Air: Daughter of Nature, #2

By L.C. Mawson

Mutant vine creatures were one thing, assassins are another...

I thought figuring out how to become strong enough to defeat these vine creatures - which are apparently being sent by a sister I never knew existed - was going to be the most difficult task ahead of me. Then assassins tried to kill me.

I knew that people had never much liked my sisters, but I never thought anyone would go this far.

Luckily for me, my next magical teachers aren't exactly pacifists...

 

If you love kick-ass heroines and magical adventures, you'll love AIR, the second book in L.C. Mawson's new F/F urban fantasy series, Daughter of Nature.

Get it now!

• Language: English
• Publisher: L.C. Mawson
• Release date: Aug 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201445591

Book preview

Chapter One

Skye headed back to the cabin and the others followed her. I just stared for a moment, wondering how she wasn’t shivering in the snow, but then Dana took my hand, bringing my thoughts to her.

Are you all right? I asked.

Just cold, she said, and I nodded, standing up.

We should follow the others back inside, I said, before realising that she might not have just been talking about the snow. If she really had come back from the dead... Who knew what that did to someone.

I gently squeezed her hand and she responded with a vice-like grip.

Yeah, I doubted cold was the only thing bothering her.

I suppressed a wince as we headed towards the cabin, and I remembered the way I had kissed her. Had I overwhelmed her? She had just woken up from the dead, and I had decided that was the appropriate time to kiss her like that? How dense was I? Just because Dana had kissed me on the cheek before didn’t mean that she wanted anything more intense from me, and I had chosen the worst moment to test those waters, when she had still been dazed from waking up from being dead.

God, I was an arse.

Viktor immediately came over once we entered the cabin, steering Dana, and therefore me, to the sofa to sit down, before looking Dana over with an intense gaze, like he was trying to see through her. Maybe he was, maybe he was doing some kind of magical x-ray.

Though, to be fair, Jamie didn’t seem to be much better with Skye, who had finally been handed some clothes. Jamie sat her down on the armchair when she was dressed, checking her over.

I’m fine, Dana snapped first, though I suspected Skye wasn’t long behind. She was smiling, but it was clear that she wanted to talk to Jamie without them trying to examine every inch of her.

Viktor glared at his sister, folding his arms. "Dana, you were gone. Not just beyond my healing, but healing, magical or otherwise. Your magical signature disappeared, Dana."

I know, she said, her voice sharp. Then her expression softened and she shook her head. I know, she repeated, softer this time. I felt it, Viktor. I felt myself slip away, and then... I was waiting. I’m not sure exactly what for but... I think I was waiting for Death, or one of his Reapers, to show up and claim me. But no one came, and just when I thought having to wait another moment would tear me apart, something wrapped itself around me and pulled me back.

She turned to me, her hand going to rub the tattoo on her wrist. It felt like you, Poppy. Like your magic.

I frowned. But I didn’t do anything. And even if I had tried, my magic had been cut off when you came back.

Maybe you didn’t use your magic then, maybe you used it when you healed me in the Shadow Realm. So that it could lie dormant until I needed it...

I glanced at her tattoo, realising what she was saying. Maybe it was some kind of magical absorber, taking my magic to heal Dana when she needed it. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t leave my side. It needed to be drawing on my power for next time.

Skye stood up and made her way over. I don’t want to interrupt, but this seems like the kind of magical problem Naveen could help with. She frowned, turning to Jamie. Where is he?

Jamie grimaced. When Poppy arrived, those vine creatures were chasing her. Naveen figured it was best to leave so that the protection spells weren’t having to cover so many people.

Skye looked me over, clearly lost. But then she turned back to Jamie with a sheepish smile. I guess I’ve missed a lot, huh?

That might be an understatement, a voice said from the door out to the corridor, and Skye spun on her heel to see Lorelei approaching, Ilan in her lap.

Skye gasped, tears shining in her eyes as she picked up her child, holding them close. They’re so big... How long was I unconscious?

Lorelei winced, presumably at the realisation that Skye hadn’t known. It’s been about six months.

Skye held Ilan tighter for a moment, the child snuggling into her. Poppy was surprised that they remembered her after so long, but maybe magic had something to do with it.

Skye then turned back and frowned at me and the other guests in her house again, though this time, her gaze lingered on Viktor. Not to sound ungrateful, but how did it take you six months to try bringing an Enhanced here to dampen my powers? She frowned at Viktor. And I don’t recognise you. Why not ask my fathers?

I’m not Enhanced, Viktor said quickly.

Well, I am, and I recognise Enhanced abilities when someone uses them.

Viktor shook his head. Enhanced are Human, and I am 100% Demon. Trust me, I had it checked.

Skye frowned. I’ve heard of Demons experimenting to make runes that can mimic our abilities, but to give themselves the power? I’ve never heard of anything like it...

Dana folded her arms, glaring at her brother. Yeah, me neither.

Viktor looked away at her sharp words. I didn’t want to freak you out, he mumbled, but that only made Dana’s glare worse, though her next words had no bite to them. They sounded... heartbroken.

You really thought I would?

Viktor just shrugged, still refusing to meet his sister’s gaze. Instead, he turned to Skye.

I wasn’t the one to heal you, anyway. I was trying to use my powers to take out the vines, and cut Poppy off from her connection to nature. You just got caught in the crossfire. No, it was Poppy who healed you.

Jamie nodded. He’s right. Lia sent her here, but didn’t send an explanation. As best we can guess, Lia knew that a Daughter of Nature would be able to heal you, and I think she also thought you might be a good mentor for Poppy. The thing making you sick was a shard of power from Xiatyan, left over from the transfer to Ilan. Given the way you’re now radiating power, it seems Poppy managed to integrate the magic into your own, which now makes you the most powerful elemental being besides Ilan or Poppy.

Or Lia. Why couldn’t she heal me herself? And why can’t she train Poppy?

Jamie shrugged. I don’t know. She disappeared and no one knows where she is. Just that something happened and it was important enough for her to leave on short notice.

Skye nodded before turning to me. Well, training is the least I can do after you saved me. Obviously, I can’t help with anything but control over fire, but if Nature or another Daughter can’t train you, I guess you’re going to have to learn one element at a time, anyway.

I nodded absent-mindedly. The last thing I wanted to think about was using my powers again. Especially not as Viktor’s dampening faded, and they slowly trickled back, bringing with them a dull ache left over from the pain I had accidentally tapped into.

Now that you’re back, Skye, I’ll go and get Naveen. Between you and Poppy, we should be able to defend ourselves, even if the protections weaken.

Viktor turned to Skye. We should leave you to get reacquainted with your mates. He then turned to Dana. And I’m not done trying to figure out what happened to you.

Dana didn’t look happy, but still, she followed Viktor back to our room, keeping a tight hold of my hand as we went.

As soon as I closed the door behind us, Dana turned to her brother with a glare.

Enhanced powers?! What the hell, Viktor?

See, this is why I didn’t say anything!

Dana shook her head. No, no, you don’t get to say that as if I’m mad because you have the powers in the first place. I’m mad because you never told me.

I never told you because I didn’t know what they were.  The first time I used the powers, it was on myself, so I just thought my Demon powers were unreliable. That I was repressing them or something. I thought the teachers at Ember could help, but there were so many enchanted objects at Ember, I started to realise that it wasn’t just me that the powers worked on. And then I accidentally used them in a sparring match...

Dana stared at him. "How did no one notice that?"

It was in PE, so we were one of ten pairs. The teacher wasn’t looking and I... My partner accused me of having Enhanced powers, but they said it so quietly, no one else heard, and their magic was gone, and I panicked, so...

So?

Viktor looked away, mumbling the next words. I used a memory spell on them.

Dana’s eyes widened. And that worked? On another magical being?

Viktor nodded before folding his arms. See? This is why I didn’t want to tell you. You wouldn’t think twice about me using a memory spell on a Human, but the second I can make magical beings vulnerable to spells like that, everyone freaks out.

"Okay, in my defence, I’ve always thought that we should be thinking twice before using those spells on Humans."

Still... I get why it freaks you out. Magic is a good defence against magic, and while Enhanced can take away your magic, they can’t then attack you with it. I can do both.

I mean, it sounds like Skye can, too, so maybe it’s not as strange as you think.

Maybe, but it sounded like she’s part-Human.

And you’re sure that you’re not?

He nodded. I had it checked at Ember. No one batted an eye, since I don’t know who my birth father is, and our parents weren’t exactly descriptive about my birth mother, other than that she was a Demon. Maybe she wasn’t fully Demon, and they didn’t know. But no, the tests said I was 100% Demon.

So, what Skye said about experiments...

Viktor shook his head. Just another reason to be glad that I never tried to track down my birth parents expecting to find a loving family. People don’t get locked up in Queen Freya’s prison lightly, Dana. I always knew that my mother was likely into some nasty stuff. Experimenting on her unborn child... Well, maybe that was why she was locked away. And why our parents felt the need to get me out of the Underworld entirely.

Have you tried asking them?

"No. I don’t want to worry them, and I don’t want to know any of this stuff, Dana. Our parents are my parents. Whoever gave me my DNA – either naturally or by other means – means nothing to me. I don’t know them, and I don’t want to know them. Which is why I never wanted to talk about it."

Dana sighed. You know, I’m still not happy about that.

"Says the sister who was magically brought back from the dead and lied to her healer brother about it."

Okay... Yeah... Fair point... She sighed again, looking away as she gripped my hand tighter. And since we’re on the subject, I should probably tell you... The process of bringing me back isn’t perfect. I mean, physically, I think I’m okay, but mentally? It does something to my memory. I still remember things, but the emotions are distant. Like it’s something I read in a book, not something I lived through.

Viktor stared at her, his skin paling further, if that was even possible. Is that why you were so distant from everyone when you came back? He frowned. But... You seemed fine with me. I mean, you didn’t seem perfectly fine, but it wasn’t as if you’d forgotten me.

She nodded. You were the only one I could still remember. At least, the first time.

The first time? So... This time?

The memories from before I was brought back the first time are still there. All of my memories of you before I fell off that pier are still intact. But after that? I know that you agreed to share a flat with me, I know that you were the only person I could rely on, but... It’s like something I was told after the fact, not something I lived.

Viktor shrugged. We were close for years before that, so a few years missing isn’t the worst. But... Does that mean that you don’t remember anything clearly this time? Do you think you remember less and less each time?

I... No. I think I can only remember one person at a time. Last time it was you, but this time... She turned to look at me, and my stomach twisted at the implication. I wanted to ask, but my jaw froze shut, refusing to budge.

It’s Poppy? Viktor asked, and I braced myself as I analysed his tone, expecting to find hostility. But... No, he didn’t even seem surprised.

Dana just nodded, and I let go of her hand, my stomach continuing to twist itself into endless knots.

I’m so sorry, I said quickly. I... I’ll work with Skye and get stronger so that you don’t have to be around me.

Dana, to my surprise, just glared at me, standing up with a frustrated groan. What the hell is your problem, Poppy? Why the hell are you so Creator-damned hot and cold all the time?

Viktor stepped towards the door at that. I’ll... I’ll leave you two to talk this out...

Dana just continued to glare at me as Viktor left the room, closing the door behind him.

I... I’m sorry, I said, and she just shook her head.

So you keep saying. But you don’t even know what you’re apologising for, do you?

I’m sorry. I know you’re upset, and it’s my fault, and I know that I should be able to figure out why, but–

"Poppy, I just admitted that you’re the only person I remember between my two deaths, and your response was to try to distance yourself from me. I don’t need you to leave, I need you to stay. Unless you don’t want to... And I don’t even know that. My powers should mean that I know when you’re feeling positively about something – about me – but all I get are these brief flashes, glimpses that maybe you like me, but then it disappears, like it was never there, until you kiss me and then it’s... It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before."

Heat rose to my cheeks, and it took everything I had not to look