Read Online Edge of Pathos (The Conjurors Series Book 4) by Kristen Pham - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kristen Pham
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potential ways to combat the new
light-sucking powers of the Fractus, but that was somehow less weird than her
interactions with Thai. Cyrus was always watching them, and she could sense
that he was waiting for a sign that she’d moved on.
Finally, Thai cornered
her at the Lake of Knowledge, where she’d gone for a dip to clear her mind.
“Hard to believe
that a few years ago, you didn’t know how to swim,” he said.
Valerie shook her
short hair to get the worst of the water out and wrapped herself in her towel.
“It reminds me that
I’m capable of overcoming something that really scares me,” she explained,
remembering the first time she’d leaped into the ocean. It was the fact that
she was so terrified that made her success so thrilling.
“You’ve come a long
way since then.”
“I’m more afraid
than ever,” she said with a shake of her head.
“I don’t think so.
You used to have your fear hidden away, but now it’s out in the open and you’re
dealing with it. I think that’s brave,” Thai said.
He’d stepped closer,
and Valerie wrapped herself even more tightly in her towel and started walking
home.
“Are you going to
tell me what’s going on between you and Cyrus?” he asked her when they reached
The Horseshoe.
Her heart hammered.
“He dumped me.”
Thai was quiet for a
long time. “I’m sorry. I know how much you love him.”
“But not as much as
I love you, and that’s why he’s gone,” she said.
He stopped her then,
taking her arm to turn her to face him.
“What did you say?”
Thai’s eyes were alive, his entire face lit up.
But she shook her
head. “I wanted you to know. But it doesn’t change anything. If he saw us
together, it would kill him. And I won’t do that.”
“But later, after
he’s moved on…” Thai started.
“I can’t give you
any promises, Thai. I don’t know who I’ll be if we ever come out the other side
of this war. I can’t stand to lose anyone else, and that means I’ll use my
vivicus power a lot. Even if my body survives this war, my mind might be
stripped away from using my magic.”
“You don’t get it,
Valerie. Even if your mind was lost and all that’s left is your heart, you
would still be the only one I want. When this is over, if all you need is a
friend to keep you safe, I’ll be your friend. If you need an ally to help you
recreate this world, I’ll be your ally. And if the day comes that you need a
man to love you with every cell of his body, I’ll be that man for you. But for
now, while you’re not sure what you need, how about I just be here for you?”
If Thai would have
touched her then, there wasn’t a force in the universe that could have stopped
her from kissing him. But he didn’t. He smiled at her, the rare one that made
her heart speed up and her mind slow down, and then he turned and continued
walking her home.
Chapter 9
Valerie woke up the
next morning with the sense that there was somewhere she needed to be,
somewhere important, but she couldn’t remember where it was. The air hummed with magic in a way that seemed out of sync with
the universe.
She found her
brother in the kitchen, and his nervous energy flowed from his mind to hers.
“Do you have any
idea what’s wrong?” she asked.
Henry shook his
head. “I checked in with Chisisi, and nothing has happened on Earth that he
knows of.”
As leader of the
Fist, Valerie ought to have done that already, instead of sleeping.
“I’m lucky I have
you here to keep us on track. I could never win this war without you,” she
said.
Henry turned, but
not before she saw the anguish on his face.
“I wish you’d tell
me whatever it is you’re afraid that I’ll find out,” she said softly.
“I can’t. Not yet,”
he said.
Valerie took a step
closer to him. “You can see inside my head. So why don’t you see how deep my
loyalty to you goes? Trust me.”
Henry’s hands
trembled. “That’s just it. I can see inside your head. I can see
light-sucking powers of the Fractus, but that was somehow less weird than her
interactions with Thai. Cyrus was always watching them, and she could sense
that he was waiting for a sign that she’d moved on.
Finally, Thai cornered
her at the Lake of Knowledge, where she’d gone for a dip to clear her mind.
“Hard to believe
that a few years ago, you didn’t know how to swim,” he said.
Valerie shook her
short hair to get the worst of the water out and wrapped herself in her towel.
“It reminds me that
I’m capable of overcoming something that really scares me,” she explained,
remembering the first time she’d leaped into the ocean. It was the fact that
she was so terrified that made her success so thrilling.
“You’ve come a long
way since then.”
“I’m more afraid
than ever,” she said with a shake of her head.
“I don’t think so.
You used to have your fear hidden away, but now it’s out in the open and you’re
dealing with it. I think that’s brave,” Thai said.
He’d stepped closer,
and Valerie wrapped herself even more tightly in her towel and started walking
home.
“Are you going to
tell me what’s going on between you and Cyrus?” he asked her when they reached
The Horseshoe.
Her heart hammered.
“He dumped me.”
Thai was quiet for a
long time. “I’m sorry. I know how much you love him.”
“But not as much as
I love you, and that’s why he’s gone,” she said.
He stopped her then,
taking her arm to turn her to face him.
“What did you say?”
Thai’s eyes were alive, his entire face lit up.
But she shook her
head. “I wanted you to know. But it doesn’t change anything. If he saw us
together, it would kill him. And I won’t do that.”
“But later, after
he’s moved on…” Thai started.
“I can’t give you
any promises, Thai. I don’t know who I’ll be if we ever come out the other side
of this war. I can’t stand to lose anyone else, and that means I’ll use my
vivicus power a lot. Even if my body survives this war, my mind might be
stripped away from using my magic.”
“You don’t get it,
Valerie. Even if your mind was lost and all that’s left is your heart, you
would still be the only one I want. When this is over, if all you need is a
friend to keep you safe, I’ll be your friend. If you need an ally to help you
recreate this world, I’ll be your ally. And if the day comes that you need a
man to love you with every cell of his body, I’ll be that man for you. But for
now, while you’re not sure what you need, how about I just be here for you?”
If Thai would have
touched her then, there wasn’t a force in the universe that could have stopped
her from kissing him. But he didn’t. He smiled at her, the rare one that made
her heart speed up and her mind slow down, and then he turned and continued
walking her home.
Chapter 9
Valerie woke up the
next morning with the sense that there was somewhere she needed to be,
somewhere important, but she couldn’t remember where it was. The air hummed with magic in a way that seemed out of sync with
the universe.
She found her
brother in the kitchen, and his nervous energy flowed from his mind to hers.
“Do you have any
idea what’s wrong?” she asked.
Henry shook his
head. “I checked in with Chisisi, and nothing has happened on Earth that he
knows of.”
As leader of the
Fist, Valerie ought to have done that already, instead of sleeping.
“I’m lucky I have
you here to keep us on track. I could never win this war without you,” she
said.
Henry turned, but
not before she saw the anguish on his face.
“I wish you’d tell
me whatever it is you’re afraid that I’ll find out,” she said softly.
“I can’t. Not yet,”
he said.
Valerie took a step
closer to him. “You can see inside my head. So why don’t you see how deep my
loyalty to you goes? Trust me.”
Henry’s hands
trembled. “That’s just it. I can see inside your head. I can see
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