“I like the way you think,” he said.
“And is there a purpose to this visit?” When she thought of what he’d said to her before the race, his words still felt like a slap in the face. As she stared at his ruthlessly beautiful features, hollow loneliness ate at her. “You’ve already made it clear that we’re not friends and you don’t care for me at all, so I’m wondering what the point is.”
“You must learn to use shadow magic.” He took a step closer, his large form looming over her. “Bernajoux will cut you down if you do not allow me to train you.”
She nodded. “And you want the chance to kill me yourself?”
He now stood so close she could feel the warmth emanating from his body. “I will make it painless,” he said softly. For just a moment, he let his fingertips brush down her shoulder. “Bernajoux will not.”
She looked up at him. He stood over a foot taller than her. “Bernajoux didn’t look that scary.”
“Bernajoux is powerful and sadistic. There is a reason Hothgar likes him.”
Chapter 34
Balancing carefully, she walked across the stone bridge. This time, she’d come barefoot and wearing her simple black gown. She didn’t need to risk plunging off the side of the bridge because she’d stumbled in her heels.
In her pocket, she gripped the silver ring, feeling its reassuring familiarity between her fingers. For just a moment, her gaze flicked to the abyss, and a shiver crawled up her spine. The darkness called to her.
“Ursula,” Bael’s voice rose from the shadows, smooth as velvet.
As she crossed into the main cavern, she caught the outline of Bael’s enormous form, sitting in his onyx throne. Candlelight sparked in his eyes, and wisps of night magic flickered around him. Raw, dark power roiled around him.
“Come closer,” he said.
She padded across the cold stone floor, gazing up at him. Seated in his throne, he towered above her. When she stood only a few feet from him, she could see his piercing eyes, so cold against the warmth of his golden skin.
Suddenly, she felt completely unsure of herself. “What do I need to do?” she asked, rolling the ring in her fingers.
“I need you to feel the magic.” His cold aura snaked over her skin, caressing her body.
Powerful shadow magic thrummed along her ribs, skimming her breasts. It encircled her neck. Instinctively, her head tilted back, exposing her throat. As Bael’s magic wrapped around her body, it seemed to thrill her at the same time as it filled her with dread. A chill spread over her skin, goosebumps rising on her arms. When she exhaled, her breath clouded around her face. Under her cotton dress, her nipples hardened. She hugged herself, and her teeth began to chatter.
His gaze slid down her body and up again. “You can feel the magic? That is good.”
“It’s freezing.” She clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering.
“Yes. Shadow magic comes from the void.” Bael’s voice sounded distant, like he was speaking from a thousand miles away. “It is the cold of the depths of space, the endless nothingness between stars. As you learn to channel it, your other senses will learn to feel it, too.”
Standing before Bael, she continued to shiver. She wasn’t entirely clear why she had to stand below him like one of his subjects while he loomed over her in his throne. “So how do I learn to channel it?”
“It won’t be easy. But you’re off to an impressive start. When I was first learning, it took me weeks before I could sense the magic. Perhaps F.U. already had some practice. ”
As Bael’s magic slid over her body, she was pretty sure her lips were turning blue. “I don’t think I understand the concept of channeling shadow magic. What does it mean?”
His enormous hands enveloped the ends of the throne’s arms. “Besides Nyxobas, only certain immortal beings can channel shadow magic directly. It’s called gods-magic. Demigods can use it. Nyxobas grants his power to his Sword, so Hothgar has it, as did I before I lost my wings. Abrax has it by virtue of being his son. Now, I can no longer create night magic on my own. Neither can you. You have to learn to absorb it from another source, to take it into your body for later use. That is called channeling.”
With all this shadow magic in the air, she really should have worn a cloak. “Right. And how do I channel it?”
Leaning forward, he held out a hand. “Come to me.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “What now?”
“I’ll act as your conduit. You will draw power from the throne. Magic flows into the onyx from the crystals that form this cave. But if you’re subjected to it directly, the power might flood you.”
She wasn’t entirely sure she understood where he wanted her, but her cheeks were warming already. “So...you want me to sit on your lap.”