But he couldn’t and shouldn’t.
Alric drew back, forcing himself to take a half-step away and out of Cameron’s personal space. He drew on a smile somehow, keeping the encounter light-hearted. “Speak your spell.”
Cameron looked a little wide-eyed, definitely dazed, and he swallowed visibly before he turned his head and focused on the candle. “Vente anti gev adi.”
The wind that rose up was immediate, strong enough to ruffle their hair and clothes. Alric knew dragon’s breath was one of the more powerful spell elements, but this much?
The candle went out immediately, the air rushing outwards harmlessly through the window. Then the candle itself knocked over, rolling a bit on its side in the open stone window casing. Cameron huffed out an astonished breath, his palm pressed to his chest. He couldn’t take his eyes from the candle. “I—I—holy shit, I really just did that, didn’t I?”
Lisette took his shoulder in one hand and gave him a gentle shake. “I told you. Has it settled in now?”
“I mean, I just blew over a candle with a few words from six feet away, so yeah, I believe it.” Cameron stared down at his own chest, hand still pressed there over his heart. “More than that, I felt it. A warm glow in my core, like I’d swallowed a pocket warmer or something. I felt lit up from within. That’s what using magic feels like?”
“Most of the time,” Lisette answered with an indulgent smile. “If it’s a major working, then the sensation is more powerful. Be careful when working magic. An unbound mage like you will suffer some fatigue after any working. And the major workings will be beyond you, until you’re bound to a dragon, so don’t attempt them.”
“Gotcha.” Cameron stopped and eyed them both sideways. “So…just checking…but does this mean I have to kiss a dragon every time I need a power boost for a spell? Because hot damn, I’m so okay with having to kiss handsome dragons. I will suffer that hardship.”
Alric felt his cheeks burn under a light blush. That was not at all the impression he’d been trying to give Cameron. It was just a stupid, selfish impulse on his part, but—Cameron thought him handsome? That was flattering. Alric felt his ego inflate a bit.
Read ‘a bit’ as enough to fill the room to bursting.
Lisette was two seconds from laughing outright. “You only need dragon’s breath if you’re working a wind-based spell.”
“In other words, no kissing dragons for every spell?” Cameron growled and mock-pouted. “Damn. Figures there’s a catch. You, sir, are a tease.”
Alric felt his blush deepen even as he defended himself. “I was trying to be helpful.”
Cameron wagged a chiding finger at him. “A terrible, terrible tease. You got my hopes up. For shame.”
Alric wanted to ask if that meant Cameron wouldn’t come to him again when he needed dragon’s breath. He couldn’t seem to get the words out. He didn’t want to hear the word ‘no’ from that mouth.
Lisette interjected patiently. “Do you want to try another spell?”
“You bet.” Cameron’s attention bounced back to her with the same energy and enthusiasm a golden retriever chased after a ball. “What else can I do at this stage? Without, you know, blowing something up or burning the castle down.”
“Quite a bit.” Lisette drew him by the arm toward the door. “Let’s go somewhere that’s set up for such lessons. We won’t do many, as it’s growing late, and you need to focus or risk something going wrong. Like burning the castle down.”
“It’s a very nice castle. I’d rather not.” Cameron went amiably along, that pep still in his stride, as if rest was the last thing on his mind.
“We rather share the opinion.” Lisette led the way out of the study without a backwards glance.
Alric could hear Cameron’s voice floating down the hallway, through the open door, asking many questions and Lisette’s voice answering them. He closed his eyes, listening far longer than he probably should have. A dragon’s hearing was excellent, and sounds echoed along the stone walls.
Who had he been trying to tease, kissing Cameron like that? What had his mind been trying to do? Because all it had done was give Alric a taste of something he couldn’t have. Cameron might think him handsome, but that didn’t make him interested.
Alric’s hand came up to his ruined arm, gripping the appendage hard enough to hurt. Not for the first time, he cursed it. It had robbed him of so much. Fighting ability, flight—and future. Because who could possibly want a damaged king?
He wallowed in that emotion for only a moment before shaking it off firmly. It was unbecoming, and he didn’t have time for that. Alric’s people relied on him being on top of matters and right now, safety took precedence. He’d finish writing that witness statement and then email the Ice Dragon Clan, alerting them to the possible dangers and that their new mage had been hunted. Maybe they’d discover something on their end.