Aeromancist, The Beginning (SECOND EDITION) - Charmaine Pauls Page 0,5
to what you have to say if you say it calmly, but I don’t have to agree.”
“I’ll be over in a few minutes.”
She regarded her reflection in the mirror and flinched at her disheveled state. “You better give me half an hour.”
“You can’t face him again,” Diana said.
“He’s a dangerous ass,” Enrico chipped in.
They sat in the kitchen in their apartment, Enrico eating cereal and Diana sipping coffee.
Kat sighed. “He’s got a right to say how he feels and what he wants. I can’t deny him that. This baby is half his.”
Diana snorted. “He gave up those rights when he acted like an asshole. I don’t like this.”
“Just give us a few minutes. This has to happen. If not now, I’ll have to face him later.”
Diana left her mug on the table. “You call me if he stresses you out again.” She took her bag. “Come, Enrico.”
He looked at his breakfast. “I haven’t finished.”
“We’ll have croissants at Fournos.” Diana gave Kat a peck on the cheek. “Are you sure about this?”
No. She smiled. “Thanks for understanding. Sorry for kicking you out of your own home, but I simply don’t have the energy to go somewhere else.”
Lann arrived as Diana and Enrico left. Diana gave him a measured look as she squeezed past him. Enrique offered a greeting but he didn’t look Lann in the eyes.
“Come in,” Kat said.
He walked inside and stopped in the lounge. “You look pale.”
Kat didn’t offer him a seat or coffee. She just wanted him to have his say so that she could carry on with her life and put her energy into making new plans for her future. “You said you had something to say.”
“We didn’t finish our discussion yesterday.”
“Discussion?” She crossed her arms. “You accused me of cheating on you and told me to have an abortion. In my books, that doesn’t count as a discussion.”
“You need to terminate the pregnancy.”
She blew out a long breath. “Are we back to that again?”
His voice was stern. “Katherine.”
“Save your breath. I can’t do it. Ever. If you—”
“You don’t understand.” He fixed her with a piercing gaze. “If you are carrying my baby, Katherine, you’re going to die.”
Chapter 3
The words echoed in her mind, but they refused to register.
“Katherine, listen to me—”
Backtracking, she shook her head. He closed the distance and took her arms. “Will you just listen?”
The word slipped over her numb lips. “No.”
“You’ll die!”
Die? It didn’t make sense. She pulled to free herself, but he tightened his grip.
His tone was urgent. “I’m not a normal human being. If, God forbid, you’re carrying my baby, you’ll die giving birth to it.” He dug his fingers into her arms. “You will die unless you get rid of it.”
The strength left her body. It sounded like a lie, but Lann didn’t lie. “Let go of me.”
A look of defeat washed over his features, but after a moment, he dropped his arms to his sides.
Walking to the sofa on wooden legs, she sat down.
Lann followed. “I didn’t want to tell you like this.”
“When were you planning on sharing this tidbit of information?”
He sat down next to her. “I couldn’t tell you. My kind is hunted. The less you know, the better. But this … this changes everything.”
“If not normal, what are you?” she asked.
The word was hollow. “I’m an aeromancist.”
It had to be a dream. A crazy nightmare. She knew about the forbidden arts practitioners from her study of daemon literature, but those were only tales.
“Aeromancists don’t exist,” she said. “It’s only a legend.”
He seemed remorseful, as if he already regretted what he was going to do. He lifted his hand, palm up. A tiny ball of lightning formed at his fingertips, the electric fibers winding like the thread of a ball of yarn. It grew bigger. When he flicked his fingers, it raced through the room and exploded in mid-air. It was only a pop, a small demonstration, but she jumped as if he’d released a hurricane in the room. Her heart raced. Her body shook.
“Please, don’t upset yourself.” He reached for her. “I didn’t want to frighten you.”
She slapped his hand away. “Why?” she asked through parched lips. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’re a clever girl. You know why.”
“Then why get involved with me in the first place?” She jumped to her feet. “Why didn’t you just stay away from me?”
He blinked. “I couldn’t stay away. Not from you.”
This couldn’t be happening. She wished she’d never met him. No, that wasn’t true. Despite everything, she wouldn’t have