Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

The situation last night had left little doubt of what he had to do next. But he didn’t trust himself. Not when he’d made such poor decisions in the past. He needed a second opinion. He needed to know if it was safe to continue down this road, or if he was putting Jess and everyone in this territory at risk.

There were few things in the world he dreaded more than asking his brother to help him with that. But Kingsley was the person best poised to help.

“I’m good,” Austin said. “Let me know what time you want to train with the mage. I’m curious to see what he can do.”

“I’ll text you.”

“And I’ll let you know about my brother. Depending on his answer and his schedule, you’ll have a better idea for that RSVP.”

She bobbed her head, her eyes tightening again. Nervousness flared through the link. She was probably wondering if he’d mention last night.

His answering hunger made her gasp.

He about-faced and walked away. Safer to keep those things at a distance until Kingsley arrived. He had always been the logical one, preferring to think things through rather than rushing in headfirst.

Of course, it remained to be seen whether he would come at all, given the way Austin had left.

Eleven

“Okay, ready?” I asked Austin, who stood across the clearing in the woods behind Ivy House with a knife in hand.

My son, tired from touring the town and surrounding nature on foot, had been content to play his video games for a while, so I’d snuck away to train. I wasn’t ready for him to see me bumbling around with magic. It would strip my new “rad mom” tag right off.

“Go for it.” Austin flared his arms from his sides a little, ready for my pounding.

“Now, Jessie, remember what the book said.” Edgar hunched over the large volume of the second training book, tracing the lines he’d recently translated. The spells in this book were much easier for him to read than the ones in the first volume. “It’s a spell meant to disarm. Too much power and you’ll literally rip an arm off. We’re starting to get into the big leagues now.”

“She’ll have this one just fine,” Niamh said, standing to the side with Jasper and Ulric. Mr. Tom stood behind Edgar, peering over his shoulder. “She has no problem following directions. It’s when she tries to change the spells that everything goes tits up.”

“Yes, thank you for that lesson on what we already know,” Mr. Tom said.

“If he knew it, why’d he say that?” she snapped.

I flexed my fingers, chancing a glance at Sebastian, who sat to my left on a log, placidly watching us. He’d suggested that I train as usual—he wanted to gauge where I was, magically speaking, before he gave any suggestions.

“You sure you’re ready?” I asked Austin, licking my lips. I hated this part. He was my human guinea pig, and most of the spells I tried out caused him pain or discomfort.

He nodded, and nothing but expectation and support swirled through the link.

Why did the connection feel so completely different now than it had last night? It had almost felt like his actual hands were cupping my breasts, and his slow thrusting—

“Where did yer mind go?” Niamh shouted, bracing her hands on her hips. “This isn’t the time to think dirty thoughts, girl. Keep yer head in the game!”

My face flared with heat and lust blasted through the connection from Austin.

“I made it different. I know how to control the link, and you don’t,” Ivy House said. I’d apparently broadcast my internal debate to her. I occasionally did that without realizing it. It was like talking to myself, but with an audience. “You’ve been a prude for far too long.”

I formed the spell without thought. Niamh was right—I could always perfectly execute the spells in the book. The act of Edgar reading them planted them in my brain as if they’d always been there, waiting to be released.

“You know how to alter the link?” I asked as I released the spell.

“You don’t?”

I frowned at her as the spell reached Austin. It swirled around his body. The knife fell out of a suddenly limp hand. His expression didn’t change, but pain bled through the link. He sank to his knees, his muscles popping, straining his tight white T-shirt and pushing at his sweats. Trembling, he struggled to stand.

“What’s happening?” I asked, my focus narrowing in on him as I jogged over. “What’s it doing? I thought it was supposed to just disarm him.”

“He’s a shifter,” Sebastian said. “His animal is a weapon.”

“But…” I looked at Edgar. “What’s it doing to him?” I shouted.

“Let me just…” Edgar’s finger moved faster over the book.

“I’m…good…” Austin wheezed, on his hands and knees, head bowed. Pain drowned me through the connection.