by Lexi C. Foss
“Give in to your instincts,” I whispered. “I did.” Sometime over the last week, with Cyrus’s help, I’d accepted my magic and my nature, my most inner desires, and my passion. And it’d only made me stronger.
One of his hands hand fell to my hip, gripping tightly. The other thread through my hair, tugging my strands into his fist as he positioned me where he wanted.
And then he took me.
Not hard. Not rushed. Not fast. Just thoroughly. Expertly. As if his mouth was designed just for mine, his tongue knowing and skilled, and stole my breath away. It was the perfect kind of embrace, one where the wind lightly brushed us both, whirling us into a cloud of perfection and yearning. Only, a hungry presence at my back confused my senses, earthy tones mingling with mine and heightening the moment to one of irresistible lust.
Vox turned me in his arms, right into Sol, who was waiting to catch me—with his mouth.
My heart skipped a beat at the synchronization, at the feel of having two strong and capable men holding me as if I were their reason for being, and at sensing their undeniable longing for more.
I shuddered, my elements flourishing to life.
This was what I needed. How I wanted to exist. What I required for breath.
My mates.
All five.
Creating a harmony of energy inside me, begging to be stroked and tempered, and my fae reacted in kind, each of them sending me what I needed to harness my control and allow me to just be.
I lost track of time between Sol and Vox, their rotating mouths and hands leaving me hot and bothered in the middle of nowhere. But my missing link pulled me from the haze, my elements even more honed and alive and ready.
“He’s near,” I whispered, opening my eyes to find Vox’s striking eyes glazed with passion. With his willingness traveling through the bond, I felt even more empowered, everything around me falling into sharper focus.
“Where?” Vox asked, his palm running up and down my arm, as if addicted to my energy.
And maybe he was. I felt the same about him, my fingers still woven through his thick, long hair. My other palm had reached up behind me, clasping Sol’s neck, his palm around my throat, not in a threatening manner but in a protective one. I relaxed back into him, absorbing his strength, and closed my eyes to feel the earth and search for the presence beneath the ground that should not be there.
The elements responded, bowing to my growing power, their worship intensifying with every breath.
This world is mine now, I thought, authority thickening my veins and rooting me in my power. It surpassed everything around me. Everyone. “I can feel so much,” I whispered, sensing the expanse of land beneath my feet, stretching all the way to the Academy grounds and beyond, to where Cyrus and Titus were creating havoc of their own.
I smiled.
Cyrus was certainly enjoying himself.
And Titus, well, he was done playing nice.
Exos, my soul breathed, venturing in the other direction, to the ancient crypts few knew existed. When I spoke the words out loud, Sol and Vox looked at each other in confusion, but I didn’t doubt my instincts. “This way,” I said, allowing the energy to guide me.
See you soon, Exos murmured, pride sliding through our bond.
Yes, I replied. Very soon.
Cyrus
I wanted a challenge.
And the best way to earn a Fire Fae’s respect was through violence.
So I’d give him what he desired—an ass beating.
Crystalline lights sprung to life, Earth Fae working with Water Fae to conjure what would normally be underwater plants that glowed bright enough to light up the entire arena. Despite classes being in session, it hadn’t taken long to gather a crowd. Word of the challenge had spread quickly.
Elana was going to be furious.
A double bonus in my mind.
That old fae was hiding something, as she always seemed to be doing, but one of these days, I’d get to the bottom of it.
Chatter and anticipation swam around us, creating tidal waves of excitement throughout the Academy’s small stadium. It was large enough to house the current active students but paled in comparison to a proper arena—something Titus had already commented on.
Bets were being made throughout, the fae engrossed in the battle before them.
And wouldn’t you know? Mortus stood among them with several Academy teachers at his side. They’d no doubt recruited their fellow professor to join in on the fun. It wasn’t every day a royal fought a Powerless Champion.
His snarl told me how much he disapproved.
I winked at him in response.
“As far as a diversion goes, this isn’t half bad,” Titus conceded under his breath.
“Was that a compliment, Fire Fae?” I asked, arching a brow at him.
He snorted. “Just a concession before I hand you your ass.”
“We’ll see,” I replied, amused. “Ready?”
“I’ve wanted a reason to destroy you since you set foot on Spirit Quad.” He grinned at me, a blaze already burning in his eyes. “Trust me when I say, I’ll enjoy this.”
“Too bad those magical barriers above have to remain.” They were what kept fae from killing each other. This wasn’t a true Powerless Champion ring, and Elana valued the lives of her students.
Except she still hadn’t arrived.
Interesting.
“Consider them your only protection,” Titus replied, smirking. “Let’s do this, Royal Ass.”
I smiled. “Aww, you’ve given me a nickname. How adorable.”
He made a rude gesture that had several fae gasping and left me chuckling.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
A hush fell over the crowd as a petite Water Fae hurried over to hand me a selection of bracelets. She bowed formally, causing the tiny shells dangling from her pointed ears to bounce.
“It’s the rules,” she whispered apologetically, her words barely audible. This was a true element-on-element duel, which meant I couldn’t use my spirit energy against Titus. One element in direct opposition with the other was required—a true test of magical power.
Water against fire.
Perusing the selection, I chose the strongest bracelet that would seal my spirit energy with its merciless diamond cores. Even that would only dull my ability, and I suspected it would do absolutely nothing to Exos.
Still, it resembled a cuff of sorts that diluted my strength and brought my affinity for water to the forefront. Which had admittedly already been there, waiting for me to take my rightful place as king.
And maybe I could be ready—soon—with Claire at my side.
Snapping the bracelet onto my wrist, my vision jolted with a flash of red, then waves crashed in on my senses as my spirit energy retreated, leaving me dazed. The crowd cheered, sensing the shift of energy and signaling that the show was about to begin.
A single moderator hovered at the edge of the arena, raising his voice for the crowd to hear with a gust of air elemental power. “We have an unprecedented duel today! I present Cyrus, King of the Spirit Fae, Prince of Water, pitted against Titus, our very own Powerless Champion in his first Elemental Duel!”
The crowd cheered, making my ears throb as I fought to adjust to the utter lack of spirit in my chest. It felt wrong, and yet, oddly right. Especially as oceans of warmth rushed in, reminding me of how Claire had drowned me in the most delicious of ways.
“May the victor earn this quarter’s title of Academy Elemental Champion! Begin!”
Really? I don’t even qualify, I thought with a snort. Not a student, remember?
But then a horn sounded, forcing me to focus on the task at hand while my senses struggled to adjust to my lack of spirit. This was my first time shutting out the element, and I hadn’t expected it to be so… overwhelming.
Titus took advantage of my disorientation and sent an inferno barreling toward me at full speed.
My magic reacted before I did, rushing out of me all at onc
e and meeting Titus’s flame with a raw power of my own.
The arena’s magic hummed to life, monitoring our life signs and extent of power. Elana and I, and the other Council members and Academy professors, had erected this barrier, so I knew it could contain even my magic at full force.
An ocean with rising elemental seahorses that rode the waves erupted from my fingertips, spilling out to fill the stadium in seconds and dousing Titus’s flames in a single sweeping motion.
The Fire Fae gaped at me but only allowed his shock to settle for a moment before he crouched and drew his magic into himself, building a blazing tornado that sizzled against the mass of water and burned his pants—pants that should have been fire resistant. Yet it left his bare torso alone, suggesting his ultimate control of the raging energy.
Titus wasn’t a royal, but his magic had Claire’s passion infused into him, making him far more powerful than I would have given him credit for. He looked like the ancient god Vulcan, erupting molten lava that billowed from his feet in a wave of its own that rivaled my oceans, making my seahorses neigh in dismay before steaming into nothingness.
“That all you got, little king?” Titus taunted, twisting my nickname for Claire against me. I wasn’t the Water King yet, and if I was defeated in the arena by a Fire Fae, I’d never hear the end of it from my father.
But it would make for a better show.
And it just might give Mortus, and anyone else watching, the false opinion that my link to Claire had somehow weakened me.
Hmm.
Perhaps we needed to use this duel to our advantage and paint some false perceptions.
I grinned as his lava crept toward me. The soft red glow made the air turn bloody and gave Titus a terrifying appearance. By the gleam in his emerald eyes, he blamed me for putting Claire in danger.
Maybe I blamed myself.
Still, I had to make this look good. To ensure that everyone believed Titus had earned this win.
I changed up my attack, twisting my body to create a current that swept against Titus’s lava and forced it to harden. He grunted from the blow as fine whips of water lashed against his bare chest, leaving trails of bright blood in their wake. He took the punishment, growling as flames erupted and threatened to consume him in his rage.
That’s it. Lose control. See how that works out for you.
Titus should have sidestepped my onslaught and let me wear myself out. The strain was already pounding in my skull, my reserves threatening to admit they were empty, but that wasn’t Titus’s style. He rushed at me head-on and barreled through the thickest part of my waves, expending his energy as he billowed fire to evaporate a path directly at me.
His fist, a ball of flames, aimed straight at my face.
I dodged his punch and allowed his momentum to slam him into the wall of water at my back, making him buckle and lose his balance.
I pinned Titus to the soaked, sandy pit. His heat glazed the surface with raw energy until it melted smooth, and he clawed against it, my waters rushing in, targeting his flames and making his fingers slip against the fresh glass. “You better make this look good, Titus.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” I released him, only to be surprised as he shut off his flames completely. Without heat for my waters to target, the resulting wave crashed over both of us, causing me to lose my balance.
Titus moved fast—too fast—and swept my legs out from under me, sending me to the ground.
I raised a hand to send my waters crashing into him, but did so half-heartedly. Oh, to the audience, it would look like I tried, his armor of fire sizzling against my element. And that was all that mattered.
He rushed in, hard and fast, and his fist connected with my jaw, leaving a sharp crack to ring through the arena.
A hush settled over the crowd, stunned.
The king had been struck.
The unfamiliar pain that jolted through my body made me feel alive. No one ever got close enough to strike me, much less do any real damage—no one except my brother.
I twisted and sent one last rope of water at Titus, flinging him away from me, but it was more for show than anything else.
Mortus’s obsidian eyes gleamed from the audience, exactly as I desired. If the pompous prick thought he could find my weakness by watching me fight Titus, then he was in for a disappointment.
My only weakness was my greatest strength, and she was far away, saving my brother from darkness.
Exos, I hope Claire is in your arms now and you’re safely on your way back to us.
Without my spirit, I couldn’t sense him, but I sensed Claire. Her healthy glow caused me to smile, which probably resembled a grimace to the crowd.
I wiped the back of my hand over my mouth, and it came back bloody.
Staggering to my feet, I crouched into a warrior’s stance and grinned. “Powerless duel?” I taunted him.
Titus rolled his fingers into fists and readied himself, all signs of his embers dying in the wind along with my water. “You want a beating?” He shrugged his shoulders. “All right.”
He came at me, fast and without mercy, blow after blow landing, but I got in a few of my own.
“That all you got?” he taunted.
“I could do this all night,” I replied, meaning it.
I dodged and then blocked, taking the hit hard on my forearm before connecting my elbow with his jaw. Titus’s entire body jerked up against the blow. It would have left any other fae reeling, but he recovered with impressive speed. My admiration for him grew by the second.
His eyes glowed with embers, but he didn’t use his fire on me. Instead, he took the next hit in the gut, his core clenching hard to absorb the blow, and used the opening to wrap his fingers around my throat, twisting me so that my back arched and put me off balance.
“Having fun yet?” he growled, his rage palpable.
Whether it was from the fight, or at me, I didn’t know. Likely both.
It didn’t take a genius to understand his fury. I’d mated with Claire, and in his mind, I didn’t deserve her.
And maybe he was right.
But I couldn’t change what happened, nor would I want to.
I clawed at his fingers and spat, then crashed my arm down hard against his wrist and broke his hold. He cursed when I retaliated and swept behind him, wrapping an arm around his neck and putting him in a chokehold of my own. It would be so easy to call for his defeat as I weakened his airway.
Alas, I needed him to win.
So I said something I knew would set him off.
“You realize I only mated with Claire to save Exos, right?” I spoke the words without any emotion, needing him to believe them. And I infused the knowledge that I had considered that tactic several times into my expression. “Seems I’ve won.”
Titus roared, his fury snapping at the reins as his fire ignited, forcing me to release him. His elbow connected with my rib cage and sent all my air rushing out of me. I stumbled back and fell right along with Titus as he launched over me, knee on my chest and hand on my throat again. “Submit,” he demanded. “Or I’ll end you.”
Not bad, I thought. And as his fist nailed my jaw, igniting a series of lights behind my eyes, I decided this was good enough.
Conceding to him served so many benefits.
Including enhancing our elemental circle, something Claire badly needed.
And so, for her, I smiled. “I submit.” The words triggered the arena’s magic and froze us both in place, signaling the end of the battle.
Titus’s gaze narrowed, his palm releasing my throat. “You goaded me. Again.”
“Did I?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Bastard.”
I lifted a shoulder. Or tried to, anyway. The Fire Fae was big and on top of me.
“You let me win,” he added, a hint of respect coloring his features.
“Why would I do that?” I infused a bit of innocence into my tone, but it really came out as more of a rasp.
He shook his head, amused. “Next time, don’t hold back.”
“Next time?” I wasn’t sure I wanted another public duel. But sparring, I could do.
“Oh yeah. Next time I’m beating you in earnest, Royal Fae.”
“Wait, I thought I was your little king?” I managed to sound hurt. “I mean, here you are, straddling me and all…”
He punched me again for good measure, causing me to laugh as he practically leapt off me. “If I wasn’t exhausted, I’d challenge you again.”
I bounced up to my feet, grinning. “It’s like you’re flirting with me, Titus.”
“For fuck’s sake, man.” Vehemence colored his tone, but he was grinning, too. “Seriously, we’re doing that again.”
“Sure.” I gave him the requisite bow to acknowledge my defeat. “I look forward to it.”
Movement in my peripheral vision showed Mortus backing away as if he’d seen enough—or perhaps he finally sensed what we’d been trying to distract him from.
Claire had found Exos, his location just beneath her feet. And Mortus was already too late. He couldn’t mist, the power purely my own.
But what bothered me more was Elana’s absence.
This seemed like the kind of event she’d try to stop.
Alas, she was nowhere in sight.
Where are you, Chancellor? I wondered. And what have you been up to?
Titus clapped me on the back. “If you ever claim to have mated with Claire to save your brother again, I really will fry you.”
I met his burning gaze with a grin. “Don’t worry, Powerless Champion. Exos would kill me first.”
Exos
Claire’s vitality grew with every step, my spirit soaking her in and allowing it to fuel my being. That was the sustenance I needed. Not food. Not water. Just her. It brought my spirit to the forefront, dousing me in an energy that thrived through my veins.
I’d channeled so much into our bond these last few days, locking onto the frays of our connection and holding desperately to the ends. Now that she was nearing my position, I felt the link strengthening again, remembering the beauty of her presence.