Page 4 of Luna

Chapter Three

LUNA

Crashing waves pulledLuna from sleep. Waves? Her eyelids flew open as she jerked upright. Sahara’s sand reef miles offshore protected Thornica’s land from wave erosion. Where was she? When her sight failed to adjust to the surrounding darkness, her pulse began to race. Slowly, she reached out. Memories of the male who’d struck her rushed back. Luna gripped her temples in both hands, her head was pounding. The urge to drop her skull back against the comforting earth was strong, but she needed answers. How had she gotten here? Wherever here was.

Packed earth supported her raised feet. Extending her one hand, she trailed her fingertips against rock, smooth in places, rough in others. Dew droplets coated the chilled pads of her fingers. It was then she noticed currents of cold filling the air, the salty brine on her tongue. She sucked in a breath. It would be too risky for them to be found together, but she scented the male who’d saved her life. Luna bit her lip, before he spoke.

“Kole,” she whispered his name into the night, knowing he had ushered her to safety.

Without a sound, piercing blue eyes appeared in front of her face.

“I’m here, female.”

“Dear Goddess,” she screeched, striking out before she registered her actions. Her fist made contact with Kole’s jaw, snapping his head back.

Cringing at her unwarranted aggression, Luna scrambled to her knees. To her surprise, laughter, low and filled with mirth echoed in through the stony chamber.

“You scared me,” Luna said in a rush.

“I thought I'd ask how you fared. I feel your strength has returned.” He chuckled, moving to the space beside her. His toned thigh touched her calf. Luna inhaled his crisp scent, a calming mix of cool sea spray and night musk.

“Where are we?” They’d never been this close before, for which she was grateful. Kole intoxicated her senses. Inside a jumbled mix of emotions flared to life—confusion, gratitude, and lust. Seizing her power, Luna pulled energy into her palm, creating a single light beam. The glow cast the angles of Kole’s face. The goddess had gifted this male with deep set ice blue eyes and long sable locks shorn at the temples. Everything about this male spoke to the gilded edge he teetered—the sharp nose, chiseled cheek bones, the roughed jawline with two days of growth.

“How is your head?” he asked instead of answering her question.

The temptation he posed exceeded her expectation. She’d felt the pull of him all those moons ago, but assumed it was the thrill of flirting with the forbidden. Now, she knew the truth. It was him.

“It hurts.” She swallowed. She’d waited so many moon cycles to understand why, when she’d lowered her guard, he’d unleashed his power and crippled her land.

“Why did you stay with me?”

He reached for her, then stopped as if afraid he might hurt her. Luna thought of the rumors about Kole’s brother and his fire elemental, Cindra. How the former enslaved elemental had been strong enough to withstand a warrior’s touch. Was Luna capable of the same? Before she talked herself out of it, she grabbed Kole’s hand. Luna jerked at the instant cold. A jolt of energy rattled her bones with an electrical overload she’d never felt. Kole tried to snatch his hand away, but Luna held tight. Now that the shock had passed, she modulated her internal water levels

“Let go,” he bellowed.

Luna craned her neck up at the male. He was stronger, but she was more determined.

“You’re not hurting me, you big ice cube,” she shot back. “Feel,” she said, her voice softer.

His fingers were long and calloused like his palm. Probably, from wielding his sword in the training yard, as well as the battlefield. She had similar marks on her own skin. Her father understood that females could die by the sword as well as a male. Even with their unique powers, the king had decreed that all his offspring were hunters first, royals second.

“Blessed be the goddess. She saw fit to shine her favor upon me. How are you doing this, Luna?”

“I can regulate water, in me and in nature. I can absorb your cold, while keeping my core temperature warmer.”