Chapter 0486
“Come on, Ari,” Jackson whispers next to me, even though I barely hear him, so hard am I concentrating on the paper, on the magic within me. “You can do this.” But suddenly I feel his hand on my back, warm and encouraging.

I take a deep breath, trying to lean into his faith, but I have to admit my surprise when that hand drifts all the way down on my back, even lower until he grips the edge of my shirt tucked into my pants and tugs it free.

I flinch a little, turning my head to stare at him as he slips his hand covertly beneath the fabric of my shirt until his fingers brush my skin, his palm coming to rest flat against the base of my spine.

And suddenly it’s there – that deep well of power – that ocean of it, at my fingertips. I gasp a little at the suddenness, glancing around the room, wondering if anyone noticed the way that Jackson is touching me now – but everyone’s eyes are still on the paper –

Except for Alvez’s, which are on me – which have perhaps never left me –

And suddenly I want this done, don’t want Alvez having any more access to my secrets. Angry, I turn my eyes back to the ball of paper on the desk and hurl my magic at it all in one gust.

It explodes instantly into a tiny ball of flame.