Thorns of Frost (Fae of Snow & Ice, #2)(72)

Breathing more deeply, I let my magic build inside me. It rose and warmed my bones as I called upon everything in my reserves. My magic unfurled within my gut, like a flower in my garden that bloomed before the sun. Its petals curled open, one by one, until it practically burst to life.

I pictured the flag in my mind until it was the only thing that penetrated my thoughts. The crowd quieted to a distant roar in my ears. My breaths became steady rises and falls in my chest.

Breathe in. Breathe out. The flag. Only the flag.

My magic bore down on me, pressing upon me until it felt as though it was moving through me, liquefying my bones and igniting my senses. I gathered my power tightly inside me as I centered all of my thoughts with pinprick precision on that wavering piece of cloth fluttering high, high above.

And then . . .

I let go.

The world abruptly tilted beneath my feet. I disappeared in a blur of mist and shadows, air and wind. Magic roared through my blood, and then cold air slammed into my senses with a shock so sudden that I couldn’t breathe. It felt as though I’d been submerged in a frigid pool, that ice floated through my veins. The air was so thin that I gasped.

My air affinity held me aloft, but already the high pressure bubble beneath me was dissipating. I opened my eyes to see the flag hovering right in front of me.

The three other females still raced upward. Georgyanna seemed to sense exactly what I’d done the second my hand reached out to clasp the flag. She screamed in fury as my fingers wrapped around the delicate silk material.

My bubble snapped.

Air abruptly tumbled around me as I fell through the atmosphere. A scream of fear spilled from my lips as I passed the other three on my way back to the ground.

Georgyanna’s eyes narrowed into razors, and Beatrice and Meegana wore horrified expressions.

I closed my eyes, doing everything in my power to gather the concentration I’d had only moments before. I called upon my magic, begging it to do as I asked, and with every ounce of my being, I pictured the ground that I’d just been standing on.

My magic began to activate. My body started to disassemble as I enacted a mistphase once more, but then Georgyanna was right beside me. Her wings had turned into slits at her back as she free fell like an arrow until she’d caught up with me.

Somehow, she maneuvered herself in the air until she slammed right into me. The force of it punched my breath into my chest. A cackle of pure satisfaction exploded from her lips as she snatched the flag from my hands.

“No!” I screamed and clawed for the flag, but Georgyanna’s wings were already spreading. Her descent slowed, but I was still plummeting down.

Furious rage scoured through me, and I called upon my air elemental affinity. I slammed a huge bubble of air into Georgyanna, crumpling her wings behind her like tissue paper.

She screamed in pain and began to fall too, but then a lasso of fire erupted from her. It moved so fast it was about to hit me in the chest until I ripped my own fire element from my gut.

Our powers collided in an explosion, her fire trying to burn through mine and mine hers. A ring of heat grew between us, sweat pouring from me due to her element, but I didn’t let it deter me.

I sped up the air bubble behind her, and she screamed in terror as she barreled right toward our colliding fires.

She released her fire at the last possible moment, and I knew I could have kept mine ignited. I could have burned her to death right there, but I relinquished my fire and concentrated more on my air affinity. Her eyes widened in horror as she fell right toward me. Her wings spread. She tried to gain the upper hand again, but righteous anger at all she’d done to me narrowed my concentration until all I thought about was bringing that witch to my side.

The second she came within my grasp, I ripped the flag from her fingertips, and she flew right past me.

She plummeted toward the ground faster than I was, but I was still free falling. If I didn’t mistphase now, I was seconds away from landing in a pile of broken bones and shredded skin for the entire capital to witness.

I dispersed my air affinity from behind Georgyanna, allowing her to fly once more as I gripped the flag tightly to my chest.

I pictured the top of the dais upon which Prince Norivun sat. I pictured his smile, his hooded eyes, and imagined his alluring scent. I called upon the bond that tethered us, the unbreakable cord that the gods had placed between our souls.

My magic unfurled within me again, as though wanting to join my magic to his. Wind screamed through my ears as the air around me grew warmer. Denser. The ground was fast approaching, but I didn’t let my concentration wane. I pictured the prince, my mate.

And then the world disappeared again in a blur of mist and shadows, air and wind.

My feet came to a sudden stop on a solid surface. The crowd immediately erupted into shrieks of disbelief and wild furor.

I opened my eyes to see King Novakin swivel around on his throne as a look of complete bewilderment painted his face. I thrust the flag toward him, bowing low on instinct as my heart thundered in my ears.

The flag was still in my hand, the silky material balled so tightly in my fist that it took a moment before I released it to the king. But when my hands were free, I reached out and came in contact with warm fingers that wrapped around mine.

The crown prince squeezed my hand as a shocked grin split his face. Somehow, I’d mistphased just to the left of his throne.

“Well, hello there,” he said with a crooked smile.