Chương 32: Holy terror

Ch 32: Holy terror Isa's world had completely collapsed in less than twenty-four hours. Her brothers, however estranged by palace life, had been killed, making her heir to their house. Her father had shown himself willing to sacrifice her happiness and safety for power. And now… Everything she had ever known to be certain, to be true, to be relied on had… well, it had literally burned.

Her endless pool had been taken, had been used, had been almost overcome by a man and wizard who she realized might have drained her.

Maybe even killed her. And in the moment, she hadn't even cared. Isa's whole body felt like it was on fire. Her skin was hot to the touch. An ache had started in her gut and pushed down between her legs, and she could feel so much wetness she just prayed the robe could hide it. She knew instantly Felix had marked her soul. Even now she could feel him inside her, a force of nature pulling at the calm waves of her sea. She couldn't stop him. She hadn't wanted to stop him.

"By shit and piss and all that's holy. What in the name of all sacred and whore-mongering things and all my fucking ancestors just happened here!" High Wizard Hasha had arrived. He came waddling in without his wizards, waving a hand at the fog-filled hall, glaring with a red face and wide eyes. He looked at Isa and Cici and Cara, then the ash on the floor, and finally at a dazed Felix. He ran a hand over his bald head.

"We barely stopped him. Even in a hall full of wards. I've never seen anything remotely … is he drained enough? I should fucking hope so!" Isa had no idea what to say. The truth was 'no, he isn't, not even for you'. And it wasn't the wizards who'd stopped him. She knew that, but it didn't seem wise to say so. She could lie, but there was no point because Hasha would soon discover the reality for himself. She could offer to drain him more. Except if she did that, it was very possible she'd be bonded.

Not that she disliked the idea. In fact she was considering doing it 'accidentally'. But no. She had responsibilities. She had to preserve her family's honor and her own name now that she'd be head of the house. It was too soon for that. She had to be patient… They could also wait for more pools and keep at it. Except she wasn't sure Felix could even channel again or control himself if he did. He'd almost instantly lost control, and it was no wonder with a soul of fire like that. He'd almost certainly marked Cici.

With a single use! And despite the fact that she was a fire pool. The thought sent another very annoying pang of jealousy through her body, which she tried desperately to fight off. She knew it was inevitable. She'd brought her friend partly because if it happened with her it wouldn't be so bad. Though she hadn't seen the girl in a year and she'd forgotten just how beautiful she was. And it seemed she'd gotten bolder with time. Which was kind of annoying.

"Well?" Hasha stepped forward and glared. She had to say something.

"I…don't think so, Uncle." Isa held the front of her robe together.

"You can try. But if you want to wait for other pools, I fear I can't try again without…"

"There are no other pools!" Hasha practically spit.

"No one will touch him. Your father would have to force them or bribe them and it'll take time and cost him valuable political capital with whatever family the girls come from. And in case you didn't notice we're basically in a god cursed house war." The big man sighed and stepped towards Felix.

"I'm going to cast a spell now. Don't bloody burn me." He jabbed a finger at Isa.

"I may need help. You haven't been too reckless, I hope?" What he really meant was 'you haven't let him drain and bond you, right?' Isa blushed and shook her head. Hasha let out some obvious relief before gently taking her wrist. He put the other on a still wobbling Felix, muttering words and numbers meant to help create a kind of magical structure for his spell. Blue light flared. Felix's face scrunched in discomfort but he didn't pull away. Isa was no longer afraid for him.

She knew the high wizard would fail no matter what he did. She couldn't even imagine a water spell penetrating the heat she still saw and felt in Felix's soul. It was a miracle. Impossible. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Hasha grunted and drew power from Isa. She helped as best she could, letting the mana flow as she'd done for him many times. She realized her mistake a few seconds later. Hasha floated into her soul.

He'd done it so many times she hadn't even thought about it. He stared at the waves, the floating ship that belonged to Felix, the moon hanging on the horizon.

"By the gods," he whispered.

"How is that possible? I've never seen anything even touch your pool. It's…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

"He's marked it. Considerably. And he's a fire wizard." Isa had no explanation. Felix had drawn so much power so quickly. He'd practically dived down into her soul like it was always his, at home in her sea. The only explanation she could think of (besides his incredible power), was that she had desperately wanted him to. But she obviously couldn't say that. Fortunately, her uncle was rather busy. His spell grew and took shape, the power visibly wrapping around a still dazed Felix.

"Let go of him," Hasha commanded.

"He might try and draw more power." Isa pulled away from Felix with considerable effort. The warmth of him was worse than addictive, it made her feel safe and excited and good in a way she'd never experienced in her life. His brow furrowed as she moved, and he wouldn't let go of her hand for several seconds. When Cici managed to extract herself on the other side, too, his eyes popped back open. Hasha winced and shook, his hand still on Felix's shoulder.

He pulled at Isa's mana like he was dying of thirst, the image of him in her soul blazing with power.

"Why are you here?" Hasha's voice trembled as if through water.

"What are you planning?" Felix looked confused. He stared out at the power around him as if he watched dancing fireflies. He smiled, and Isa felt the power in the air shift and recede, as if he'd stopped resisting.

"Just a leaf in the wind," he said, smiling.

"Or I was. Now I plan to marry Isa, and keep her safe from all you rascal islanders. I'll take her on a ship to see the world. And we'll make pretty little mixed babies." With that, Felix blew at the water power all around him with a physical breath, like a child blowing bubbles. It vanished with a pop. He grinned and took a deep breath, still lost in the euphoria of using so much mana. Isa melted at the look, and desperately wanted to see it more. And in much different contexts.

As his spell and mana shredded, Hasha tumbled from Isa's soul with a helpless cry, a bird in a hurricane. He dripped with sweat and wiped at his brow, stepping away with a long look at Isa before his shoulders slumped.

"The spell… was a success," he said, with a kind of defeated misery. Isa felt bad for the proud man. To see him so humbled, so helpless against some foreign wizard who hardly even understood magic. They both knew his spell had only worked because Felix managed to allow it. Now here they were, Isa's father proven wrong. Which meant there would be no easy answers and some foreigner couldn't be blamed. It meant trials and house politics and an uncertain future none of them could yet predict. So why wasn't she afraid?

Why didn't she look like her uncle or Cara not far behind them? Instead she felt a kind of hope—a belief that not only was the world not ending, but that it might get better than it was before. The answer was Felix. And the way she felt. Hearing the words he'd said under the truth spell. He felt the same way she did. He'd changed his mind and wanted to stay and be with her and protect her. It was everything she could do to stop herself from smiling like a fool.

Hasha took a deep breath, and then another, each one seeming to restore him a little. Felix, too, was coming back to his senses. He was still stark naked, but at least the very difficult-not-to-stare at erection had gone. He caught Isa looking and grinned.

"Don't look so god cursed pleased," Hasha said with a glance back at the others.

"I still have to tell your father you've been marked," he said to Isa, then jabbed a finger at Felix.

"And I have to tell him you're a holy fucking terror. And you almost killed me and a handful of other wizards by accident." The big man sighed, slumping like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He was a good man. She knew everything he did was for their house and family. He even gave her a small smile.

"But maybe a holy terror is what we need. And I can't hate a man who wants to protect my favorite niece, and father her children, can I?" Isa fought the tears and shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Felix grinned and clapped Hasha on the shoulder, giving Isa a look that wobbled her knees.

"Don't remember saying anything. But it sounds like me. Now can we go eat something? I'm starving. Also some pants would be nice." Hasha snorted and shook his head, waving them down the tunnel as he walked away.

"He still has to pass the tests!" he called over his shoulder.

"And there'll be no wedding until everything's official. And he'll need fucking etiquette training. We can't have a lord consort who sounds like a gutter-born foreign sailor!" The irony of that seemed lost on her uncle. And she lost the battle against her sob. She could hardly believe what she was hearing, what was happening. How could so much happen in a single day? How could your life and fate rise and fall, how could you both gain and lose so much so fast?

She tried to float in the waters of her soul and find calm, except even there the waves Felix had made were rocking her gently but firmly out of the still-frame that had been her life. Warm hands and then arms found her and pulled her in. She buried her face into Felix's chest and wept as he held her.

"You see?" he said.

"It'll work out just like it's supposed to." She sobbed and laughed and tried not to notice an awkward Cici and Cara standing right there. In that moment she was safe and happy, protected and warm in Felix's arms. She had no idea how it was possible, or how any of this was happening, but it was. Her uncle was her father's most important adviser. He'd convince him. Isa would marry a man she wanted. A wizard so powerful he dwarfed and terrified the strongest water wizard in the isles.

A man who wanted her, who wanted to protect her. And maybe together they could protect her family, protect them all.

"So, how long until everything's 'official'," Felix asked.

"Are we talking weeks? Months? No rush or anything. Just curious." She could feel his manhood hard and pressing into her again. But she just shook with a laugh as she squeezed.