Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,23
yet,” he continued. “Those were thoughts. Ideas. Possibilities.”
I let it go. He wasn’t wrong but… I understood a lot more context than he was giving me credit for. They were pretty firm ideas and thoughts, not simply passing ones.
“Julian, I need you a moment,” I said instead of addressing what he was saying.
“No,” Neldor snarled, trying to get up even if there was no chance yet. His magic flared with healing, but he couldn’t do it fast enough.
“What’s up, love?” Craftsman asked as he moved next to me.
I took his hand in mine and opened my mind to him, showing him the fairy rune he’d wanted to use before. “Try it. Use it on him. However you piggyback on my magic and tap into me or whatever.”
He was confused but didn’t ask, taking the chance I would open up to him even for something so simple. He was thrilled I had asked for him, wanted him near me for anything or any reason.
Craftsman linked our fingers and raised our hands to his lips so he kissed my skin before doing as I wanted. I felt his magic surround mine and then they mingled together. It was incredibly intimate, as if our souls were brushing up against each other like our bodies did when we used to make love. I was that naked and open to him.
And him to me as I was flooded with everything he was feeling.
He turned me so my back was against his chest, our hands still linked but his arm around me protectively as we faced Neldor. He focused on the dark fairy and without even having to write the rune, used it to restrain the prince all over again.
“What is this?” Craftsman whispered, his voice shaking.
“How a fairy confirms if a warlock or witch is truly their mate, not simply an ally who can piggyback their magic if they allow it,” I explained, knowing I was giving away secrets. “Which means I can also allow White the ability to piggyback me as well as she’s an ally.” I glanced at Chief. “Tell the other packs. White is a daughter of a fairy and my elder and will be treated as such, allowed into the fold.”
The pack agreed given she’d proven herself time and again that she would put me first and was fighting for what she should.
“It also means you can guide me to push harder and unlock what’s holding me back faster,” I added. “Which was what Neldor wasn’t going to tell us because he didn’t want to risk you were truly my mate and it would unlock more of my potential—our potential—when he was fairly certain I was already more powerful than him.”
White snorted. “We already knew that if you could unfreeze fairies and he couldn’t. Your raw power is more than his in just over a year of being unlocked. You will destroy his by leaps in bounds in no time if you keep working as you have.”
“Yes, yes I will, and he knew if Craftsman was truly my mate and we could work together in this way, it would be more than he could try to put the stopper back on.” I turned away from Neldor and met Craftsman’s gorgeous eyes.
He leaned in and kissed my nose, not making me say it. “This changes nothing for you, and you haven’t forgiven me. I understand. I’ll still help as I want to save your people too, love. I told you I’m all in and I meant it. I was never with you for your magic. This probably won’t help you think that, but—”
“No, I can feel your grief in learning this can help your power and magic, but also might cost you any chance of getting me back,” I whispered, gasping as I saw something flare around him. “What am I seeing?”
He blinked at me. “Colors?” He smiled when I nodded. “Apparently I share with you too, love. You’re seeing my gift with auras and unlike when you hear things—”
“Auras can’t lie,” Larson muttered. “You can mute them or turn them off—as you do—but they cannot lie. What you see in his aura is real.”
I studied it and realized who I trusted most to tell me the answers. “Izzy, help me?”
“Always.” She waited for me to tell her what I was seeing, both of us knowing she would see some of it too as she had a knack for it. “Most of that is love and joy, probably that you’re mates, but