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Norivun stepped closer to me, and his hope surged to me on our bond. “Try, my love. Take your time. You’re safe here.”
“He’s right, Ilara. You should try,” Haxil agreed.
The other three guards all voiced similar responses.
My breaths came quickly. I gazed up at my mate. They were right. I needed to try. Still, a moment of apprehension pricked my conscience. “How do I start?”
Norivun’s hand drifted to my lower back. He was careful not to jar my injured wing as he began stroking me in soft, lulling motions. “Do as Matron Olsander instructed you. Mental imagery. That’s how we all first learn our affinities, remember?” He stepped even closer until his alluring snow and cedar scent wrapped around me. “Close your eyes, concentrate on where your angelaffinity resides within your body, and imagine it healing your wing. No harm will come from trying.”
“And if I fail?”
“Then we’ll find a healer, the best healer this realm has to offer. I’m sure the Fire Wolf could help us locate one if the SF can’t.”
The hunter crossed his arms. “No problem. I know a few witches you could contact if this doesn’t work.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, then did as my mate instructed, using Norivun’s belief in me that strummed along our bond. The prince had always believed in me. It was time I met his confidence with my own.
Brow furrowing in determination, I let my wing fall limply, wincing slightly when the tip met the cold snow, then focused all of my attention on the dense ball of power between my shoulder blades.
Swirling, brilliant light and cold power circulated between my wings. Suchstrengthand such immense purpose were held within this affinity that I had a feeling I hadn’t even scratched the surface of all that it was capable of.
Closing my eyes, I concentrated on what Matron Olsander had taught me, about feeling each affinity individually.
That ball of light and coldness that nestled between my shoulder blades beckoned me. I’d never thought to try anything more with it than to unleash my wings, but now, with an unfurling sense of its potential, I tapped into it.
I stroked my newest affinity and imagined that ball of light and power unfurling like a flower in my garden. Growing, blooming, and thriving. A tingling sensation began in my back, followed by a cooling sense of numbness.
Slowly, the dense energy began to widen until its solid mass of light and iciness pulsed along my wings.
I pictured that blazing light and frigid energy curling along my injured wing, racing and dipping into each divot and turn of flesh until the skin knitted together, the blood vessels reformed, and my feathers regrew.
Fatigue swelled within me. So much energy. So much power was needed to ask this of my affinity. The depth of what this magic could do pulled at me, but I had no idea how to truly control it or wield it, so I simply let it go and didn’t try to manipulate it completely. Instead, I kept imagining what I hoped it would do.
Exhaustion made me breathe heavier, and just as the last of my mental imaginings finished, I fell to the forest floor, my legs too limp to keep me upright.
Norivun kneeled beside me as a look of wonder washed over his face. “Ilara...”
His shock filtered to me on our bond, and I tentatively glanced behind me.
Gasping, I beheld two healthy wings, strong and filled with feathers as white as snow.
“You did it,” Norivun breathed. “Bavar and the Fire Wolf are right. You canheal.”
“That’s not an illusion?” I flapped each wing, amazed when no pain accompanied the movement and equally in awe when both of my wings appeared strong and resilient. “I just did that?”
“Indeed.” Norivun grinned, and his joy flowed to me along our connection.
Sandus whooped, and Nish tousled the hair on the top of my head. Haxil patted the Fire Wolf on the back, and Ryder grinned.
The Fire Wolf crossed his arms. “I thought that would work.”
“You’re truly an enigma, love,” Sandus said affectionately.
“A powerful enigma who has so much potential.” My mate pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me before whispering in my ear, “You amaze me more and more each day, my love. You truly are a warrior queen.”
After the shockof being healed had worn off, I relaxed my angel affinity and sucked my wings back into my body. I still couldn’t fully believe that I was an angel and that I could indeed heal as one too, but such seemed to be the case.
I was also reminded of how I used to feel when I was training extensively with Matron Olsander. Learning new affinities was truly and utterly exhausting.
