Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,65
won’t be any use. We can’t even find our way out of the fog. I won’t risk any more men getting lost.” Liam’s green eyes met mine. “Unless we have a guide. Someone who can hear thoughts.”
I swallowed and stepped back. “I can’t.”
“Can’t, or won’t?” Liam snapped.
“You know nothing.”
“I think your magic is still there. I think you’re just afraid to use it.”
“Magic. What magic?” Devin asked. He cocked his head and gave me a strange look.
“She’s a sorceress . . . and she can hear your thoughts.” Liam gave Devin a sly grin.
“What?” Devin’s eyes widened. He glanced my way and blushed. “Oh . . . uh, that may have been good to know earlier.”
“I can’t hear thoughts anymore,” I said. “It’s gone.” I spun and stormed away, but Liam came after me.
He grasped my wrist, and whispered, “How do you know if you won’t even try?”
“Let me go.”
“You said you wanted to help, so help. Or are the rumors true about how cold and heartless the daughters of Eville are?”
“Fine.” I wrenched my arm free. I moved to the edge of camp and stared into the dense fog. An icy wind blew, batting at my hair, causing goosebumps to run along my arms. Crossing them over my chest, I tried to squeeze warmth into my body as I internally debated with myself. My gifts weren’t something that I could turn off and turn on, otherwise I would have had better control over it. It was just always a part of me.
Closing my eyes, I focused on reaching out. Searching, seeking, but I got nothing. Groaning, I focused harder on what Oma said. It wasn’t lost. That had to mean it would come back if I wanted it to. The problem was . . . the underlying issue and fear that was blocking me. If I didn’t want my empathy gifts back, then I could live a normal life, get married, have children. But to take back my gift, it would doom myself to a life of early madness.
I couldn’t help but think back to the pain I was in at the palace in Candor. The thousands of thoughts that dragged through my mind . . . when I would have done anything to silence them and have peace. Funny, now I didn’t feel at peace. I felt unsettled, on edge, because I was always guessing what others were thinking instead of just reading them.
Liam watched me. Waiting for me to act. Being normal seemed to create an even greater distance between us, for he had no reason to shield me, and seemed to give that duty to Devin. But I didn’t want Devin. I wanted Liam.
I was going crazy being away from him. No matter the choice I made, I would go mad. At least knowing I had a choice, I could make the right one. One that would help the knight who traveled all the way to Nihill. He wanted a savior. I wanted to be that for him. Even if I feared my gifts and my future, I needed them to save Liam’s men—even if I destroyed myself doing it.
Closing my eyes, I kneeled and buried my fingers in the dirt, feeling the ground, searching for the magic ley lines deep in the earth, but I couldn’t feel or hear anything.
I bit my cheek in frustration. Never had it been this difficult to sense the ley lines. Maybe my connection was truly severed? Dragging my finger in the dirt, I traced the symbol for the word accept.
“I accept,” I whispered. “I accept my power.” I felt a soft rumble of magic, and then felt it slapped away. “What was that?” I said in surprise. “What happened?”
A shuffle of gravel had me turning to look up at Liam, who stood over me. I stood, dusting off my hands.
“Anything?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I snapped irritably.
“Try again,” Liam demanded.
I preferred the old Liam over this new angrier, bossy version. “I did.” I sighed. “I can’t hear or feel anything, even when I reached for it. It’s like I’m blocked. I . . .” I trailed off and met Liam’s determined green eyes. And then it hit me. “It’s you.” I pointed my finger at him.
“Me?”
“You’re blocking me.” I snorted. “I haven’t lost my powers. Yours have grown.”
Liam shook his head and scoffed. “No, that can’t be.”
Grinning in triumph, I poked him in the chest with my finger. “It is. Your shield magic has grown, and you’re shielding me.”