Chapter
ten
Channel him?
He trulyismad.
I shake my head rapidly back and forth. “Soren, I can’t possibly—”
“You can. You will.” Impatience flaring, he grabs my hand and pulls me up. Our fingers interlock in a grip so tight I could not escape it if I tried. “Even the best natural rider learns better on a training saddle.”
“Are you the saddle in this analogy?”
His smirk is dark. “I’m the stallion.”
I don’t know how to respond to that, so I ignore it outright. My head tilts up to the rigging. The arachnida has momentarily retreated into the crow’s nest, folding its long legs into the lofted lookout perch like a born sailor. I doubt it will stay there for long.
“I’m guessing we have about two minutes before that thing comes at us again. So whatever you’re suggesting…” I eye him warily. “Do it already.”
“I’m not the one who has to do it. You are.”
“Me?”
“You.”
“Because I’m doing so well with the basics.” My words drip sarcasm. “You want to attempt an advanced maegic lesson right now?”
“I would not be attempting but succeeding if you would focus.”
“You know, not two hours ago you claimed you weren’t going to force me into Remnant lessons.”
“I’m not forcing you. You have a choice.” He shrugs. “Learn to channel or continue to bat the arachnida about like a child with a toy ball until you eventually drain your reserves, pass out, and find yourself sharing the same sad fate as the crew of theSelkie.”
“You call that a choice?”
“I never said it was a good choice.”
Gritting my teeth, I grip his hand tighter. “Fine. Tell me what to do.”
“You’re going to tap into my power through the Remnant bond.”
“Right.” I scoff. “You’re so adept at blocking me, I can barely feel our bond, let alone tap into it.”
He stares at me for a long moment before the admission. “For this to work, I’ll be forced to drop my mental guards. Just as you’ll drop yours.”
I suck in a sharp breath. I’m not sure I like the sound of that.
Soren in my head.
Me in his.
“The bond between us has…a certain elasticity, if you will. When I yield my grip, you can pull the slack into you. Pull my maegic into yours.” He pauses, gaze flickering up to the crow’s nest. Several legs are creeping over the sides, coarse hair scraping unpleasantly against the wood. “As this is your first time, I’llmake sure not to give you too much. Just enough to shore you up while you finish off our eight-legged friend up there.”
“That simple?”
“Hypothetically.” His eyes find mine again. They are very blue, very bright. “It’s been quite a long time since anyone’s channeled me.”
“What do you mean by—”