“Do I have to beg for us to train under the shade?” Chiara asked with a low grumble, her eyes darting toward Sofia, who wiped sweat from her forehead with a sigh. “We can still get gross and sweaty, even as Fae. And technically, the shade is part of the earth.”
“An argument that’s both compelling and creative,” I snickered, though my attention strayed as my eyes landed on Leonardo.
He stood near Graziana, hands submerged in the fountain’s basin. Water rippled and splashed under his touch, shimmering with threads of cobalt magic. His shirt, tossed carelessly over a nearby bench, revealed his sculpted chest catching the sunlight.
One moment, he was focused on the water. The next, his pale eyes were locked on mine, bridging the thirty feet between us as if we were the only ones here.
“You look like you’re about to have heatstroke,” Chiara teased, looping her arm through mine and tugging me away. Her laughter bubbled up when she caught Leonardo’s smirk-a silent dare for me to join him. “Let’s get you into the shade before you faint. Can’t have my trainer flaking out on me.”
“I would never,” I replied, mock offended, though the temptation to slip away was almost unbearable.
Chiara and I settled beneath a sprawling oak tree, its branches providing a cool sanctuary while the others trained in the open. As I folded my legs beneath me, the grass tickled my palms.
“We’re starting with something simple-like growing a flower or any plant.” I shrugged, offering her a sheepish grin. “I’ve never done it myself, but I know that once you connect to your magic, you tell it what to do. Be specific, focus, and pour effort into it. That’s how you keep things controlled and predictable.”
“So, we’re both still in training,” Chiara deadpanned, though her expression cracked into a grin. “We’re stumbling through this together?”
“Exactly,” I agreed wholeheartedly.
Closing her eyes, Chiara sank her fingers into the soil, her face calm and serene. There was something grounding about the way she seemed to hum in sync with the earth. I followed suit, pressing my fingers into the soil as my thoughts drifted to memories of home.
The first thing that came to mind was an apple tree-Dad had tried to plant one once. He’d harvested the apples too early, sour and green, but his stubborn determination to eat them all made us laugh for weeks.
Lost in the warmth of that memory, I nearly missed the shift beneath us. The ground trembled faintly, pulling me from my thoughts. Sunlight pierced through the branches as my eyes snapped open to meet Chiara’s.
We both scrambled back as a crack split the earth where I’d been sitting. Thin green vines snaked through the opening, twisting and thickening as they reached skyward. One vine became ten, then a hundred, as roots flattened against the ground and branches stretched outward. Emerald leaves sprouted, and small, unripened fruits dotted the new tree’s limbs.
“Don’t,” I warned as Chiara reached for one of the fruits. My voice softened, the memory of my father vivid in my mind. “They’re not ripe yet. They need a few months.”
“You made unripe apples?” She arched a brow, her braided hair sliding over her shoulder.
“That part wasn’t intentional.” I laughed just as Carlo and Enrico jogged over.
“Damn, Ella!” Enrico grinned, swiping sweat from his brow. His gray tank top clung to him, smelling faintly of the ocean. “You’ve made enough apples to feed the pack for weeks!”
“They’re not ripe,” Chiara chimed in, but Enrico grabbed one anyway, biting into the sour fruit.
Chiara’s grin widened as she gestured a few feet away. “I made something too!” she announced proudly. She stepped aside, revealing a delicate rose.
The petals shimmered blue.
“Do blue roses actually exist, or did you just create the first one?” Enrico asked, reaching out to touch it.
Chiara swatted his hand away, smirking. “I guess I made the first.” She shot me a gleeful look. “I’m going to try again-maybe something bigger.”
Leaning against the tree I’d created, I watched everyone dive into their training. Chiara’s roses began to dot the earth around her, vibrant and beautiful. Sofia and Carlo worked tirelessly, their contrasting approaches revealing the unique edges of their magic. And then there was Leonardo and Enrico, knee-deep in the fountain, pelting each other with water and laughing between half-serious jabs.
“Take him down, Enrico!” I hollered, my voice cutting across the park.
Leonardo’s head whipped toward me, his jaw dropping in surprise just as a massive wave of water slammed into his chest, splashing up his torso and soaking his pants.
You made me lose, his raspy voice murmured in my mind, curling around my thoughts like a warm breeze. Care to play, kitten?
I walked toward him slowly, deliberately, every step knowing his gaze was locked on me.
“You joining, Ella?” Enrico asked, grinning as he bounced in the water.
“Of course.” I smirked, kicking off my shoes and tossing them onto the bench. “You two don’t get all the fun. Besides, I need the training. Pressure brings out the best in me.”
With a mischievous grin, I stepped into the cool water, letting it soak through my leggings.
“The rules are simple: first two out of the fountain lose,” Graziana called out, her smirk daring us on.
“I’m game,” Enrico replied, his grin widening as his eyes flickered to me. “No holding back, Ella. Only water magic.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I smirked back, raising my hand as water began to swirl. “But don’t think for a second that I plan on losing.”