Chapter 20 New Abilities
Lana's POV
I woke up to discover something astonishing. Kian was three miles away; I knew this instinctively; stationed at the eastern defensive line.
And I could feel him as clearly as if we were touching. The bond between us was like a golden thread connecting our very souls, and through it, I could sense his location, his emotional state, his physical well-being.
"Oh my.....This is wonderful," I gasped in realization.
More than that, I could communicate with him wordlessly. Not complete thoughts or sentences, but impressions and emotions and urgent warnings.
When I reached out experimentally through the bond, I felt him immediately turn his attention to me. His presence bloomed in my mind like a sunrise, warm and safe and absolutely welcoming.
"Good morning, love," he sent, and the simple act of receiving his thoughts made my heart skip.
"How are you feeling?"
"Stronger," I responded, testing the connection. "The bond is incredible."
I felt his satisfaction flow back through the link, mingled with something that felt a lot like pride.
My power had stabilized dramatically overnight. The wild, explosive energy that had characterized my Eclipse abilities for so long was now refined and controlled.
The transformation was nothing short of miraculous.
I spent the early morning exploring my new capabilities in the training grounds, a large arena that had been rebuilt overnight with reinforced materials specifically designed to withstand the kind of power I wielded. By mid-morning, Kian had returned from the defensive line, and we sparred together.
The moment we began, I understood what he'd meant about amplification. His power flowed through me like a second heartbeat, magnifying my own abilities, making me faster and stronger and more capable than I'd ever been.
Conversely, I could feel my Eclipse energy feeding into him, making his Alpha strength seem almost otherworldly.
"You're stronger than before," he said after one particularly intense sparring session, his voice rough with exertion and something else; desire, pure and simple. We'd been fighting for over an hour, and we were both breathing hard, our bodies covered in a thin layer of sweat.
"You're amplifying my power through the bond," I said, understanding it instinctively. My mind felt clearer than it ever had, like the bond had opened new neural pathways I didn't know existed. "And I'm amplifying yours."
He pulled me closer, his hands sliding down my back, his fingers tracing the line of my spine. "Imagine what we could do together in actual battle. Side by side, our powers intertwined like this. We'd be nearly unstoppable."
I was imagining it. The thought of fighting alongside him, our powers woven together, supporting and amplifying each other, was intoxicating. I could see it so clearly! the two of us moving in perfect synchronization, our magic creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
We were interrupted by a sudden shift in the air- the unmistakable sensation of powerful magic arriving at the castle.
Nyx descended from the sky like she was made of wind and shadows, her form shifting between shapes as she approached.
A raven became a wolf and became a woman before my eyes. She wore her human form today; a tall woman with skin that seemed to shimmer between multiple colors and violet eyes that contained entire galaxies.
She moved with the fluid grace of something that didn't quite obey normal physical laws, as though she was constantly existing in multiple spaces simultaneously.
"The newly bonded pair," she said, her voice like wind chimes and distant thunder mixed together. "How absolutely delightful. You've already begun learning what true power means when two beings become one. I can see the connection between you from here; it glows like starlight."
"Nyx," Kian greeted her with respect, moving to stand between her and me in a protective stance that was probably unnecessary but deeply appreciated nonetheless. "We weren't expecting you so soon. I thought you were still gathering resources in the northern territories."
"I was," Nyx confirmed, her violet eyes fixing on me with an intensity that made my wolf want to retreat into the farthest corner of my mind. "But then I felt the completion of the bond, and I knew it was time. The girl; the Eclipse Wolf, needs training. Proper training. She's manifested more power in three days than most Eclipse Wolves manifest in three decades. Without proper guidance, without understanding how to channel and control that power, she'll burn herself out. She'll implode like a star collapsing in on itself."
The words landed like stones in still water. I'd known, intellectually, that I was dangerous. But hearing it stated so plainly, that without proper training, I would destroy myself, made the reality of my situation concrete and terrifying.
"And the Council?" Kian asked carefully. "What are they saying?"
"The Council is counting on her self-destruction," Nyx said flatly. "They expect her to explode spectacularly and take out half her own forces in the process. They believe she'll be their weapon and their solution all at once. It's why they'll be patient. It's why they haven't attacked again yet."
I felt my power surge in response to that revelation, my Eclipse energy wanting to lash out at enemies I couldn't see. Through the bond, Kian sent me calm certainty, grounding me.
"Will you teach her?" Kian asked. I'm sure he must have done his background check before deciding she was trustworthy enough to teach me.
Nyx smiled, an expression that transformed her ageless face into something almost approachable, almost warm. "I've been teaching her since before she was born. I've been watching over her for years, waiting for her awakening. I walked the paths of her ancestry when she was nothing but possibility in her mother's womb, a probability waiting to become real. Of course I'll teach her. She's my responsibility. She always has been."
She turned her full attention to me, and I felt Kian's hand find mine! offering support, offering confidence, offering everything I needed to face whatever was coming.
"I was mentor to the last Eclipse Wolf, a female named Serin. She was powerful and wild and beautiful, and ultimately, she destroyed herself and nearly destroyed everything around her. You won't make that mistake, little one. Because you have what Serin lacked; you have someone to anchor you. You have love that tempers power. You have a reason to survive beyond your own strength."
I wanted to ask about Serin, about what had happened, about how the last Eclipse Wolf had fallen. But Nyx was already gesturing for me to follow her toward the castle gardens, and Kian was squeezing my hand before releasing me.
"You've got this," he said quietly. "And I'll be here when you're done.”