my stomach. I felt nothing. “I was right. Your mortal blood protects you from the irons’ presence. In a lot of ways, it gives you the edge against a pure elemental. This knowledge could be important should you ever need to defend yourself.”
My confidence had built. Feeling cocky, I slid my finger across the blade. A searing heat instantly radiated from my finger. I looked down and saw layers of charcoal colored skin had peeled away from the tip. My finger smoked like meat on a grill. “Little problem here.” I wiggled my hand violently. The pain sped up my arm.
Rowan's eyes widened. “What in the world would possess you to do that?”
“Bad time for scolding, don’t you think?” I shrieked.
“Try to summon your healing powers.”
It was as if I had stuck my finger in a pot of boiling water. “It’s too much…the burning, I can’t—”
Rowan growled. Dropping his sword, he pulled me down to the water's edge. “The veil gives the water medicinal qualities. It may be able to heal your wound.” He raised his eyebrows. “What are you waiting for?”
Panicked, I ran in and plunged my hand in and out of the salty coolness. When that didn’t seem to be enough, I dove into the waves. Below the surface, the water twinkled with tiny white illuminations reminding me of Christmas tree lights. I reached out for one of the tiny glowing droplets. A hand connected with mine. I screamed. Bubbles erupted out of my mouth.
A siren song whispered in my head. I relaxed completely. A child-size merman with a green tail and short blue hair smiled at me. It was impossible to be afraid while staring at his cherub face. He wrapped seaweed around my finger. The burning sensation was gone in moments. Perhaps it wasn’t the water with medicinal qualities after all? I reached out for him with my other hand, but he jolted as if he had heard something I hadn’t. In an instant, he was gone.
My lungs burned for air. I rushed toward the surface. After a few seconds of paddling, I was back on the shore. The only ache left rested in my bruised ego.
My clothes were soaked. With my hair dripping into my face, I must have resembled a wet poodle. I climbed up on the sand to where Rowan stood shaking his head. “Do you have no sense of self-preservation?” he asked.
I had a feeling a lecture was coming. After that pain, I wasn’t about to take any more from him. My bitch-switch flipped on. “Yeah, I’m all about the sadomasochism. I guess you figured me out.”
His jaw clenched. “You need to get serious.”
Oh, it was so on now. “Are you kidding me? Yeah, like I wanted to get burned. I swear, being with you is like the icing on a giant shit cake!”
Rowan headed toward the forest, mumbling something under his breath. A moment later he stopped. He made his way back to me. “You can’t afford to make any mistakes, especially if it endangers your life.”
It was clear I still had so much to learn. I still wasn't even sure who I could trust. Maybe Rowan, but even he refused to be completely honest with me. Again, I thought about Dad and my heart ached. I could have cried out of sheer frustration. “I’m doing the best I can. I wasn’t prepared for any of this, and right now, I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
“I know.” He gazed into the distance, taking a long breath.
“What do you mean you know ?”
He straightened his back. “Nevermind. Let’s move on to your training.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really? You’re not going to tell me what you meant?”
“Nope,” he replied with a cheeky grin.
Why did he insist on being so irritating? And why had I bit my bottom lip when he smiled? I needed to refocus. “Fine, time for the training.”
Chapter Seven
The afternoon sun pounded down, drying my hair. My fingers wiggled through the salty knots while I silently prayed that I didn’t look as bad as I imagined.
Rowan slid his leather sheath off his shoulder, placing it on the ground. Relief
My confidence had built. Feeling cocky, I slid my finger across the blade. A searing heat instantly radiated from my finger. I looked down and saw layers of charcoal colored skin had peeled away from the tip. My finger smoked like meat on a grill. “Little problem here.” I wiggled my hand violently. The pain sped up my arm.
Rowan's eyes widened. “What in the world would possess you to do that?”
“Bad time for scolding, don’t you think?” I shrieked.
“Try to summon your healing powers.”
It was as if I had stuck my finger in a pot of boiling water. “It’s too much…the burning, I can’t—”
Rowan growled. Dropping his sword, he pulled me down to the water's edge. “The veil gives the water medicinal qualities. It may be able to heal your wound.” He raised his eyebrows. “What are you waiting for?”
Panicked, I ran in and plunged my hand in and out of the salty coolness. When that didn’t seem to be enough, I dove into the waves. Below the surface, the water twinkled with tiny white illuminations reminding me of Christmas tree lights. I reached out for one of the tiny glowing droplets. A hand connected with mine. I screamed. Bubbles erupted out of my mouth.
A siren song whispered in my head. I relaxed completely. A child-size merman with a green tail and short blue hair smiled at me. It was impossible to be afraid while staring at his cherub face. He wrapped seaweed around my finger. The burning sensation was gone in moments. Perhaps it wasn’t the water with medicinal qualities after all? I reached out for him with my other hand, but he jolted as if he had heard something I hadn’t. In an instant, he was gone.
My lungs burned for air. I rushed toward the surface. After a few seconds of paddling, I was back on the shore. The only ache left rested in my bruised ego.
My clothes were soaked. With my hair dripping into my face, I must have resembled a wet poodle. I climbed up on the sand to where Rowan stood shaking his head. “Do you have no sense of self-preservation?” he asked.
I had a feeling a lecture was coming. After that pain, I wasn’t about to take any more from him. My bitch-switch flipped on. “Yeah, I’m all about the sadomasochism. I guess you figured me out.”
His jaw clenched. “You need to get serious.”
Oh, it was so on now. “Are you kidding me? Yeah, like I wanted to get burned. I swear, being with you is like the icing on a giant shit cake!”
Rowan headed toward the forest, mumbling something under his breath. A moment later he stopped. He made his way back to me. “You can’t afford to make any mistakes, especially if it endangers your life.”
It was clear I still had so much to learn. I still wasn't even sure who I could trust. Maybe Rowan, but even he refused to be completely honest with me. Again, I thought about Dad and my heart ached. I could have cried out of sheer frustration. “I’m doing the best I can. I wasn’t prepared for any of this, and right now, I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
“I know.” He gazed into the distance, taking a long breath.
“What do you mean you know ?”
He straightened his back. “Nevermind. Let’s move on to your training.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really? You’re not going to tell me what you meant?”
“Nope,” he replied with a cheeky grin.
Why did he insist on being so irritating? And why had I bit my bottom lip when he smiled? I needed to refocus. “Fine, time for the training.”
Chapter Seven
The afternoon sun pounded down, drying my hair. My fingers wiggled through the salty knots while I silently prayed that I didn’t look as bad as I imagined.
Rowan slid his leather sheath off his shoulder, placing it on the ground. Relief
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