Page 78 of Renegade Kings

This was what Nymeria had set in motion all those years ago when it had made sure I was given into my parents’ care.

I… this wasn’t my fault.

The relief that swept over me had my eyelids fluttering closed. A weight lifted from my shoulders as a burden was finally released.

It was them.

Everything that had happened, everything I’d endured, it had all been to put me on a path to find them.

My magic surged inside me, warming every inch of my body as I finally embraced the thing I’d been almost ashamed of. The last piece of shielding I kept wrapped around the power I blamed for the start of everything cracked.

I was ready to accept it. To embrace it all.

It was ready to fight back.

My magic surged inside me and I felt a wrenched feeling in my chest. It was so sudden that I bowed forward, gasping for air.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked, his hand threading into my hair as he pulled me closer, looking me over like he was trying to find a physical problem.

“I feel weird,” I muttered.

The magic rolled again inside me, but I was ready for it this time. A growing urgency that didn’t feel like my own flooded my system, and I could feel my body shaking as adrenaline surged through me.

My gaze darted to the door. Was this one of the guys? Was something wrong with them?

But the more I thought about it, the more I knew that wasn’t true. This wasn’t coming through the bonds. This was my magic.

“Weird how?” Dean shuffled on the couch like he was preparing to launch an attack on whatever unseen enemy he needed to save me from. Gently lifting me from his lap, he sat me next to him, his hands never leaving me as he checked me over. “Are you getting sick? Is this from using too much magic today?”

Now wasn’t the time to tell him I’d barely scratched the surface on what I was pretty sure I could do now.

Instead, I shook my head, trying to mask the soft grunt as my magic surged again inside me. “It’s not that. It’s the magic, but not because of overuse. I… I’ve never felt this before.”

It was that comment that made me think. If I’d never felt this before, then perhaps it had something to do with the magic I’d not previously had access to. Either that or I had some kind of terrible magic-eating disease, but letting my mind go to that place wasn’t helpful at all.

I tried to concentrate as the building power grew inside my chest, making me feel like a balloon getting ready to burst. I knew I needed to connect with this if I was going to understand it. But touching this much magic and opening my mind to it was actually kind of terrifying.

“Should I get Fizzle?” Dean asked, standing suddenly. He stepped towards the door like he was just waiting for my word before he’d make a run for it, then he turned and stepped back to me as if he couldn’t bear to leave.

If I wasn’t panicking about what was happening, I’d be looking forward to poking fun at him for it.

“No, I… I just need to…”

As the words were about to touch my lips, my mind opened up to the growing power inside me. It forced its way through my doubt before I had a chance to consider if this was what I needed to do.

And with it came the terrifying answer.

Surging to my feet, I was striding to the door before I could even think what I was about to do.

“Wake the others. We need to find Fizzle, Rhidian, anyone. The court is under attack.”

Dean didn’t question me. He didn’t for a second doubt what I was saying. He darted out of the door in front of me, moving to the bedroom and rushing for the guys.

“Wake up!” he shouted, tearing into the closet and throwing clothes at everyone. “We’re under attack.”

This was it.

Arik was finally making his move.