Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

As soon as the first of the dark magic made its way into him, Jai tried to hold in the scream he so desperately wanted to let out. He couldn't even focus on the ancient spell Lyv recited, even as she started on the second and then the third time through. Didn't even notice when Gideon bolted out of the tent, screaming at Lyv to stop. By then, he couldn't even keep himself upright, doubling over from the pain to lean against Lyv, who held him as tight as she could.

Fire.

All he could imagine was fire as it coursed through every fiber of his being, raging through him as it attacked his magic, trying to smother it into submission.

He was stronger than that, though.

Besides, this was only half of the darkness that had made its home inside his beautiful mate. He had to do this for her, for all of them.

Before she started on the fifth and final recitation of the spell, though, Lyv hesitated. She was feeling everything he was, wanting to make it stop.

"Don't," Jai ground out through clenched teeth. Even his thoughts seemed to be catching fire. "Finish it. Now."

Her voice came out in no more than a ragged whisper, cracking with emotion. "I can't."

Clenching his jaw so hard he was surprised his teeth didn't crack, he replied, "You can. Do it."

Jai regretted it as soon as the words left his lips and she started on the spell for that final time.

The tether that wrapped around their mating bond was searing into place, making him cry out in pain as he held onto her tighter. Fear clawed into his throat, silencing him once more, but it wasn't just that. He could feel everything from Lyv then, even more than he had before. Her every thought and emotion, even the ones she'd tried to hide from him. She'd been using her dark magic more than he'd known, apparently, practicing and gaining more and more control over it.

Now, though...it was his turn to learn it, control it, and he knew Lyv would show him exactly how. But that magic came with another, more sinister edge.

A dark chuckle echoed through his head as she reached those last few lines, but still Jai felt relief in it almost being over. The fire was subsiding, though a cooling calm quickly followed.

Even though his eyes were closed, he could still see a silvery light shining between them, no doubt coming from the cord that had connected them. It wasn't just that he could sense without having to actually see it. The shadows that normal favored Lyv, curling and caressing and dancing around her, were now doing the same to him. He wasn't scared of them, though he knew exactly what they could do should he ever command them to.

Silence echoed around them, save for the sound of the shadow ward shifting, beginning to break. The others were still screaming, trying to get to them, but Jai's racing heart hushed them.

His strength returning, Jai was able to pull himself from Lyv's hold. His breathing came in ragged gasps, but he kept his eyes closed trying to concentrate on steading it.

It wasn't just his breath he was trying to gain hold of, but also the new magic that raced inside him, familiarizing itself with his own. Again, he'd already gotten a glimpse of what it felt like just by helping Lyv keep hold of her own, but now it was his turn.

That darkness had a voice, a chuckle that echoed inside his head, trying to draw him down deeper and deeper until he couldn't get back up to the surface. For herself, Lyv had called that voice, that alter ego, Dark Lyv.