Chapter 73 Chapter 73
A sudden sharp gust of wind almost knocked Valerie and Maxwell off their feet. They stumbled, cursing and pausing their argument to glare at Vaughn, who in turn glowered at them. “You’re acting like children. Can’t you be more mature about it? Valerie needs to learn how to control the magic within her. You are both responsible for getting this done, so pull yourselves together.”
“Don’t interfere, Vaughn,” Maxwell snapped, particles of light appearing around his body.
“You know what? I think it’s best if we leave you alone now,” Esther cut in before they were at each other’s throats. She took Vaughn’s hand and pulled him after her, looking at Valerie. “Work together, not against each other, okay?”
And with that, the couple walked away, soon vanishing between the trees. Valerie stared after them with furrowed brows, not believing that they had just left her alone with the ill-tempered demon who certainly did not plan on helping her at all. She hadn’t expected this; had hoped that Esther could teach her.
Maxwell gave her a piercing glare that made her stomach churn. He hadn’t looked at her like that since he had first met her, and a part of her felt hurt by it, while another part was livid at him. His dislike for her had suddenly come back after Uriel’s appearance had messed everything up.
Valerie had to learn to accept that whatever had been between her and Maxwell was gone now. She bit her lower lip hard, thinking about how they had kissed, how comfortable she had felt sleeping next to him, and how he had comforted her.
She had seen him as someone who had a soft core beneath a hard shell, but then he had gone and tortured a human to death… and the picture she had of him blurred and became unrecognizable. She had no idea what to think of him anymore.
“They weren’t very helpful,” Maxwell complained slowly, crossing his arms. He looked around in the forest with disinterest and annoyance swimming in his eyes. It was another warm summer day that could have been perfect, had they not been stuck in a conflict with each other.
“They weren’t, so we’ll just have to do it alone,” Valerie said and looked at him expectantly. “Let’s get it done. I don’t want to spend more time with you than necessary.”
A low growl reached her ears. It made her shudder, but she tried not to let it show.
“Fine,” he said, and instantly released the hold he had on the light magic within her. She felt the change and was overwhelmed by it. Brightness burst before her eyes as raw magic poured out of her uncontrollably. It was like a hurricane, wild and untamed, impossible to get a grasp on. She tried to focus and somehow hold it together, but she didn’t succeed. No matter how hard she fought it, she got nowhere.
“This isn’t how it works,” she heard Maxwell nagging, and when her anger at him surged, so did the magical power. It went out of control completely, shooting off in all directions. Most of it was directed at him, but the beams of light never reached him, vanishing before they could touch him. Bending light came as easily to him as breathing. He didn’t need to think about it.
“Then how does it work?” Valerie yelled. She was tiring fast with the raging flow of magic tearing through her body, and so far, Maxwell hadn’t done a thing to help her. “I can’t contain it. It’s impossible to grasp.”
“You’re not supposed to fight it, you idiot. It’s a part of you, you need to accept it.”
“Easy for you to say,” she replied, frustratedly. The wild flow of light around her was dizzying and so bright that her eyes were starting to hurt. The magic was foreign to her; it didn’t feel like a part of her yet. She needed more time to get used to it; this wouldn’t just work from one minute to the next.
“You have to calm down first. As long as you don’t even have a grip on yourself, it won’t work.”
“Can you leave me alone for a moment?” she asked.
He watched her with an unreadable expression, not letting her see what he was thinking. “Is that a good idea? Knowing you, you will do something stupid as soon as I’m out of sight.”
“Please. Just for a moment.”
He held eye contact with her, his gaze piercing and heavy. “Ten minutes. Not more.”
She heaved a sigh, watching him disappear between the trees to leave her alone for a while. She welcomed the silence around her and the loneliness. Sinking to her knees, she sat on the soft moss-covered forest ground and listened to the sounds of nature: the quiet chirps of the birds, the rustling leaves. The atmosphere around her was peaceful, a stark contrast to the raw power that raged through her being. Orbs of light floated around her, changing their shape, brightening, and dimming. Her hands radiated brightness and heat that was beginning to get uncomfortable.
Recalling Maxwell’s words, Valerie attempted to calm her mind first, which was easier said than done. There was so much resentment in her heart, so much guilt, that she had trouble focusing. His hate-filled insults were circling in her head, not giving her any time to rest. She had to admit that she missed having him around her without arguing nonstop. Hadn’t they gotten along so well lately?
She had been happy, had even begun to accept the bond, and now it was all ruined and fucked up. Since she knew it was partly her fault, some of the hatred within her heart was directed at herself. This feeling, along with many others, prevented her from concentrating on her magic.
She remembered seeing Maxwell create a ball of light in his palm. It had looked so easy, effortless even, but to her, it was impossible to do. The light did not do what she wanted; it seemed to have a mind of its own.
She remembered his gorgeous smile, the one he had only shown her once when she had surprised him by gifting him a new chain. It had been brighter than any light and had filled her with warmth and happiness. She found herself wondering if she would see it again, but somehow she doubted it, and it made her sad.