Magi's Path (Aether's Revival Book 3) Daniel Schinhofen (books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📖

strength, he thought. Too stupid to know when to quit, as Gunnar used to say.

“Dear one, aren’t you going to join us?” Yukiko’s voice came to him.

Sitting up, Gregory found himself not in the cavern, but in the opulent bedroom he knew well from his time with Darkness. Jenn and Yukiko lay entwined, naked, and watching him a few feet away. The far corner was shrouded in shadow, and a low moan came from it when he glanced that way.

“Desires?” Gregory asked, puzzled.

“Will you admit to them?” Came a voice from behind him.

Looking over his shoulder, Gregory’s breath caught in his throat.

Daciana, Nessa, Victoria, Ling, Clover, Mindie, and more faceless women stretched into the distance of the room. All of them were almost completely naked, wearing just enough clothing to preserve what little modesty they could while showing off so much skin.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, dear one,” Yukiko’s voice was throaty as she breathed against his neck. “Just be honest with yourself.”

“We agreed that we could look,” Jenn added, her hand resting on his naked thigh. “If you asked, we might even let you touch.”

All the women edged forward a step at Jenn’s words, hope written across their features. Gregory swallowed as he pictured each of those hopeful women in bed with him and his wives.

“Why one at a time, dear one?” Yukiko asked breathily.

“If you just tell us what you desire, who knows what might be?” Jenn added throatily.

Gregory swallowed as each of the women reached to remove the clothing that kept their modesty intact. As their clothes fell, they vanished, and Gregory felt his flame deep inside his core roar to heights he’d never thought it could reach. The room vanished as he groaned and huddled into a ball, his very core feeling like it was going to explode.

When the pain subsided, Gregory felt a strange peace wash over him. Breathing slowly and deeply, he finally pushed himself upright and looked back at the flame. It burned as it always did, but as he watched, a faint blue haze seeped out of it.

Blinking slowly, Gregory found himself in the rock garden of the clan hall. With each slow breath, he could almost feel the air around him. For a second, he could see the same faint blue haze from his aether flame spread into the air around him.

Yukiko blinked and a smile appeared on her face. She found him watching her, and her smile grew. “Dear one, I found it.”

“It wasn’t pleasant,” Gregory said softly.

Yukiko’s smile vanished. “It wasn’t.”

“It was horrible...” Jenn said softly. “But I can feel it now.”

“It doesn’t seem to go far,” Yukiko said as she closed her eyes and felt around her with her spirit.

“It will grow with time,” Dia said, causing them all to jump slightly. “Congratulations, Apprentices. Few ever find their resonance before becoming an adept, and even fewer before being an initiate.”

“It was your words that made it possible,” Gregory said.

“I’m happy to have helped,” Dia said. “It’s time for your training. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Yukiko said, standing up. “A question, though, Dia? The growth of resonance— how and how fast?”

“By continuing to walk the spirit path. As long as you stay true to yourself, it will be fine. As for how fast? Well, that all depends on how fast you grow. Resonance is tied to your aether. The stronger it becomes, the farther it will go. You need to feel for it right now. You have to think about it but, in time, it will become second nature, as effortless as breathing.”

“Thank you, Dia,” Gregory said, standing up and bowing to her.

“Thank you, Dia,” Yukiko and Jenn added, bowing, as well.

“You’re very welcome,” Dia smiled.

~*~*~

The three of them were tired when they entered their bedroom. They’d been awake for more than forty hours at that point, and they were starting to feel it.

“Are you two okay?” Gregory asked when he shut the door behind them.

“Tired, physically and mentally,” Yukiko said as she went to the bed and sat on the edge. “I had no idea that it would be so difficult.”

Jenn sat beside Yukiko, clearly also thinking about what had happened earlier in the day. “I don’t think any of us really knew what was going to happen.”

“I didn’t,” Gregory said. “I felt it there, just out of reach, and then I heard Dia’s voice telling me about resonance. Then, my fears manifested.”

“It was your voice for me,” Yukiko said softly. “It was also my fear, first.”

“Same for me... your voice and my fears,” Jenn said, wringing her hands briefly. “I will be strong for us. I won’t fail in keeping our heart safe,” she said, her voice wavering as she spoke.

Yukiko touched Jenn’s hands, stilling them. “I know, just like I know Greg won’t toss me aside for you or others.”

Jenn looked up, meeting Yukiko’s eyes. “I’d never let him do that to you.”

“Losing you, either of you, or anyone else I care for,” Gregory said, his voice thick, “that’s my fear. It started with seeing my mother’s body again... mangled, bloody, torn, and savaged, just like she was when I saw her last. Then, it was you, Yuki, not my mother who lay there dead, and then Jenn appeared beside you, just as lifeless.”

“That helps ease my fears, dear one,” Yukiko said with a sniffle. She patted the bed. “Please?”

Gregory went to sit beside her, but Jenn shifted and opened a spot between them, so he sat there instead. “Fear gave way to weakness. Mine is insecurity. I hadn’t expected it, but looking back, it makes sense... Doubting that I’ll ever be what people expect or want.”

“Mine is my slight body,” Jenn said. “Without my aether, I’m no match for the people we’ll have to