mental note to never, under any circumstances, travel through another fire portal.
After I was done complaining, I took in the new scenery. It was like I was standing inside a post card. Miles of empty white sand beaches surrounded us. The only noise was the intermittent sound of waves crashing into the shore. Salty air floated into my nostrils. A sparkling mist lingered over the ocean, appearing to rise into the sky. It was the magical veil hiding Avalon from the rest of the world. The misty green forest stood at least a half-mile in the distance. Under normal mortal circumstances, it would have been heavenly. But this was Avalon, the land of ‘crazy-shit-can-happen-at-any-moment.’
Rowan cleared his throat.
Glancing down, I realized I was still holding on to him. I let out an odd, anxiety-filled laugh. Perfect, considering I just admitted to staring at him. I was sure he was appreciating this, which only made the moment much more cringe-worthy. I released my grip on his shirt, wishing I was invisible. And there it was, more humiliation for his enjoyment. I scrunched my face with no idea what I should say. “This is awkward.”
He tried to smooth the creases that my tightly gripped fists had made on his shirt with very little success. “Try to be gentler the next time you're in the mood for a cuddle.” He winked.
“Yeah,” I huffed. “That's exactly what I was trying to do.” Why was I letting him get me so crazed? I’d dated guys at my school. Hell, I even had a few PG-13 moments. But I had to admit, something about being with Rowan felt different. My body reacted to him. And as annoying as he was, I wanted to be close to him.
I stared at him, staring at me—waiting for a response. “You owe me some answers.”
Rowan laughed. “What I owe you is the training I promised.”
I crossed my arms. “You said you would answer my questions.”
“I never told you that I would answer more questions. You need to focus on what’s ahead of you, which won’t be easy.” He playfully tapped his fist against my shoulder. “Besides, there will be lots of time for you to fantasize about me later.”
I let out a frustrated growl. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re wasting time.”
The nerves climbed on top of one another in the pit of my stomach. Rowan was not like any of the elementals I was used to. Throughout my life, Dad had sent plenty to watch over me, but they barely spoke to me. It was like I was being guarded by the secret service. But Rowan was so relaxed, even flirty. Was he really flirting with me or was he just toying with me? Okay, I needed to stop thinking about him, like immediately.
Finding Dad was my focus. The thought that he might be somewhere hurt or dying made my chest ache. If the situation were reversed, he’d do whatever was necessary to find me. If I had any hope of rescuing him, I had to learn how to use my power. But if I couldn’t find him before the Ball, I had to protect his crown. There wasn’t room for failure. “You’re right, let’s get started.”
He reached behind his back, gripping the handle of his blade and released it from its sheath. Pointing the weapon in my direction, he said, “It's called a khopesh sword. This one in particular is made of solid iron.”
“Why even have iron weapons in Avalon if so many are allergic to them?” I asked.
“Knights of each court are required to carry them as a display of their power. For the most part, it keeps the other elementals from challenging the courts.”
The sun's luster danced across the silver sheen. “Does that mean you’re a court knight?” My eyes moved from the sword to his lips, which were now arched in the corners, then to his eyes.
“It means I'm strong enough to carry it,” Rowan replied, staring at me in a way that made my knees feel like wet noodles. “I am curious to know its effects on you.” Taking a few steps in my direction, he held the curved blade out horizontally, only inches from
After I was done complaining, I took in the new scenery. It was like I was standing inside a post card. Miles of empty white sand beaches surrounded us. The only noise was the intermittent sound of waves crashing into the shore. Salty air floated into my nostrils. A sparkling mist lingered over the ocean, appearing to rise into the sky. It was the magical veil hiding Avalon from the rest of the world. The misty green forest stood at least a half-mile in the distance. Under normal mortal circumstances, it would have been heavenly. But this was Avalon, the land of ‘crazy-shit-can-happen-at-any-moment.’
Rowan cleared his throat.
Glancing down, I realized I was still holding on to him. I let out an odd, anxiety-filled laugh. Perfect, considering I just admitted to staring at him. I was sure he was appreciating this, which only made the moment much more cringe-worthy. I released my grip on his shirt, wishing I was invisible. And there it was, more humiliation for his enjoyment. I scrunched my face with no idea what I should say. “This is awkward.”
He tried to smooth the creases that my tightly gripped fists had made on his shirt with very little success. “Try to be gentler the next time you're in the mood for a cuddle.” He winked.
“Yeah,” I huffed. “That's exactly what I was trying to do.” Why was I letting him get me so crazed? I’d dated guys at my school. Hell, I even had a few PG-13 moments. But I had to admit, something about being with Rowan felt different. My body reacted to him. And as annoying as he was, I wanted to be close to him.
I stared at him, staring at me—waiting for a response. “You owe me some answers.”
Rowan laughed. “What I owe you is the training I promised.”
I crossed my arms. “You said you would answer my questions.”
“I never told you that I would answer more questions. You need to focus on what’s ahead of you, which won’t be easy.” He playfully tapped his fist against my shoulder. “Besides, there will be lots of time for you to fantasize about me later.”
I let out a frustrated growl. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re wasting time.”
The nerves climbed on top of one another in the pit of my stomach. Rowan was not like any of the elementals I was used to. Throughout my life, Dad had sent plenty to watch over me, but they barely spoke to me. It was like I was being guarded by the secret service. But Rowan was so relaxed, even flirty. Was he really flirting with me or was he just toying with me? Okay, I needed to stop thinking about him, like immediately.
Finding Dad was my focus. The thought that he might be somewhere hurt or dying made my chest ache. If the situation were reversed, he’d do whatever was necessary to find me. If I had any hope of rescuing him, I had to learn how to use my power. But if I couldn’t find him before the Ball, I had to protect his crown. There wasn’t room for failure. “You’re right, let’s get started.”
He reached behind his back, gripping the handle of his blade and released it from its sheath. Pointing the weapon in my direction, he said, “It's called a khopesh sword. This one in particular is made of solid iron.”
“Why even have iron weapons in Avalon if so many are allergic to them?” I asked.
“Knights of each court are required to carry them as a display of their power. For the most part, it keeps the other elementals from challenging the courts.”
The sun's luster danced across the silver sheen. “Does that mean you’re a court knight?” My eyes moved from the sword to his lips, which were now arched in the corners, then to his eyes.
“It means I'm strong enough to carry it,” Rowan replied, staring at me in a way that made my knees feel like wet noodles. “I am curious to know its effects on you.” Taking a few steps in my direction, he held the curved blade out horizontally, only inches from
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