19. Tori

Ireached down into that deep well beneath my feet. On the beach, I could once again feel the warm magic of the earth and the harsh, cold depths of the magic of the ocean. They seemed to clash where they met, much like the waves breaking against the shore. I focused on pulling energy from each of them. They didn't want to play. The great reservoir ignored me. I was no more than any other speck of dust.

Iground my teeth and tried to pull harder. Nothing. I was getting pissed off. Sweat formed on my brow, and I slammed my palms into the black sand of the beach. I reached out with my mind, burrowing my fingers in like I could dig my way to that power. ButI couldn't draw it into me. I hissed in frustration.

"Take it easy now, Princess; no one learned how to channel the magic of the earth overnight," Avlyn laughed as they approached me. They moved to set their hand on my shoulder, "Come on, let's—" The power exploded.

Assoon as their hand touched my shoulder, it was like when lightning connected to the earth. Immediately, the power I had been tugging at flooded over me and jumped to Avlyn through their touch. It was too much; I had been pulling too hard with nowhere for the magic to go. I felt the ground beneath us shake and rip, and my mind was overtaken by that deep, unending power.

Ittried to wash all that I was away, but the golden light of my bond with Abraxas clung to my soul, preventing it from being washed away in the tide. It gave me just enough time to focus and hold onto myself. I focused on the beating of my heart and that deep golden bond, and I survived the onslaught. Seconds, or maybe hours, passed. But the flood of magic ebbed, and I could breathe again. I found myself lying flat on my back on the ground. I pushed up, and my temple throbbed, and black stole into my vision as the blood rushed out of my head. AllI could see was a blinding blue light.

Iheld it in my hands. WasI blind? Why couldn't I see? I realized I was peering into a great chasm that had opened in the ground. The beach had cracked open like the shell of an egg, and from the depths, that eerie blue light of wild magic glowed. I scrambled back from the edge when I heard my name.

"Um, Tori…" I spun around to see Avlyn sitting on the beach beside me. They were naked, attempting to cover their small breasts as I stared at them, even though that was not what I was looking at. In place of their legs was a long, copper-colored tail, covered in small, pointed scales that shimmered like the waves of the sea. Small fins sprouted along the side, with two long, beautifully translucent fins on the end. They reminded me of stained-glass windows, each panel a slightly different shade that shimmered in the noonday sun.

Imoved my gaze back up to Avlyn's, and we just stared at each other. "I guess you were right about your heritage." That was all I could think to say.

"You think this is fucking funny, Princess!? I'm a godsdamn fish! Change me back!" Their tail flopped about helplessly as they gestured frantically. I was still too dumbfounded to think when I heard footsteps approaching rapidly.

"What the hell happened? Are you al—" Kaleos and the cohort had run around the great gash in the earth and joined us, but they stopped short to stare at the commander. I couldn't blame them.

Avlyn'scheeks turned a deep maroon as they shouted, "Would you all stop fucking staring and help me?"

"You want us to toss you into the ocean, boss?" Kaleos asked.

"No, I do not want to get fucking tossed in the ocean. Get me my legs back!" With one hand still clamped over their chest, they tried to drag themselves across the sand with the other but made little progress.

"Kaleos, would you be a dear and fetch Pallas and Jun from the castle for me?"

A short while later,Kaleos returned with the others. Noki and I moved Avlyn partially into the water despite their protests. They sat there, fins and fingers drifting through the ocean waves, looking out at the Bay of Dragons. They hadn't spoken in some time, and we hadn't pushed.

Pallasand Jun both looked at the massive glowing rift in the beach.

"Did you do this?" my brother asked.

"I think so, but that's not the half of it." I pointed to Avlyn in the waves and saw Pallas' eyebrows shoot up.

"CanI talk to them?" Pallas asked me.

"Go ahead, it's your funeral." She rolled her eyes at me and approached Avlyn. She squatted near the commander, and I couldn't hear their discussion over the waves. The cohort still stood nearby, shifting uneasily, unsure what to do. I had tried to get them to leave the beach, but they refused. Jun continued to observe the light emanating from below the earth, and then he turned to me.

"WorldBreaker indeed," he said, with that old sarcastic glint in his eye. I was so happy to see it that I didn't even linger on what his words meant. Before we could discuss it further, Pallas stomped back over.

"Tell me what happened."

Itried to explain to her everything I had felt.

Sheraised her hand to her chin for a while, deep in thought, before blurting out, "Tori, I don't think you have any magic."

Iwas dumbfounded. "What? I mean… seriously, what? Do you see what has happened here?"

Shelooked at me, still rubbing her chin. "I think you are a conduit like you assumed, but it's different than the dragons. You can truly only conduct magic; you need someone to conduct it to. That's why when Avlyn touched you, the magic was unleashed."

Istarted to argue reflexively but held back. I thought about all the times I conducted magic before. WithAbraxas, with Jun, with Oryx in the forest… I had always needed to be in contact with them. The only exception was the small flame I produced in the cave, but even then, I needed my bond to Abraxas.

"When was the first time you conducted magic, Tori?" Pallas asked.

"It was in TenebraeForest with Abraxas and Oryx. I touched them, and the magic channeled through me."

"And was this after you accepted your mating bond?"

"What do you mean? I didn't know I was his mate until he changed."

Pallasshook her head. "You didn't understand what it was, but that doesn't mean you hadn't accepted it."

Ithought back to the night he let me go. He told me he loved me, in not so many words, by setting me free. I eventually returned to him, no longer afraid or resisting my heart. That golden magic had finally connected us. I hadn't known what it was, but Pallas was right. I had accepted it.

"Yes, I had. Just before we left for the forest."

Pallassighed, "So you had his heart."

"What are you talking about?"

Shefinally looked at me again. "It's complicated." I gave her a withering look. "I'll explain later, but I think we should focus on the commander right now."

Ilooked back at Avlyn, who still sat in the soft waves; their bright tail was so at odds with the black sand beneath them. I nodded. Pallas squatted beside them, and Jun and I kneeled in the sand next to her.

"Alright. Tori, you are going to channel into Avlyn again. This isn't their natural form, and they seem willing to change back so—"

"So fucking willing! Can we do this?" Avlyn's face was tight with fear, so I reached out to put a comforting hand on their shoulder. Pallas did the same, which surprised me.

"So it should be, in theory, easy to return to their natural state. Jun will help." I felt him shrink into himself.

"It will be just like we practiced in Koron, Jun," Pallas encouraged softly.

Hewas shaking. "I can't…"

"It's alright. You don't have to," I reassured him, but I heard an almost imperceptible whimper from Avlyn at my words. I was caught like, well, a fish in a net and tugged in two directions.

"I can do this. I changed them without Jun; I can change them back." I gave Pallas a stern look, but she didn't flinch.

"To undo this will require fine control and precision with the magic. You don't have that, Tori. You're lucky Avlyn didn't explode." Another soft whimper came from the commander. "You're a sledgehammer when we need a quill." She looked at Jun. "You can do this."

Hecontinued to shake. I wanted nothing more than to throw myself on top of my brother to shield and hide him away. AllI saw was the little boy who needed my protection more than anything.

I wish I was more like you, Tori. What had my protection done for him? HadI ever really been able to keep him safe? We were brother and sister, twins bonded in more than blood. I had always been his protector, but maybe I had done more harm than good.

Iplaced a tentative hand on his shoulder. IfI loved him, I could let him stand beside me. "She's right. I believe in you."

Hiseyes shone as he shook his head. "I can't sing, not anymore." My heart clenched to hear him voice those words, even if I knew they were true.

Pallasshook her head. "You don't need to. Just like on the boat and the other night, let Tori channel the magic. You just need to tell Avlyn what to do." She nodded at me, and I focused. Very gently, I pulled magic from the earth. Jun may not have been able to sing, but I remembered his song. I let the magic twirl through my heart; its thumping became the beat, and the magic's motion was the melody. I sent it to Jun and let it settle in his throat.

Fora few moments, all I heard was the beating of our hearts, and then, in a voice both incredibly soft and infinitely piercing, Jun commanded, "TRANSFORM."

Icould feel more power being pulled through me like his word had fractured a dam. My heart raced, and I worried we would both be swept away. ButPallas was right; it was different from before. Jun's personal magic, combined with the magic of the earth, guided the power with a gentle hand. Turquoise light surrounded Avlyn's tail, swirling gently like the caress of a lover. Scales receded back into dark skin as their legs gradually split into two. The flow of magic slowed like a stream flowing into a pond and finally stopped completely. Avlyn sat naked but completely fae on the beach once more. Pallas shrugged the cloak off her shoulders, draping it around the commander.

Weheld our breath as Avlyn wiggled their toes. But the silence was broken violently with their loud yelp, "I'm me again!" They swung their arms around Pallas, pulling her into a tight embrace. She grunted awkwardly, and Avlyn immediately released her. Both refused to look at the other, and I was just going to ignore that for now.

Iturned to Jun. "You always were the one with more finesse." I smiled, and it grew when I saw it mirrored on his face. I dared a small peek at his heart, and the shadows seemed to be just a bit weaker.