Page 142 of Journey to the Elderoak
Her soulbond.
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“You’re not concentrating hard enough,” Raine instructed as Ava held out her hand.
“Yes, I am.”
She’d been trying to conjure a flower in her hand for the last hour. Sweat dripped from her brow as she stared at her palm, willing something to appear, for anything to happen. It was the second day of training her magic with Raine and she hadn’t summoned so much as a minuscule leaf.
Shoulders slumping, she let her hand fall to her side. “This is pointless. I can’t do anything.”
He glanced down and his eyes widened as he looked at her other hand, snatching it to inspect her palm. “Is that what I think it is?” He gasped.
She smiled sheepishly.
“You and Cas sealed the bond? And you didn’t tell me? You fuckers.”
She pulled out of his grip and put her hands on her hips. “Why would we tell you?”
“Because I’m your best friend. And his too. I’m offended.”He scoffed but wrapped his arms around her and spun her around. “I’m so happy for you!”
“Raine, put me down. You’re hurting me.” She laughed as he squeezed her.
“Sorry.” He let go. “So how was it?”
“How was what?”
“You know…the whole…intense sex afterward.”
“I’m not telling you that.” Her face turned bright red.
“That good, huh?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes. It was…quite good.”
“Quite good? Hmm…not ‘mind-blowing’ not ‘leg-quivering’…just quite good?”
“Okay, enough,” she said. “It was…all those things. But I’m not telling you details.”
“Damn. I’m jealous. I need Cas to takemeto bed.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” he said. “Regarding your power. Earlier you said you can’t do anything. Well, you can. I’ve seen it. After the journey.”
“That must have been a fluke. I used it all up or something.”
He shook his head. “You’re powerful, Ava. I can feel it. The others can too. You have more magic than you should at this point, and you still haven’t gone through your great tribulation.”
“So, what was your great tribulation?” she asked.
“Are you trying to distract me from your training?”
She crossed her arms. “No, but I’m curious.”
“This is not a very happy tale,” he said, eyes sad. “But I’ll tell you.”
He sat on the stone wall and gestured for her to sit next to him. Titus appeared from the treetops and swooped toward them, landing on Ava’s shoulder and nuzzling into her hair. Raine gave him a scratch on the head, and he released a contented growl.
