“Okay…” I turn my attention to Rory as he picks at invisible lint on his pants. “But I still don’t get it. Wouldn’t that be handy in battle? You’d make a great strategist if you could learn to trigger it on command…” I trail off as Rory’s eyes snap to mine, a frown forming on his face. I backtrack, “You don’t have to listen to me. I mean, it may not be manly like being a paladin, but you get to protect your friends in a fight by helping them win. I don’t see what could be bad about that.”
He continues to stare at me before jumping to his feet. He makes his way out the front door, closing it roughly behind him. Sourness forms in my stomach and I glance between the three remaining men. “What did I do? Should I go apologize?”
They shake their heads as they look to the front door. “From what I’m feeling, he’s on the phone with Declan’s dad, asking to change one of his electives to Divination.” Dane’s lips twitch as he looks to me. “We’ve been trying to get him to sign up for the class to learn to control it, but he wouldn’t. He didn’t think it was a power worth learning to control… until now.”
His eyes soften, and I look away, focusing on Declan and the cocky smirk on his lips. “Do you want to guess what my powers are?” he asks. The beans rustle beneath him as he leans back on his bean bag.
My eyes roam over him as I take in his aura, and all I can think is that he was born for royalty. I picture our examination yesterday and how easy it was for him to take the lead and adapt to change. How he is much softer inside than he appears. I continue to examine him, appreciating the broadness of his chest, and Dane huffs out a laugh. I direct a glare at him, and he holds his hands up either side of his grinning face.
Turning back to Declan, I mull over who his god could be, but it’s the fluctuating black and gold outline at the edge of his aura that gives him away.
“Persephone,” I say, and his eyes lose their teasing edge as he leans forward, a questioning look in his eyes. I continue, “You’re adaptable, like to lead, you show your love to those you care about, and if I’m not mistaken, you have the power of suggestion,” I say, referencing the way he smooth-talked the woman at the temple into allowing me on their team when they made the decision official.
“It’s interesting…” I say, tilting my head at him. “With Persephone as your gifting goddess, you could have easily ended up with the Dark. It says a lot about you.”
Declan lifts his chin, looking across at me with an unreadable expression. But as he does, I notice something else—a hint of scarlet in his eyes—and I know I’m missing something. He spends a moment like that until he says, “Now that you know all about us, how about you tell us about you and your powers, Serena.” His voice holds a hard edge, and I smirk at his obvious irritation.
I shrug and glance down at my hands. “I didn’t exactly tell you the truth yesterday when you asked what my powers were.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Declan mutters.
Dane shushes him, sending a firm kick into the side of his beanbag for good measure. “Go on, Serena.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek. “Mistress, you are walking a thin line…” Lore warns.
“I know.” Taking a deep breath, I release it and summon one of my powers—the only one I’m willing to reveal. A green ball forms in the air, flickering like a flame. “I have the power to curse.”
The guys draw in a collective breath.
“It doesn’t require anything but a thought or to be spoken aloud.”
They draw closer, cornering me. My back touches the cold bark. The sun shines down, hot and bright—too bright. I speak, I curse.
I shake my head and force a laugh, burying the memory and moving my attention back to Dane. “Although, you should note I don’t have the power to give out lifelong curses.”
But my reassurance does nothing for Declan who continues to watch the green ball with mounting fear. “What does that mean, exactly?” he asks.
Slipping on my trademark mask, I quirk my eyebrow at him and allow the ball to float toward him. He shuffles back, shooting me a dark scowl.
A chuckle slips from my lips, and the tension in my chest lessens. “Anyone want to try it out?” I ask. A tap on my shoulder makes me look back, and I snort. “Dane, you really need to stop believing in me. Who says I don’t want to curse you to go bald or something?” I disappear the ball. “I was only joking.”
“No,” he takes my hand and opens my fingers, urging me to conjure it again. “I want to see what you’ve got. Something light. Come on,” he says, his expression eager.
My eyes narrow at the challenge in his voice, and I smile, already knowing exactly what I’m going to curse him with. I summon another green ball, this one only a fraction of the size of the first. Dane watches it warily but doesn’t pull away from me as I lean forward until my lips are against his ear. I push the floating ball into his chest and feel his body tremble next to mine as it works its way through him.
“For twenty-four hours,” I whisper, drawing out my vowels, “I curse you to mind speak with me, to share all of your thoughts and feelings with me.”
I draw back, watching as the green glow fades deeper into his chest. He looks down at it, then up at me again. I feel it solidify inside him, and his wide eyes taken on a
