The Aspect of Essence (The Aelfyn Archives, #1)

by Samantha Amstutz

He wanted to tell her, share his knowledge of Essence with her. Instead, he had to drone on about how great the elves were and how the noble Aelfyn ancestors colonized human civilization. He had hoped their lessons would open her eyes to the discrepancies between humans and elves. He wiggled in as much of his disdain as he could, but his efforts were falling on deaf ears. Jassyn senses blared in alarm, recognizing a vibration of power. His attention soared to the general. Essence swirled around Elashor like a gossamer curtain. Even tethered, Jassyn could see the magic circling and shimmering—he just couldn’t access his own. Panic erupted like a flow of magma in his chest when Elashor rose and rounded the desk, approaching him. Completely defenseless, Jassyn dropped his arms and balled his hands into fists at his side, steeling himself, waiting for the general’s move. Elashor smirked and trailed a finger across his forehead’s tattoo. Jassyn inhaled a jagged breath, disoriented like vision blurring under seawater. The binding coercion unraveled, releasing him from the king’s embedded secrecy. Jassyn freed the air locked in his chest as a tightness in his mind relaxed, like threads unwoven from a spool. “Let’s get comfortable,” Elashor said, striding to the adjacent sitting room. “We have much to discuss concerning the changes at Centarya.”