Moon Blessed

Chapter 6 ~ Tender Moments

    Nastasia released a pent up breath as she raised her hands and summoned her magic. The starlight answered at once, crackling with cold energy. She willed it into shape, keeping her eyes open and her gaze fixed on the pulsing magic. She'd been working on different tricks ever since she woke up, knowing that sleep wouldn't find her after her dream and the warning the Soothsayer had given her.

    After an entire day of practicing, she was beginning to feel weary but proud. She'd already figured out three new moves, including shielding. The starlight hardened into a large round disk at her fingertips and Nastasia curved her hand into a fist, letting the shield reposition at her forearm. She eyed her wall warily, then lunged at the marble, bracing herself with the shield.

    Nastasia collided with the wall and was knocked backwards instantly. She grunted as she hit the floor and rolled. She sucked down a few deep breaths before sitting up. Her shield was still intact upon her arm, not even a scratch to be seen.

    "Did I just watch you purposefully run into a wall?" Nikolai laughed behind her.

    Nastasia glanced over her shoulder as he closed the door to the secret passage hidden behind her bookcase. Nikolai pushed the case back into place and offered her a hand. Her shield faded as Nastasia let him help her up. "I was testing out my shield."

    "By running into a wall?"

    "I needed to test its durability using force. I can't exactly hit myself forcefully with a weapon at that angle."

    "So you decided to run into a wall?" Nikolai's amber-flecked brown eyes twinkled with amusement.

    Nastasia blushed and looked away. "It was the wall or a door."

    "I'm already thinking of ways to turn this into a poem."

    "Don't you dare!" Nastasia gasped. Her hand flew at his chest, but Nikolai caught her by the wrist.

    "Silly Nasi, sweet and true, ran into a wall, then yelled 'Screw you!'," Nikolai teased.

    "I would never say something like that," she protested.

    "You're absolutely right. I've heard you say worse." Nastasia jerked in his grasp, the flush in her face growing warmer by the second. "Come now, Princess. Don't be embarrassed." Nikolai grinned, flicking her chin with his knuckle before releasing her.

    "Sometimes I think you're terrible," Nastasia huffed.

    "Sometimes I think you don't mean that."

    "I do."

    Nikolai simply chuckled and dropped into a nearby chair. Nastasia didn't miss the faint wince that crossed his features and apprehension curled in her gut. She sat down on the arm of the chair and tweaked one of the curls that hung over his brow. "Alexei said you've been up since dawn today. Is everything all right?" He asked.

    "Yes, I just had a strange dream. I spoke to Stepan about it."

    "And?"

    Nastasia averted her eyes. "Apparently my purpose as a Moon Blessed will soon be revealed." Nikolai grasped her hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm just afraid of what that means. Will I have to marry Emperor Kazimir? Will I have to do something worse? Am I going to die like the other Moon Blessed?"

    Nikolai held both of her hands now and looked her square in the eye. "I wish I could tell you what to expect. I wish I could say that everything will be all right, but truthfully, I can't because I don't know. All I can say for certain is regardless of what happens, I'll be right here. I won't let you face this alone."