20. Adelaide

20

ADELAIDE

Swinging by the library on my way back to my room, I search for Dark Fae books in the magick catalogue and find the section on the third floor. Taking the stairs quickly, I find the enormous area in the corner of the floor and start my search for Introduction to Dark Fae Magick. I want to know exactly what powers Zephyr has so I can arm myself next time. Checking out the heavy tome, I make my way downstairs and out into the growing night. For someone who is supposed to be keeping a night schedule, I'm out and about more during the day than ever before. Tomorrow, I plan to rectify this.

Before I can reach the door of the North Tower, I come up short as Zaiah appears in front of me, making me jump.

"Hey, babes," he says. "Heard you won the Carthage Chalice."

"News travels fast," I murmur, staring into his white eyes. "And no, before you say anything else, I don't wish for anything. I will never wish for anything. Okay?"

He chuckles and holds his hands up. "Okay, keep your pants on. I wasn't going there. Aren't you going to ask me if I won the Trojan Chalice?"

"Well, I wasn't, but I guess you are dying for me to ask, so, Zaiah, did you win the Trojan Chalice?"

"Why, yes, I did. Thanks for asking, Adelaide!" He beams at me, and I giggle like an idiot. This is all so normal that I forget how dangerous genies can be—well, djinn, in his case. We all know that wishes aren't as simple as that. There has to be balance.

"Well, congratulations," I say, trying to step around him. "I really should get back to my room now."

But Zaiah moves with me, blocking my path. His smile is still friendly, but the intensity in his gaze makes me uneasy.

"Everything okay, Adelaide?"

I clutch the book tighter to my chest, feeling my heart rate pick up. "I'm tired," I lie. "It's been a long day."

Zaiah takes a step closer, and I instinctively back up, finding myself pressed against the tower wall. He doesn't touch me, but he's close enough that I can feel the waves of power from his body.

My breath catches in my throat as panic begins to set in. Right now, with Zaiah so close, it feels like my skin is crawling. But he hasn't actually touched me, and a small part of my brain recognises that he's being careful not to. That's when I realise that my skin isn't itching to be away from him, but rather the opposite.

Zaiah places his hands on the wall on either side of my head, boxing me in without making contact. His white eyes bore into mine, and suddenly, I feel that strange tugging in my soul again. It's like an invisible thread is connecting us, pulling me towards him despite my fear.

"What are you doing to me?" I whisper, my voice shaky.

He tilts his head, a curious expression on his face. "Do you feel it?"

It's terrifying and exhilarating, but I feel connected to Zaiah on a fundamental level, as if our souls are recognising each other. The rational part of my brain is screaming at me to run, to push him away, but another part - a part I didn't even know existed - wants to lean in closer, even more so when I see he feels it, too. What does that mean?

My emotions are a whirlwind. Fear, curiosity, attraction, and something more profound, more primal, swirl together until I can't tell where one ends, and another begins. The book in my hands feels like an anchor, the only thing keeping me grounded in reality.

Zaiah's gaze softens, and he leans in slightly. "Adelaide," he breathes, my name sounding like a caress on his lips.

Suddenly, something inside me snaps. Before I can think about what I'm doing, I reach out with my free hand, grab a fistful of Zaiah's shirt, and pull him towards me. Our lips crash together in a deep, passionate, and completely unexpected kiss.

For a moment, Zaiah is frozen in surprise. Then, with a low groan, he responds, his lips moving against mine with a skill that makes my knees weak. It's the best kiss I've ever had. It's like fire and ice, sweet and spicy, soft and hard all at once.

My emotions explode into a kaleidoscope of sensations. The fear is still there, but it's overshadowed by a rush of desire so intense it takes my breath away. My pussy is wet, and I feel powerful and vulnerable, scared and excited. It's overwhelming and intoxicating, and for a moment, I forget everything else.

But then, as suddenly as it began, it's over. Zaiah pulls back abruptly, leaving me stumbling slightly. I open my eyes, confused and a little hurt, only to see him with his arm outstretched, palm facing outward.

My gaze follows Zaiah's arm, and I feel my body freeze in terror when I hear a high-pitched shriek that makes my blood run cold.

Hovering in mid-air, caught in Zaiah's magick, is a creature straight out of a nightmare. It's like an oversized eagle, but with distinctly supernatural elements. Its feathers shimmer with an otherworldly iridescence, and its eyes glow with an unnatural intelligence. But what holds my attention are its talons - razor-sharp and clearly meant for slicing and dicing.

The creature struggles against Zaiah's hold, its shriek rising in pitch until I want to cover my ears. But I can't move. I'm frozen in place, my back still against the tower wall, the book clutched to my chest like a shield.

As I stare at the beast, my mind reeling from the abrupt shift from a passionate kiss to mortal danger, one thought manages to break through the panic:

What the hell is this thing?