happened during the ritual? Why did the King of Demons need to be present? He gave Atlas a small smile, suddenly grateful he had a month ahead of him to learn all there was about being a mage.
8
ONE MONTH LATER
Gavin woke up warm and comfortable, Atlas a warm boulder beside him. Lifting his head from Atlas’s chest, he looked up at his boyfriend’s face. Things had progressed between them so naturally over the last few weeks that Gavin felt like he’d been waking up like this forever.That all might change today, though.
