RAYA ▸ SHADOW AND BONE

18 | the rest is history

"Raya, focus."

"I can't," she groaned from underneath him.

"Just do it."

"Kaz," she started with a sigh, "I can't concentrate with you on top of me."

"Too bad. I'm not going anywhere."

Raya ran her free hand down his chest, smirking up at him when he shivered under her touch. "I beg to differ." She wrapped her legs around Kaz's waist, easily flipping them over on the bed until his back was against the mattress and she was straddling his waist.

He lightheartedly glared up at her. "Cheat." She eased her grip on his wrist and sat back on Kaz's legs, relaxed. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a break. I'm exhausted," she complained, turning her head to Callus when he barked up at the pair from his spot by the fireplace. "And Callus is hungry."

"Is that my second favorite four-legged animal barking for me?" Jesper sang as he opened the door to their room and strolled in. Upon taking note of Raya on top of Kaz in bed, his brow rose. "Oh. May I suggest another position? Might do wonders for you, Raya."

From her spot, Raya reached out for the pillow she'd slept on and chucked it at Jesper.

"We're training," Kaz explained. "Close proximity."

"Hmm, haven't heard that excuse before," Jesper chuckled before walking out of the room with Callus in hand, making sure to lock the door behind him.

"A little too close, huh?" Raya smirked down at Kaz, teasingly shifting her hips on his, feeling him grow hard beneath her.

"Raya," he warned in that low, dangerous tone of his. He grabbed her hips tightly in his hands, stopping her movements.

She frowned at that. "Oh, come on. We've been training in this saintsforsaken room all morning. I don't wanna practice my powers anymore. I wanna have fun."

"If by practicing your powers, you mean not even once managing to compel my mind without touching me..."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't wanna compel you, Kaz."

"You can't," he corrected. "At least not without touching me."

She was now growing frustrated with the situation and with him. "I don't know what you want me to say. I can't just turn it on like a switch."

"Then, how come you were able to all those times you saved me?" he curiously asked, placing her beside him on the bed so he could sit up.

She shrugged, not wanting to reveal the answer. But, when she saw his eyes narrow at her, she gave in. "You were in danger, Kaz. Real, immediate danger. I can't just summon the maximum capacity of my powers when we're laying in bed, safe and sound."

He gave her a curious look and before she could stop him, he'd grabbed a hidden dagger from the pocket of his jacket, which hung on the reading chair by the bed. With all his force, he went to plunge the knife deep into his gut.

But, it never even pierced the first layer of his skin.

"Stop!" Raya ordered, holding her hand out and quickly forming the bond.

She wasn't touching him. Success.

"Good," Kaz said. "Now, hold it."

Raya placed her full focus on the bond, on keeping it whole and uninterrupted. Her eyes were glued to the dagger as Kaz tried with all his might to push it into his body. Still, it remained unmoved, its tip mere inches from his abdomen.