Magic of Winter: (Reverse Harem Serial) (Winter Princess Book 3)

by Skye MacKinnon

  From the way the water moves, I can feel that Frost is coming closer.

  "Now extend your magic. Reach into the water, explore it. Don't try to change it though. Just see what happens."

  That's strange. I've never used my magic to explore something. Usually I just throw it out there, lighting a candle (or a house) or opening my curtains. This is new. I'm amazed that I've never thought of doing this before. But then, nobody has ever bothered to teach me (yes, mother, I'm talking to you).

  Keeping my eyes closed, I extend a few magic tendrils from my fingers. At first, I don't feel anything besides my own magic, but then... it's hard to describe, but it's like my magic is being gently pulled from side to side. Just like a leaf bobbing on water, I guess. Just that usually, nothing can affect my magic. This is new.

  It's not a strong pull, more like a playful movement, as if the water is testing how far it can go. This is weird, I'm talking about the water like it's intelligent, like it knows what it's doing.

  "Do you feel something?" Frost asks, his voice close to my ear.

  "Yes, the water is somehow moving my magic." It's hard to find words for this strange feeling.

  "That's fantastic! I didn't think you'd be able to feel it this quickly. Now, use your magic to draw some water into yourself."

  Ehm, how am I supposed to do that? My magic is invisible, but water is solid - well, fluid, but you know what I mean. But I trust in Frost's water knowledge. Let's do this.

  I imagine one of the magic tendrils floating in the water as a straw, then gently suck on. In my mind, not for real. Although I can't help my mouth making a slight sucking sound.

  Slowly, water is being pulled in by my magic; a dark blue string wrapped around my magic tendril. It feels cool as it enters me, but not wet, strangely enough. But then, this is not my body feeling things, it's my mind. My magic.

  The water magic is different from my own; they don't mix. But now that it's inside me, I can control it. I form it into a little ball, just big enough to fit into my hand. Then I push it out, just like I would with my own magic.

  I open my eyes. True enough, there's a ball of water hovering over my hand - but it's rather large. Twice as big as me, in fact. Oops, apparently, I underestimated my strength.

  Frost is snickering behind me. "Bit overambitious today?"

  I laugh with him. "Today? Always."

  I admire my water sphere. I can't believe I actually created that. And it didn't take a lot of energy at all. Maybe water magic is my strongest power.

  "Now release it, slowly," Frost says, still laughing.

  Oh yes, I will. With an evil grin, I move the water until it's straight above Frost and let it fall. It crashes down on him. And on me. Apparently, I'm not good at estimating distances. That backfired (backwatered?). Oh well, at least the water is still fairly warm. Could have been worse.

  I think, and am suddenly pushed down, under the surface. Once I'm fully submerged, Frost's hands disappear from my shoulders and I resurface, sputtering obscenities. Bastard.

  I turn around and glare at my Guardian. Revenge will be sweet. Wet, actually.

  It doesn't take much effort to summon some water magic into me and expel it as a massive burst that hits Frost in the chest and throws him backwards. Gotcha!

  He's pushed underwater and disappears.

  And doesn't resurface.

  Oh oh.

  I may have just killed my Guardian.

  The water around me suddenly turns cold. Very cold. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned into ice, it's that freezing.

  "Frost!" I shout, already beginning to shiver.

  "What are you going to do now, little princess?" His joyous voice is at odds with the anger I feel as I see him walking towards me. He's walking on water again. Like freaking Jesus. A very naked Jesus.

  "Make it warm again!" I growl, shooting him a hateful glance.

  He just laughs. "Do it yourself." And turns, and walks away.

  Son of a bitchy mermaid!

  Okay, what do I do now? How do I make it warm? Asking the water magic nicely? Threatening it? Nah, there needs to be a better way of doing it. What generates heat? Movement.

  I take as much of my magic as I dare and throw it into the water, shaking it from side to side, swirling it through the icy water. The water doesn't actually move, but I can see its essence slowly changing colour. And temperature. I sigh in relief.

  "Crude, but effective," Frost comments from behind me. How does he always manage to sneak up on me like that? Granted, I was busy wasting all my magic on heating an entire (small) lake.

  "Now, don't let go of your magic but pull it back in. The temperature won't change, don't worry."

  I follow his advice. Thank the Gods, it works, otherwise I wouldn't have been much use in my next lessons. A demi-goddess without magic is worse than a human.

  "Well done," he grins at me, sitting down on the water as if it was a solid surface.

  "How do I do that?" I ask hungrily. This skill will totally make me feel like a proper deity.

  "You just have to believe that you can," he says simply.

  "Thanks for that extensive explanation," I snarl.

  "You're welcome." He extends a hand and I grip it. A second later, I'm in his arms, standing on the water next to him. Cool. Then he lets go of me, and I fall back into the water.

  "Believe."

  "You do know you sound like some crazy preacher?"

  He smiles. "I believe in you. Guess that makes me a believer in the divine Wynter."

  I gape at him. "I'm not divine."

  "Aren't all Gods?"

  "Yeah, but I'm not a God."

  "Sweetie, you just managed to heat an entire lake. Only Gods and Guardians can do that."

  Okay, I admit, I'm speechless. And a little proud.

  He pulls me out of the water again. He uses so much force that I stumble against him - and I don't really stop him. He catches me in his arms and presses me close. That's when I notice that I'm in my wet underwear. And he is naked. Oh, so naked. And apparently, he's noticed the same thing. Instead of releasing me, he hugs me even closer. His hard cock presses against my stomach. I don't mind, strangely enough. My nipples are just as hard - but that's from being wet in the cold Scottish air. And not that kind of wet. I mean, dripping. Nooo. Lake water-wet. That's it. He's not affecting me in the slightest.

  "Wyn," he whispers, and I melt into him. I look up, and my lips part in anticipation of meeting his.

  His kiss is soft and gentle; so different from the demanding kiss of his twin. But it feels just as good. He tastes like the sea, salty and cool at the same time, and I want to savour more of that taste, so I plunge my tongue into his mouth. He moans and runs a hand through my hair, gently guiding my head so I look up at him. His soft brown eyes stare into mine while our tongues dance, and I can see his desire burning in them. I'm sure mine look just the same. I want him. I need him.

  I run my hands over his back, feeling the hard muscles around his shoulder blades. He nibbles on my bottom lip, and in surprise, I claw at his back, my fingernails leaving marks on his skin. He moans again and it makes me even needier. My Guardians have been teasing me for so long - first Storm, then Arc, now Frost. I need more than just their kisses.

  So, I go in for the kill. I grab his ass with both hands and squeeze, pulling his pelvis against me, rubbing his hard cock against my belly.

  "Wyn," he gasps, pulling back from my lips for a moment. I wait for him to say something, but he only continues to breathe heavily. Well, he had his chance. I stand up on my toes and kiss him. He sighs against my mouth, then returns the kiss, hungrily. He's more forceful now than before; the sweet kiss has turned into a forceful conquering.

  I run my hands over his back again. I need his touch. I need to feel him.

  He pulls back, but only for a moment, then gently presses my shoulders, motioning me to the ground - well, the water's surface. I still can't believe we're standing (making out) on top of a loch.
But I don't have time to ponder, as he pushes me down until I'm lying on my back, looking up at him. He kneels by my side, running his hands over my belly, then higher, until he reaches my breasts. He kneads them through the wet bra I'm still wearing.

  "Take it off," I whisper hoarsely, and he complies, carelessly pushing it up until my boobs are exposed.

  "You're beautiful, Wyn," he groans, and leans down, taking my left nipple in his mouth. He uses his hands to gently squeeze the other one, running circles around my puckered areola. I moan and arch my back. No idea how he manages to get me to this point just by kissing, but I feel so close to coming already. My skin is hot and I am desperate for release. He's teasing me, but I need more. I grip his head with both hands, pulling him off my breast and pushing him downwards.

  He chuckles. "I was going to get to that, Princess."

  "I need you now," I groan. "Please."

  His tongue traces a line on my skin. When he reaches my belly button, he nibbles on it. I almost laugh, but it turns into a moan. I push him further. Stupid Guardian. He's not getting the message.

  I'm getting hotter - and I mean my temperature. I can feel sweat pooling on my forehead. No other man has ever made me feel this way. I'm desperate for a drink, but I'm even more desperate to feel Frost, all of him.

  His tongue has finally reached its destination. Almost. So close. But he teases me, licking too high, not in the right spot. And he knows it.

  "Frost!" I shout, ignoring how needy I sound.

  He chuckles, then finally presses his tongue against my core. I cry out, and so does he.

  But while my cry is in pleasure, his is in pain.

  "Stop, Wyn, stop it!"

  I sit up and gasp in shock. A circle of flames surrounds us, violently fighting against the water barrier Frost is throwing up against it. Sparks are exploding all around us.

  He turns and I can see his back, the skin an angry red where the fire burned him. I panic.

  "I don't know how to stop it!" I cry, wringing my hands at the chaos I have caused.

  "Pull back your magic!" Frost shouts back, throwing his arms in the air, summoning a wave that crashes against the wall of fire. But it's not enough to quench the fire.

  Get a grip, Wyn. You can't let him get hurt even more.

  I concentrate until I can see my magic, flaring angrily all around me. I've never seen it so violent. I try to pull it back, but it doesn't react. My usual magic tendrils have turned into a raging inferno that's totally out of my control.

  "Stop it at the source!" Frost calls desperately, throwing more water at the fire.

  I close my eyes and search for my heart cave inside. It's burning; the cave is filled with flames. My magic is snarling at me angrily; she's telling me it's not her fault. I ignore her and pull in some water magic like Frost taught me earlier. I pour it in into the cave, more and more, until it extinguishes the flames. From my Guardian's relieved sigh, I know that the fire around us has also been extinguished.

  My magic shakes her dripping fur, shoots me an evil look and turns, licking her wounds.

  Which reminds me...

  "Frost, how bad are you hurt?" I run to where he is kneeling on the ground, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion.

  "It's okay, Princess, I've had worse."

  "It's not okay, my magic hurt you. I hurt you." I sink down next to him, examining his back. It's bad. Burns are covering most of the skin, ranging from bright red to blistering.

  "We need to get you to Crispin," I whisper, my heart turning cold in shame. This is all my fault.

  I help him up, pulling one of his arms over my shoulders, and together we make our way back to the cottage.

  Him, burnt and naked. Me, miserable, guilty, in my underwear.

  Chapter 4: Crispin

  “What have you done now,” Crispin huffs.

  “It wasn’t me,” Frost protests, but Crispin just raises an eyebrow and ushers us inside the cottage.

  Aodh and Chesca are sitting in the living room, but get up when they see us. The Guardian motions us to the sofa. “You can lie down here, Frost.”

  Chesca mutters something about blood stains but one look from her Guardian lover silences her. Wow, I hadn’t realised just how much influence he had on the demon diva.

  With a groan, Frost sinks onto the sofa. Crispin stands next to him, moving his hands through the air above Frost's burned back. I can see him weaving a net of thin magic strands, delicate and beautiful.

  "This is your first lesson in healing," Crispin mutters, his forehead scrunched in concentration.

  "I hadn't planned it to be like this," I reply sadly.

  "Don't worry, Princess," Frost calls, his voice muffled from between two pillows his head is lying on. "I'm happy to be a lab rat for you."

  "Ehm... thanks. You're making me feel so much better."

  He laughs, then groans as Crispin lowers the woven-magic-net onto his back.

  "Magic by nature is without purpose," Crispin explains while manipulating the web. "Only the magic user's intention turns it into a tool. When I wove this net, it was just a shape, nothing more. Just energy assembled in a certain way. Now, though, I'm putting intention into it. I'm telling it to take on a purpose and heal Frost's injuries. You need to give it precise instructions. It's easy if it's something like 'light a candle', but with healing, you need to tell it exactly what to do. Which is why medical knowledge is essential even for a magic healer. I need to know what the skin needs to be healed. Does it need fluids, blood, chemicals to mend itself."

  "So even though I have magic and could weave a web like yours, I wouldn't actually be able to use it to heal?" I ask, a little confused. This sounds so unlike the magic I normally use.

  "You may be able to heal a broken bone, but you likely wouldn't be able to repair the injured tissue around the break. Once we're in the Realms, I'm going to teach you the basics so you can heal at least minor injuries yourself."

  Frost snickers. "What he's basically saying is that this is a lesson in how you know nothing and how he can't teach you just now."

  In response, Crispin flicks a finger and a part of this magic net presses down on Frost's skin. He wails. "What were you saying, my friend?"

  "Nothing. Only that you're the best healer ever. Now could you please get on with it?"

  Crispin sighs. "As you wish."

  With practised movements, he waves his hands through the air, his fingers manipulating the magic like a spider tugging on her web. Some of the magic strands flow into Frost's body, others spread out on his skin. Slowly, I can see them having an effect. His flesh looks less red, and the blisters shrink until they disappear completely. Within minutes, Frost's back is as flawless as it was before the... accident.

  With a final shake of his hands - think maestro conducting the final notes in a symphony - Crispin lets the magic dissipate and steps back from his patient.

  "Now, would someone please tell me how Frost ended up burned while teaching you water magic?"

  The other Guardians have joined us in the living room to listen to my sorry tale. It's the most embarrassing story I've ever had to tale. I set the man I was going to have sex with on fire.

  Yeah, I'm sure that happens to everyone at some point in their lives. Not.

  When I finish, there's silence. Even Chesca is quietly staring at the floor. It's making me realise just how bad this is.

  "You said you felt hot just before it happened," Aodh finally says thoughtfully.

  "Of course she felt hot. Just look at him," his lover giggles. "If I had those muscly arms touching me, I'd be hot as well."

  I blush. In fact, my face has been red throughout this whole conversation. They all wanted to hear a lot of detail... Embarrassing.

  "Maybe it was just because her magic hasn't settled yet," Storm suggests. "She's not had time to properly explore what she's capable of."

  "It doesn't sound like a normal episode," Crispin replies. "No, she said her magic was under attack - right, Wyn?"


  "I don't know if that's the right word for it. My cave," Frost snickers at that word for some reason, "was on fire, just like everything around us. But I don't know what happened first."

  "Aodh, you're the expert in fire magic," Storm says. "Have you ever heard of this happening?"

  The Guardian shakes his head. "Not that I can remember. I'll have a look through my books though, maybe I can find something."

  "Good. Arc will help you. Frost, you need to sleep, the healing will have used up a lot of your energy. Crispin, it's your turn to teach Wyn. But this time, I'm staying with you. If something like this happens again, I don't want you to be on your own."

  I'm about to protest, saying that being with Crispin doesn't mean I'm on my own, but one look at Storm's stern face shuts me up. I know a lost fight when I see it.

  I sigh. "Okay then, what do we do?"

  Instead of going outside like I did with Arc and Frost, Crispin takes upstairs, into one of the bedrooms. I'm beginning to love this cottage more and more. Everything is so tastefully decorated, quaint and cute. I'd imagine a little old woman to live here, not a demon diva. I'm totally going to call her that from now on. It fits.

  We sit down on the thick rug that covers most of the floor in front of a four-poster-bed. Storm stands in the door, watching. He's making me nervous. With him here, I feel it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy, a magic accident waiting to happen.

  "Would you please sit down," I say tensely when he still doesn't move. He huffs and moves across the room, sitting down on the bed. He's just as tense as I am; poised to jump up and intervene. I hope that won't be necessary.

  "Wyn, we don't have much time," Crispin interrupts my worried thoughts. "You've had your lessons with Arc and Frost, do you think you learned enough to use those elements tomorrow?"

  I think about that for a second. Despite the mishaps and disappointments, I have learned something. Hell, I managed to throw Frost across half the lake. And I kept Chesca out of my head - something I'm enormously grateful for. I feel like I've only begun to scratch the surface of what I could do if I had more time, but there isn't any. We still don't know who tried to kill me, and the longer we stay here, the easier it will be for them to find us. We need to get through the stones, demon army or not.