The Terrible Gift (Empath Found Book 1)

by Colette Rhodes

  “I, um, well…” she hesitated before taking a deep steadying breath and seemingly pulling her thoughts together. “Screw it. I’m an empath.”

  My panic was so acute, it ate away at the edges of my vision. It wasn’t just panic, it was fear. Fear for Fi. Fear that I would lead the hunters right to her. Fear that news of her gift would get out and her life would be in danger.

  Gods, this was not the time for me to lose my shit. I didn’t speak for a few minutes while wrangled my terror under control. Clear my mind. I am in control. Deep breath. Keep my anger in check.

  I looked up to see Fi’s crestfallen face tipped down, staring at her hands wringing together in her lap. Of course. She could feel my reaction. I was screwing this all up.

  “Who knows?” I rasped.

  “You, Marlen, Bryn, and Gwyneira.” I laughed bitterly.

  “That’s four people too many, Fi. You know what could happen if this information fell into the wrong hands, right? Your life would be over. The hunters would come for you, you would be held captive and drained of your blood over and over again until you had none left. Amulets with empath magic would be worth a fortune…” I muttered, my control over my emotions slipping again.

  Fury was rising, coursing through my veins, the muscles in my back straining from the effort of keeping my wings back. The idea of someone hurting her...

  “Rein it in, you’re hurting her,” Marlen snapped, his tone harsher than I’d ever heard it.

  My eyes shot to Fi’s as she clenched her jaw tight and tried not to let me see how much pain my emotions were causing her. Regret weighed heavily on me. I was handling this all wrong, I was hurting her. She’d trusted me with this and I was only making it worse.

  “I’m sorry, Fi,” I whispered, his voice hoarse. “So fucking sorry.” I stood up and left without looking back. I needed to pull myself together.

  Of course, the mating pull had led me to the one girl with magic more rare and coveted than my own. Gods, this was a mess. My wings were significantly harder to hide than Fi’s empath ability. Being seen with me could put a target on her head, and she couldn’t afford the extra attention.

  Hurrying through students until I got to the edge of campus, I pulled off my shirt and tied it around my waist before releasing my wings and shooting up into the treetops. At least here I could have room to think, to breathe. I had put enough physical distance between Fi and me that the mating pull had all but disappeared, but I couldn’t escape the memory of her devastated face.

  Furious at myself and the whole situation, I took off into the air above the tree canopy to try to burn off some of this rage. Fi’s hurt-filled amber eyes felt like they were following me into the sky. It wasn’t safe for me to land until I calmed down enough to retract my wings. Someone could try their luck at subduing me and cutting them off. It wouldn’t be the first time. Yet another reason why Fi and I could never be.

  I’d had such high hopes when I first felt a strong pull towards her that day. I’d never experienced anything like that and had been beginning to think I would never find a kindred soul. Not many powerful fae females were able to give up control, even for their own pleasure, but Fi would. I could see it in the way she moved around me, the submissive way she’d unknowingly expose her nape or throat to me.

  I’d observed her with Marlen from a distance more than I cared to admit to, and she never acted that way around him. If anything the little minx had a little dominant streak with Marlen, she marked him pretty liberally. It was hard to believe such a woman could be a perfect fit for both of us, but I’d seen how natural they were together. There was no doubt that their pull was as strong as Fi and mine.

  My back muscles were beginning to ache from exertion, so I headed towards a high point of the mountainous area on the edge of campus. Landing on a ledge where I had a good view of anyone approaching my spot, I sat on the ground overlooking the Academy.

  I’d only been sitting there a few minutes when I heard someone exiting one of the caves, heading up towards me. I eyed the ledge warily. They weren’t making any attempt to sneak up on me. Still, they could be lulling me into a false sense of security.

  I was both surprised and completely unsurprised when Bryn Edan appeared. He watched Fi as closely as I did but from much further away. We weren’t particularly friendly, I’m not sure I’d ever spoken to him before. The guy had a reputation.

  Bryn approached carefully with his hands up like he was nearing a wild animal. I didn’t think he’d attack me, he was an honorable sort of guy, but I still appreciated him leaving ample space between us when he sat down.

  We both looked down at the campus, Bryn lazily drawing small fireballs into his palm and extinguishing them mindlessly. He really did have excellent control over his fire magic.

  “She told you then? About her gift?”

  In my moment of panic, I hadn’t asked Fi why Bryn knew about her gift. My eyes flicked to his face, assessing. He and Fi exchanged heated glances and angry glares, but I’d never actually seen them converse. Were they being pulled to each other too? Why were they both fighting it so hard?

  “Yes,” I said cautiously, in case he’d discovered Fi’s secret against her will.

  He snorted, clearly sensing my suspicion. “I tracked Ffion to Albion at Gwyneria’s request. I told her about what she was; she mentioned her ability to feel emotions. Brought her back to Avalon.”

  “You knew before anyone.”

  “Yep,” he said, popping the 'p'. We sat in silence. It wasn’t awkward, but I also didn’t really know what to say. Why was he here? Last I heard, he was courting Saffir Cullen.

  “You’re an idiot to run, you know.”

  “Excuse me?” I exclaimed. Gods, I’d heard Bryn was insufferably rude. The rumors were clearly correct.

  “You think you’re doing the right thing. That you’re somehow keeping Ffion safe by ignoring the pull, but she needs you. She didn’t grow up here. She barely understands anything about this world. As soon as she arrived, Gwyneira freaked her out about the danger she was in because of her magic.

  “No one is going to hold Marlen captive for his healing magic. He doesn’t get it. But you do. She needs you.” His tone was flat throughout his speech, his eyes fixed on the campus below. I wasn’t fooled though, Bryn wouldn’t be here talking to me if he didn’t care.

  “What’s your excuse then? You must feel a strong pull towards each other. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. And you’re always staring at her when you think she’s not looking.”

  He turned his head and glared at me. “You’re hiding up here because you think you’re doing right by her. I’m only pointing out that you’re not. I have no interest in avoiding her for her own safety or any other noble but stupid reason.”

  “Then why are you avoiding her?” I pressed, noticing that he didn’t say he had no interest in her, and I had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to say that because it wouldn’t be true.

  “It’s not your concern, wings. Besides, I’m courting someone else.” He stood and took a few steps back towards the cave before pausing and turning back to me.

  “Ffion has already received at least two threats. I’m convinced there’s more, but she won’t tell me about them because she suspects I'm responsible for them," he said bitterly.

  "Pursue her or not. It’s your decision, but if I find out you’ve told anyone about her gift, I will come after you myself.”

  Reflecting on his words, I decided that Bryn was an asshole but he was probably right about this. Fi hadn’t asked me to come and talk to her about pursuing the mating bond, she’d asked to talk to me about her gift. If she’d told me because she needed me, then I’d utterly failed her.

  I flew back to the tree canopy above my cabin, landing among the branches finally calm enough to retract my wings. Gwyneira had given me an isolated cabin without a roommate because of the dangers of me being vulnerable around people I didn’t know. The only secluded cabins were the ones for mates,
so I currently enjoyed having a huge space all to myself. Though there would be plenty of room for Fi and Marlen to move in if we got to that point.

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts. One thing at a time.

  Grabbing a slate board and pencil, I sketched out everything I knew about Fi’s schedule and the times I had observed her walking around on her own. Those days were at an end. I wanted to make Fi mine, but more importantly, I would ensure her safety if it was the last thing I did.

  ◆◆◆

  Fi

  I’d been holed up in my cabin feeling sorry for myself since Arthus took off. Marlen had been plying me with cups of tea and back rubs, despite my pleas for him to break out the extra-strong fae wine. He was determined to keep me sober for some reason.

  I dropped my head into my hands, choking back the sob I refused to let out. What had I been thinking telling him? Marlen taking the news well was the exception, not the rule. Arthus obviously felt the same way about empaths that Bryn did.

  “Stop,” Marlen ordered, lifting me out of the chair so he could sit in it, then pulling me back down onto his lap and wrapping his arms tightly around me. “Don’t write him off just yet. I’m confident he just needs a little while to process.”

  “You’re wrong,” I rasped, relenting and letting the tears fall.

  “I don’t think so. You have a strong pull to Arthus. You’re kindred souls. You ran from me when you needed some time to think, remember?”

  I did remember but I wasn’t in the mood to have a rational discussion when I felt so shitty.

  A couple of hours after Arthus had fled, there was a knock on the door, and Marlen gave me a very pointed, smug smile.

  “Didn’t I tell you? He just needed a moment to process. Like you did.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Firstly, you don’t even know that’s him. Secondly, he might be knocking on the door to tell me he never wants to see me again.”

  “It’s him, and he’s not,” Marlen said absentmindedly as he went to answer the door. He stood between me seated at the table and the door, so I could only just make out Arthus’ form around him. There was silence for a minute as Marlen and Arthus had some kind of stare off. Silent conversation? No idea, I was busy taking deep breaths and discreetly drying my face.

  Arthus must have passed whatever test Marlen was conducting as he stood aside to let Arthus through. He was wearing a different shirt to what he’d left in, and it looked like he’d yanked it on haphazardly. His hair was a disheveled mess too, far more so than usual. Gods help me; if he’d been screwing some girl for the past couple of hours while I sat her bawling over him, I’d mount his testicles on my wall.

  He lowered himself into the seat across from me without saying a word; his intense gaze felt like it was boring into my soul. His emotions felt...settled. Like he’d been through a raging storm but had reigned it in. I didn’t know what to make of it.

  Marlen leaned against the basin, quietly observing as the silence between Arthus and me stretched. Rationally I knew I should say something, but something about Arthus seemed to demand my submission, so I waited for him to speak. He was pretty frugal with words anyway.

  Arthus sighed. “I shouldn’t have run.”

  “I would have,” I said quietly.

  Marlen gave me an encouraging nod from over Arthus’ shoulder then slid quietly out the door, evidently confident that I was going to be okay here without him.

  “I didn’t run because I find your magic abhorrent or anything like that, Fi,” Arthus said sadly. “I’m worried about putting you in more danger. My gift is common knowledge and the hunters are always looking for an opportunity. I couldn’t live with myself if they took you to get to me, especially if they found out about your gift. My wings are rare, but empaths are basically a myth.”

  I felt his sincerity. His concern for me swirled uncomfortably in my gut. But his words were basically a breakup letter, and tears pricked at the back of my eyes. Gods, I was not going to cry in front of him. That would really be the cherry on top of my mortification cake.

  “Stand up,” he commanded in the low, sultry voice he used to flirt with me.

  Say what now?

  As if my legs had a mind of their own, I stood and moved next to the table. He mirrored me, standing so close I could feel his breath fanning across my face. His hands were at his sides, and he felt so close yet maddeningly far away.

  “Ask me to be your suitor,” he murmured.

  “Why?” I challenged. “Are you going to say no?”

  He scoffed lightly. “I’m not going to say no, sweetheart. Now ask me. And I’ll punish you for your insubordination later.” He gave me a sultry smirk, and my knees wobbled a little. That was a dangerous look.

  “Will you be my suitor?” I asked obediently.

  He continued to look at me expectantly. “Uh, please?”

  Another dangerous, panty-melting smirk. Oh my stars.

  “Yes.”

  He wound his hand through my hair to cup the back of my head and pulled me forward to finally kiss me. All the flirting, all the foreplay, had led us to this moment.

  Arthus kissed me like he owned me, one hand cupping the back of my head and the other firmly holding my jaw while mine rested lightly on his hips. He dominated and took and possessed, and I loved it.

  There was something soothing about his presence. I could give my control over to Arthus, and he would protect it with his life, giving me the freedom to just feel for myself for once. It didn’t feel better or worse than what I had with Marlen, just like a different part of my soul was being nurtured.

  I was definitely eager to take this make-out session to the next level, but Arthus pulled back, still holding my head firm as he stared at my swollen lips. I could feel him pulling his lust back, tightening the leash on his emotions.

  “Not yet, sweetheart. Soon,” he promised, dropping another light kiss on my lips. “There’s something important I need to finish working on, I’ll come see you later.”

  Disappointed, I leaned into him and sucked his lower lip into my mouth. A rush of his lust ran through me again before Arthus reined in his emotions again. I didn’t even know that kind of control was possible. I don’t think he was doing it to hide himself from me. It wasn’t for my benefit but his own.

  “Until later, sweetheart,” he murmured against my lips.

  Fi

  That evening, I sat in our usual corner spot in the commons with Marlen, Briallen, Leigh, and Aderyn. I was happy with the end result of my conversation with Arthus, but the whole exchange left me emotionally exhausted and more than a little confused. What happens now? Marlen and I were already so close that nothing much changed when he became my suitor. Arthus was a whole different story. Would I still just see him in class and tutoring sessions? How was this going to work?

  I picked unenthusiastically at my raw mushroom salad when I felt the mating pull encourage my eyes to the door.

  I expected to see Bryn, who often made an appearance in the commons with Saffir hot on his heels. I definitely did not expect to see Arthus striding purposefully over to our table, leaving a trail of open mouths and wide-eyed stares in his wake. I’d never seen Arthus in the commons before. I’d barely even seen him outside of the classroom.

  He swung by the salad bar and loaded up a plate before approaching our table. As he got closer, Marlen moved down the bench, pulling me closer to him, so there was room on my other side for Arthus. He lowered himself onto the seat, throwing me a tiny, smug half-smile before starting on his own salad without saying a word.

  My friends stared at him, and I could feel their disbelief rolling off them. And something akin to awe radiating from Aderyn. I quirked a brow at her slack-jawed expression, and she blushed red, clamping her mouth shut and staring down at her plate.

  Marlen’s amusement grew as he watched his starstruck sister. “Aderyn has been obsessed with fae wings since she was a little girl. She’s got a serious case of hero-worship going on r
ight now,” he whispered. I stifled a smile, not wanting Aderyn to feel more embarrassed than she already was.

  Arthus didn’t reach for me or touch me affectionately the way Marlen always did in public. However, his leg pressed tightly against mine, and our pinkies brushed together a little too often to be coincidental. It was small and discreet, but coming from Arthus, it felt like he was making a huge statement about our relationship. That must have been how everyone else was taking it too. There was a suffocating wave of surprise, disbelief, and more than a little jealousy coming my way.

  I tensed as the emotions became overwhelming, and Marlen wrapped his arm tightly around my waist, nuzzling my neck comfortingly.

  “Focus on me, sweetheart,” Arthus murmured under his breath, leaning to talk in my ear on my other side. “Just me. Drown out the noise.”

  I tipped my head down, hiding my face behind a curtain of hair and closed my eyes. Concentrating on isolating Arthus’ emotions from the rest, I focused on his steady calmness and his ironclad resolve to stay in control.

  Taking deep, steadying breaths and focusing hard on his self-control, the impending migraine began to retreat. I gave myself a few more minutes before opening my eyes and meeting Arthus’ concerned gaze.

  “Better?” he asked softly.

  “Much,” I breathed, staring at him in wonder. Several meditation sessions with Gwyneira focused on building mental walls hadn’t achieved results. Yet, Arthus had figured out in seconds that it wasn’t a wall that I needed but an anchor. How had he known?

  “Instinct,” he said quietly, replying to the unspoken question in my gaze. Leigh cleared his throat loudly and the spell was broken. Looking around the table, I found three confused faces staring back at me. Crap, I wouldn’t be able to keep my gift a secret from my friends much longer; it was getting harder and harder to hide.

  I gave them an apologetic look and scrambled for a topic to break the tension. Hopefully, they’d play along for now. The commons were definitely not the location for that conversation.