22. Twenty-Two

Twenty-Two

For three days, Landers and I immersed ourselves in training, making up for the time lost to my healing. The sessions stretched from dawn’s first light to night’s quiet embrace and my power—my magic—seemed to burn hotter under my skin.

When we had started, doubt shrouded every move I made, insecurity poking small holes in each step I took, mocking me as I failed over and over again.

“Stop overthinking!” Landers yelled as his magic knocked me to the ground. None of the training I’d been given the last thirteen years had challenged me quite like this.

Yet, as Landers patiently steered me through the movements, a gradual change unfolded inside me. It wasn’t just about mastering my shadows anymore, it was about overcoming the doubts I had about myself—finding out what I was capable of.

You can do this, I reassured myself over and over again, pushing through the frustration, trying to embrace my mistakes.

Our communication became more than just words. It became a silent exchange of energy and understanding—of respect.

My shadows were the only witness to the bond materializing between us. Stolen touches and lingering glances became the nuanced language of a connection extending beyond the friendship and trust we were slowly building.

“Again!” Landers shouted over and over as I fell to the ground, before jumping back to my feet, pushing strength into my darkness; mentally trying to weave my shadows into an impenetrable wall.

The morning of the third day arrived, and I felt a steady confidence somewhere inside of me that today, I would block him out.

Landers and I woke as the sun started to rise over the forest, into the fog that had settled during the night and departed from the house before the world around us stirred to life. The training field awaited us as we stepped onto the dew-kissed grass. Landers’s gaze molded into a blend of pride and reassurance as I looked over at him.

“You have done exceptionally well these last few days,” he said, slipping his heavy black tunic over his head, exposing a sliver of skin on his abdomen. I let my eyes linger there as I shrugged out of my leathers. “You should be proud of yourself,” he commended, his voice carrying the weight of sincerity.

A small smile played across my lips.

I was proud of myself, and I didn’t know if I had genuinely felt that before.

The sunlight filtered through my long, unruly curls, casting a radiant glow around me. Landers’ eyes darkened as his gaze settled on me.

“You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?” he rasped, his jaw tightening before he looked back over the field we had come to know so well. His question sent electricity down my spine.

I didn’t answer.

We started our training, but this time, it was different.

My shadows responded more readily to my will—evidence to both physical and mental growth. Small smiles crossed Landers’s face as he recognized the subtle improvements.

Our bodies moved together like a ritual as his magic collided with my shadows and they did not yield.

We stood there for a second realizing what I had done.

I broke into laughter as an exhilarating rush of power surged through me. Landers hurled more and more magic toward me.

I thwarted the power a second time.

Then a third.

Then a fourth.

He stopped and we both stood there panting, beaming at each other with wide grins. With a sweep of pure elation, I leapt into Landers’s arms. Laughter flowed out of us as he spun me around against his chest, my shadows celebrating alongside us bursting out of me like fireworks and swirling around us.

“I did it!” I squealed, throwing my head back and arms out as the wind flowed through my hair.

Our celebration hovered in the air as he set me back on my feet. His hand lingering on the small of my back as his other pushed my hair away from my face. He pulled my chin up to him and my lips parted.

My heart beat frantically in its chamber as he looked into my eyes with an emotion I could not read. His head dipped down slowly and I leaned instinctively toward him.

Light crashed over the forest and our heads snapped toward Rahval as we withdrew from each other, both quickly taking a step back as the tension pulled tight between us.

“Was that the fourth ward?” I asked quietly.

“Yes.” Landers jaw clenched as he looked back at me and let out a long breath, his shoulders relaxing as he dragged a hand over his face.

“What now?” I asked, rubbing my arms.

He smiled at me with that gorgeous casual smile and pushed his hands in his pockets. I could not understand how he managed to stay so calm, so centered with all the threats swirling around us.

I wasn’t ready for our training to be over.

I wasn’t ready for my time with him to end.

I wasn’t ready to leave Redelvtum.

“We take a day to rest and plan.” He swept a hand through his perfectly black hair, his bicep flexing from the movement. “Then we say goodbye to this place and cross into Ammord.” He said it so nonchalantly, like there wasn’t a single possibility of dying. I pushed around a rock with the toe of my boot, nodding as he picked his sweatshirt from the ground and looked at me.

“Put your arms up.” The demand in his tone sent a wave of heat through my veins. I raised my arms slowly, trying to keep that rosy hue from staining my cheeks. Landers slid the sweatshirt over my head, his hands following it down my body as his fingers caressed my hips.

It took us a few moments to gather our things before he took my hand and tethered us back to the house. We landed on the grass outside, the welcoming lights shining from the window, making the eagerness to share my success bubble to the surface.

As we stood there, our hands still intertwined, I looked up at Landers to see his eyes already fixed on me.

“Thank you,” I whispered up at him, squeezing his hand a little tighter. “For teaching me.” I paused. “And believing in me.”

A soft sigh left his lips as he brought our hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of mine. “It was my pleasure.” The spot on my hand tingled where his lips had been. “I never doubted you.”

I nodded and I knew he meant it.

I knew he saw the strength in me.

He believed in me enough to put his safety—the safety of our friends—into my hands in the coming days. Landers pressed his palm against the door, pushing it open to us, and stepped to the side with a nod that seemed to say, After you .