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But his eyes are what halt my breath. Bright and wild, they gleam with an almost feverish glow.
My heart lurches as I rush toward him while scanning his body for injuries. He doesn’t appear hurt though. He looks…changed. “Sterling!”
“Lark.” His velvety baritone rumbles my name like a prayer.
His entire body vibrates, practically humming with energy. Water droplets fall from his hair toward the floor, but they never hit the rugs. Instead, the liquid hovers for a moment before rising back up to him, as if he’s become a lodestone for the element.
“What happened?”
He tunnels a hand through his hair, arcing water droplets that hang suspended for a heartbeat before sinking into his skin. The gesture is quintessential Sterling, except tinged with something otherworldly.
“It was…” He pauses, likely searching for language to describe events too alien for human words. I experienced the same issue when trying to articulate the dragons’ emotions.
I find myself observing that simple action. I love the way his eyebrows pull together when he thinks. I love how his lower lip curls slightly inward when he’s concerned. I love him entirely. Completely.
The man he was yesterday.
The man currently standing before me. He’s still Sterling, only more so. The air around him bends and shimmers.
“Incredible.” His shoulders relax. “The water responds differently to me now. Like it knows what I want before I do.”
Rose peeks up from her game, Kin forgotten as she regards Sterling with undisguised curiosity. “Did you fight?”
Sterling laughs, the sound lighter than I’ve heard in weeks. It’s the laugh of the carefree young man he could have been before war and responsibility and loss aged him beyond his years. “Not exactly. More like I pushed away boundaries that were never there.”
He gestures with his hand, and the water from the pitcher on my desk rises up, defying gravity. The liquid twists and shapes itself into a miniature dragon, no larger than a cat, with delicate wings and a sinuous body. The water-dragon glides through the air with such lifelike movements, I can hardly believe it’s crafted from liquid.
“I made one of these but as big as the room.” Sterling watches my face for a reaction.
Rose gasps in delight and jumps to her feet, chasing the water-dragon as it swoops around the chamber. “It’s beautiful!” She reaches for it.
The dragon playfully darts away from her before disappearing into the wall on the far side of the room, leaving no trace of water behind.
Rose spins back toward Sterling, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “How did you do that? Where did it go? Can you make it come back?”
Sterling’s eyes find mine over Rose’s head, and I note the almost manic energy vibrating through him, barely contained beneath his skin. “I made an ice formation as high as a mountain. Rivlan says no one has managed that in centuries.”
“Show off,” I tease, smiling.
Despite my fears and worries, the tightness in my chest eases. Lightens. I adore seeing him like this, nonchalant and almost boyish. After all the heartbreak he’s endured, all the royal pressures, he deserves moments of pure joy.
Rose bounces on her toes, and her flame sprite mimics her actions. “Do the dragon thing again!”
Sterling obliges by drawing water once more from the pitcher. This beast is larger, more detailed. The water-dragon swoops low over Rose’s head, and her giddy squeal rings out as she pursues it around the furniture.
“Careful with my papers!” I clasp my cheeks in my hands as Rose nearly tramples the scattered documents.
“Sorry.” His eyes shine with leftover adrenaline and the thrill of discovery. “Rivlan says I’m progressing faster than he expected. That my potential…” He trails off, noticing something in my expression. “What?”
“Nothing.” I wave off his concern and force another smile.
His own smile fades, the euphoria dimming from his eyes. The water-dragon spews a tiny flame of steam at Rose and leads her in another direction, keeping her occupied as he moves closer to me. “But?”
“But nothing. Truly.” I stroke his cheek and find his skin warmer than usual. “You’re…glowing.”
“Rivlan says that’s normal.” Sterling leans into my touch. “Part of becoming a guardian. Renewed vigor and health.” His eyes search mine. “I wish you could feel it, Lark. The power, yes, but more than that. The purpose.”
My chest tightens again, an uncomfortable pressure building behind my ribs. Not fear exactly. Not fear for him. But…if Sterling’s discovered his purpose, where does that leave us?
