“Are you even trying to concentrate, kitten?” Leonardo’s voice dripped with amusement, the teasing lilt grating against my efforts to focus. This task Noemi had set before me was already going miserably, and Leonardo took great delight in my frustration, my muttered curses, and my small explosions of temper.
Leonardo had already made a connection with water, and Graziana had started training him on channeling and controlling the magic unique to his element. Each of us, apparently, had our own distinct magical signature, weaving magic in a way that no one else could replicate. I longed for the day I would finally connect with water myself, to break this tedious cycle.
“You know, you scrunch your nose when you’re concentrating,” he pointed out with a smirk, clearly enjoying my struggle. “Not trying to distract you or anything, but it’s… quite adorable.”
I clenched my teeth, trying to stay calm, my focus slipping as steam rose from the pool beneath me. My concentration finally snapped, and I let out a frustrated squeal, my patience spent.
“What is your problem?” I snapped, jabbing my finger against his chest.
Leonardo just wrapped his fingers around my hand, his expression softening into one of pure adoration. My anger fizzled out under the warmth of his gaze, dissolving like a weak flame.
“This approach clearly isn’t working for you, kitten.” He smirked, pulling me close until I could feel the warmth of his breath. “But that’s okay; it just means we’ll have to try a different way.”
“That doesn’t explain why the water itself won’t listen to me,” I mumbled, my frustration shifting into something more manageable.
Graziana chimed in as though it were obvious, “You’re simply not as in sync with water as you are with fire. Everyone has an element that calls to them the most. Here, among the Fae, it’s often clear, but you’re different. You balance all four elements, but each element clashes with parts of your personality.”
“So, what should I do, then, since I’m apparently ‘not in sync’ with water?” I challenged, trying to mimic Graziana’s words.
“Exactly what Leonardo said,” she replied with a knowing look, dipping her finger into the water. “You’re not as naturally attuned to water as he is.”
“Is there a way to fix that?” I asked, my tone tinged with hope. “Like, a fast way?”
“When is there ever?” Graziana scoffed, shaking her head. “This will take time. If you’re not connecting fully to your element, something is blocking you. The obstacles will eventually break down-usually without you even noticing.”
“So… I just have to wait?” I muttered, feeling my energy drain at the thought.
Noemi gave a playful smile. “Looks like that old saying applies here too-practice makes perfect.”
As the hours slipped by, Leonardo’s progress astounded even Graziana. He had an almost uncanny connection to his element. Though I wasn’t surprised, I couldn’t help admiring the ease with which he wove magic, as if the icy depths of winter had taken root in his very being.
“You’re opposites, yet you work well together,” Graziana noted, watching us with an intensity that made me shiver. I wanted to ask about the distant, almost wistful look in her eyes, but I couldn’t bring myself to. “Fire calls to you, just as water calls to him.”
“Noemi, do you think we’d be safer if our bond were fully completed?” Leonardo asked, glancing at me, his voice soft yet steady.
After a thoughtful pause, Noemi met his gaze with a seriousness beyond her years. “Yes, I believe so.” Relief blossomed within me, though it quickly faded when she admitted she didn’t know how we could complete the bond.
Graziana, with characteristic bluntness, asked, “Well, have you mated yet?” My cheeks burned, and I shot a wide-eyed look at Noemi, mortified.
Noemi rolled her eyes at my reaction, clearly unfazed. “I may be young, but I’m not clueless.”
Graziana shrugged, adding, “It might help,” then quickly returned to the topic of our training. Though my attempts with water hadn’t yielded much, I certainly didn’t mind watching Leonardo struggle through his own practice. At one point, he removed his shirt, and I could hardly keep my eyes off the sharp contours and defined lines of his form.
“Eyes on your own work, kitten,” he chided, his tone laced with affection. “Aren’t you supposed to be training?”
“Not nearly as entertaining as watching you,” I teased, unable to resist smiling.
My eyes drifted over the elaborate dragon tattoo that spanned his shoulder and wound down his back. Its scales glistened like freshly frozen ice, sharp teeth and watchful eyes radiating intelligence. There was a vibrancy to it now, a brightness that hadn’t been there before, as if it had awakened with him.
We planned to visit the garden tomorrow, with Noemi and Graziana assuring us it would be safe. After all those hours of sitting by a lukewarm pool, my muscles were sore and my energy spent, while Leonardo seemed invigorated by the magic he had tapped into.
Earth had been an easier element for me, and fire came naturally, but with water, I felt a strange distance. I recalled the wisp’s message that had helped me with earth, mentally scolding myself for not yet sharing it with Leonardo. With so much happening since our arrival in the Water Court, the thought had slipped my mind. But with Isotta’s ball on the horizon, and our preparations for it, I decided to bring it up later, when things calmed down.
After training, Noemi and Graziana led us to the tailor’s quarters. The spacious room, filled with luxurious lounges and circular tables, had platforms rising up for fitting and measuring. We were here to be dressed as though we were family, and Brigida, the sisters’ nanny and our trusted protector, seemed content to watch over us.
I couldn’t help but notice a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Brigida. Her skin had the same warm tint, her ears were just as elongated, yet there was something else-an aura of familiarity that tugged at my memory. I caught a flash of her face, my eyes widening as memories flooded back. I knew this woman; she looked like Brigida but held a spark, a mystery hidden beneath the protective magic that shimmered faintly around her.