Those Who Fear the Darkness (BloodRunes: Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

the motions so that together they were
swimming. Her heartbeat slowed to a more normal pace, and she
coughed and sputtered out the last of the water. “Want to try
something new I just thought of?” he asked her and she nodded.
“Remember how you made the water boil the first time you touched
the power?”
    She nodded again.
    “Well, what if you were to do that again
here, except this time you can control it better so that you can
heat it up only a small amount and contain the area to the inch or
so just around your body. That way we can just be in a nice big hot
bathing pool and we’ll be to the other side before you know
it.”
    Layna turned her attention inward, grateful
for this distraction. The great wave of water that her mind had
built up in her imagination dwindled and calmed.
    She opened herself to the power, and
immediately felt more confident. She focused it on the water around
her, inching up the temperature bit by bit until she was enveloped
by a warm and safe sensation. She had to use some trial and error
to figure out how to get it to move with her. Her first attempt had
been to be constantly heating the new water that was rushing in as
her body moved, but this was draining on the power and created a
cold ‘draft’ that she didn’t care for. She eventually altered it so
that the layer of water directly touching her was warmed and
actually moved with her rather than allowing it to flow freely away
as it normally would.
    She noticed Gryffon struggling with this
alteration and she nudged his magic with her own so that they were
both traveling in comfort. Layna sent another spell towards Charles
as well, aware that he was unable to provide such a luxury for
himself.
    Her limbs stopped shaking from the cold and
from fear, and her confidence grew. She remembered how well she
could swim and was keenly aware of the power available while
maintaining an open channel which further convinced her that she
was safe. There was no limit to what you could dream up with magic.
Perhaps she would invent a spell which allow her to breathe
underwater and then she wouldn’t have to ever worry again.
    She squeezed Gryffon’s hand. The expression
he gave her was filled with affection, and she sent a tendril of
happiness over the power line to him. The intimate contact was
almost as exciting as their kiss and she broke it quickly before
she let too much emotion flow over.
    Before she realized it, they were at the
other shore and Gryffon helped her to her feet and onto the rocky
shore. She held onto his hand for a moment longer than necessary
and he didn’t seem to mind. Elation shot through her. But she had
to let go so that they could get dressed, so she did so reluctantly
and then dried all of their clothes with a thought.
    Gryffon and Charles both expressed their
gratitude of this deed and Layna was warmed by their praise. She
was also sufficiently impressed with her ability to manipulate it
so easily.
    She broke contact with the power and
immediately lost her sense of total confidence, but her happiness
remained and she felt as though she would be able to cross back
through the river should the need arise without too much
trouble.
    They readied themselves for riding once more
and mounted, and after Gryffon took a moment to orient them they
set out towards where he thought would be a good place to get a
message through the border.
    They wound through the forest, thick vines
and underbrush grew up everywhere and Layna was glad for Gryffon’s
excellent tracking ability or she would have been sure that they
were horribly lost. As it was, they soon spotted sunshine ahead of
them, marking the edge of the trees and as they emerged, the
curtain of the border could be seen once more.
    Layna was just as impressed, if not more so,
by the sight up close. Gryffon led them right up next to it and
Layna put out a hand to touch it. She stopped her fingertips inches
from the shimmering light.
    “Is it safe to touch?” she asked Gryffon,