Chapter 26

Aelia

I was a complete embarrassment. In only a few months, it was my second visit to the healer. Elisa was kind enough, but still the humiliation burned my cheeks when Reign once again dropped me off at her door.

More than that, I hated lying.

Reign had concocted a story about the gloomwhisper crossing the banks of the Luminoc in search of a tasty Kin treat while he gave me a private lesson outside regular class hours. There was something about the look in her eye that made me certain she didn't buy into the lie. Nonetheless, she smiled and nodded, offering my professor a flirty wink when he left.

And I hated her for that.

Which made no sense, whatsoever. Elisa was one of the only members of the staff who was kind to me, and still, the jealousy that had churned through my insides at that coquette gesture had been startling.

"You are very fortunate that you must have a significant amount of Kin blood coursing through your veins."

"Said no one ever." I shifted on the stiff mattress and stared through the dome of glass overhead.

A rueful smile parted the healer's lips. "Well, in this case, it was fortunate. I've never seen a Light Fae survive the gloomwhisper's poison unless the antidote was administered practically instantly."

"Lucky me."

Narrowing her eyes, she examined the nearly healed wound across my shoulder. "It's remarkable, really. The rate of healing is also much faster than I've ever seen."

"I suppose being a Kin is good for something, then." In truth, I did feel much better this morning. I'd only slept a few hours on this uncomfortable bed with Elisa fussing over me most of the night. "When can I return to class?"

Reign's Combat class was this afternoon, and after the ride on Phantom and learning about bonded skyriders, I was eager to earn my own. Not to mention the fact that Reign still owed me an explanation for last night's excursion into Shadow Fae territory. Now less than a week remained until the Choosing Ceremony. Would I get a phoenix, or maybe a hippogriff? I'd have to ask Rue what my other options were. A pit of dread sank to the bottom of my stomach. What if I wasn't chosen at all? Would one of these creatures have qualms about bonding with a lowly Kin?

"With the way you're progressing," Elisa replied, returning my thoughts to the present, "you should be able to return by tomorrow."

My lips twisted into a pout. "How about this afternoon? I really hate to miss Professor Reign's class."

Her mouth curved into a knowing smile. "I bet."

That damned heat spread across my cheeks again, and I hoped I could blame the embarrassing flush on a fever from the gloomwhisper's poison. "Oh, it's not like that," I stammered, "Reign, I mean, the professor, said the Choosing Ceremony was near, and I simply wouldn't want to miss anything important?—"

She lifted her hand, cutting off my nervous ramblings. "Relax, Aelia. I'm not insinuating anything. I would never question the undue attention Reign bestows upon you."

"I'm his acquisition," I mumbled lamely.

"And there have been a countless number before you, my dear." Her lips tightened into a firm line. "And I've never seen him fuss over any of the others like he does with you." She stepped closer and sat on the edge of the bed. Lowering her voice, she whispered, "I only wish to offer a word of advice: be careful. You must remember, above all else, Reign is Shadow Fae, and a powerful one at that. He may find himself on this side of the Luminoc for now, but I doubt it will remain that way forever."

There was something about the slight tremble in her voice that had waves of unease crashing through my insides. Had she guessed we'd lied? Did she know we'd been in the Court of Umbral Shadows only last night?

I nodded quickly, biting back the thank you. "Cheers," I managed sullenly.

She patted my leg and offered a fuller smile. "Get some rest. If your wound is sufficiently healed by this afternoon, I will consider allowing you to return to class."

"Great." But even I could hear the hint of dread in my tone.

Reign owed me answers. In the chaos of my first dragon flight, I'd neglected to wrestle out the truth from my professor. Why had he returned to the Shadow Court—and what did my daggers have to do with it?

* * *

"Oh, Aelia, I was so worried!" Rue jumped to her tiptoes and her slender arms wrapped around my neck as I approached the training field.

Elisa had finally allowed me to leave the confines of her healing sanctuary, but by the looks of it, I'd already missed the majority of Combat.

Reign's eyes chased to mine from across the grounds, and he offered a quick dip of his chin before he continued pelting waves of darkness at one of the other first-years. Darla, I believed was her name, from Flash Squad and she'd at least mustered a radiant shield as protection.

Which reminded me… I needed to attempt another one myself.

Rue held me out to arm's length, her light eyes scrutinizing every inch of my exposed flesh. "I can't believe that gloomwhisper crossed the river to get to you. That's perfectly horrifying!"

"It was." I swallowed down the lie, the untruth bitter on my tongue. I hated keeping the truth from my best friend.

Symon raced over a moment later, abandoning his hand-to-hand combat session with Zephyr to croon condolences at me. "Thank the goddess you survived, little Kin." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and brushed the tip of my ear on the way down.

"Sy!" I squealed.

"My apologies, Aelia. I simply couldn't help myself. The mere idea of never touching that sexy, curvy tip had me to the point of hysterics."

A laugh bubbled out despite my best attempts at a scowl. "You're completely incorrigible."

"Ladies and gentleFae," Reign's voice boomed across the field, his power pressing into my being. "Get back to work!" An instant later, he coalesced from the shadows an inch from my face. "If you are fully healed, I expect you to practice summoning that radiant shield, otherwise, if you are only here to distract your teammates, leave my class." The big brute towered over me, and all warm and fuzzy feelings for the male who saved my life only yesterday disappeared.

"I'm ready," I growled back.

"Good." He retreated a step before releasing a whirlwind of shadows. I dropped to the ground, barely avoiding the onslaught. Focusing my scrambled thoughts, I searched for that flicker of power I'd felt when the gloomwhisper had attacked, but only a vacant hole filled my core.

"Come on, come on," I muttered as the shadows swung back in a circle for a second attack.

Reign's dark gaze locked on mine, the intensity more fearsome than his enormous dragon. What I saw in those midnight orbs ignited something far below the surface. Not anger. Not disappointment. Not pity. Confidence. He really believed I could do this.

And I could.

Somehow, I'd called upon my latent powers last night, which meant I could do it again. What was different yesterday? My thoughts swirled back in time to the frightening creature… I was terrified. And right now, I wasn't. Reign might have been slightly unhinged, but I knew he wouldn't truly hurt me.

That was the difference.

The midnight shadows zipped closer, writhing like venomous snakes, coiled to strike. Closing my eyes, I latched onto the flicker of light, a tiny flame luminescing in the impenetrable darkness. Come on, come on, Raysa, help me.

"Shield up, princess!" Reign growled, and my lids snapped open as his shadows spun into a fury of night.

With my eyes fixed to his, I inhaled a deep breath, and the tiny flicker of gold swelled. It blossomed in my core, growing, rising, until it poured through my veins. Brilliant light consumed my vision, blotting out those midnight orbs still locked on mine. The shield expanded until it blanketed my entire body, enclosing me in a shimmering bubble.

Reign's shadows slammed into the luminescent orb and were hurled back.

"Way to go, Aelia!" Rue shouted.

Through the glowing orb and the encroaching darkness, I could just make out the pleased smile crawling across Reign's mouth.

"That's my girl!" Symon called out a moment later. "You show them; you show everybody!"

Beads of sweat collected along my brow as I held the shield while Reign's shadows poked and prodded, determined to find a way in. My professor stalked closer, the smile morphing into something wicked. The tendrils of darkness pressed harder, my skull pounding from the effort to keep them at bay.

Despite the chaos around me, Reign's voice brushed my ear as if he stood beside me. "Impressive, princess. It appears you've been holding out." The heat from his breath skidded across my ear, and a tremor rolled through my body. I lost focus.

Completely and utterly.

The shield burst, and Reign's shadows swirled around me in a maddening tempo. Coils of silky darkness caressed my skin, and I reveled in their ghostly touch. I was fairly certain this was supposed to be a punishment, and yet… I couldn't get enough.

As if Reign noticed, he stepped closer, dark brows furrowed and voice lowered. "My powers seem to be having less and less effect on you," he murmured.

"Or maybe I'm simply growing stronger," I countered with a smirk.

"Perhaps…" He drew his tongue across his bottom lip, and all focus was lost, once again. "You know, I was thinking we should begin private training sessions."

I swallowed hard, the idea of spending one-on-one time with my professor sounding like a terrible one. "Why?" I finally mustered.

"Because I think it will serve you well."

I crept closer, keeping my voice low. "Only if you promise to tell me what you were doing last night, and what my daggers have to do with it."

A deep chuckle rumbled through Reign's powerful chest. "It's funny you think you have a choice in this. I didn't ask if you agreed to it or not." He dropped his head, so his lips were inches from my ear. "And if you think I'm simply going to spill all my secrets because we've seen each other in the nude, you are gravely mistaken."

Heat licked up my spine, settling across my cheeks before diving low between my thighs. Oh, Raysa.

"Meet me at the bank of the Luminoc tomorrow night after supper, I have a theory I'd like to test."

I willed my mouth to form the word no, but instead my head dipped like a fool, acquiescing. Good goddess, it was like I lost all self-control when I was around this male. Before I could utter another word, Reign and his ominous shadows twirled away in a cloud of darkness.

The moment he was gone, Rue bounded toward me with a devious smile. "What was that about?"

Sy moved into step beside me before I could answer. "What was what about?" He cocked a light brow, curiosity splayed across his handsome face.

"It was nothing," I blurted to my two friends.

"It sure looked like something to me." Rue's light brow arched. "And why didn't you tell me Reign was training you privately?"

"We just started." I shrugged nonchalantly. "And apparently, we'll be continuing for the foreseeable future."

"You're so lucky," Sy chanted. "To be personally trained by a Shadow Fae? And one as powerful and gorgeous as Reign? I'm sure he'll have your rais singing in no time."

"Her rais and her—" Rue's mischievous gaze dropped to the apex of my thighs.

"Rue!" I cried, an inferno of heat smothering my cheeks and my lower half at her insinuation. "It is not even remotely like that."

She lifted a slim shoulder and grinned. "A girl can dream, can't she?"

Gods, if she only knew how Reign had plagued my dreams last night after the encounter in the dark pond nestled within the Nightbloom Gardens, she would die.

It had been nearly an entire day later, and still, I couldn't erase the vivid, heated memories or the lingering effects of his touch. I would never survive days of private training sessions…