Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 344

Natalia’s POV

After visiting the metalsmith, Andrei and I headed straight back to the estate–particularly, we went to the training grounds to test the metalsmith’s theory.

It still felt insane to imagine that an inanimate object would be capable of bonding to a person based on bodily fluids, but the evidence we had collected so far was too intriguing to ignore. Even if we tried to test the knife and nothing happened, at least we could say we had tried.

We changed into our training leathers, then stepped out into the sparring ring to give the theory a test. All of the warriors had finished up for the day and were in the barracks, eating dinner. That was probably for the best, because Andrei and I were at risk of making complete fools of ourselves if nothing happened with the dagger.

“Okay.” Andrei studied the knife in the light, noting the way the rubies looked dull and lifeless–of course, they were still beautiful, no doubt about it, but they definitely weren’t glowing with an inner light or vibrating with some kind of ethereal warmth. “How do you want to go about this?”

I gingerly took the knife, holding it between my thumb and forefinger like it might decide to turn on me and stab me in the heart if I didn’t wield its so–called “powers” properly.

“The metalsmith said we should try several emotions, but that trying to recreate the feeling I’d get during real combat would be the best way,” I said, glancing at Andrei. The thought of stressing the baby with such violent emotions was a little nerve–wracking, but doable in the right settings.

“Let’s start with something simple, then.” Andrei stepped back a little and tapped his chin. “Try to picture someone you hate. Someone you want to hurt.”

I nodded and shut my eyes for a moment, picturing the faces of those who had drawn my ire over the years. Lilith. Celeste. Helena. The faces of the rogues who once trapped me in their camp. The nameless barbarians who were trying to destroy everything I loved.

A feeling of anger began to wash over me like a dark tide threatening to pull me under. My heart began to pound, skin began to flush with frustration.

“That’s it,” Andrei said from beside me. “The rubies are starting to glow a little. Keep going.”

I pushed deeper into that anger, letting it overcome my senses. I let my memories of everything Lilith had done to me, to my children, block out the outside world. I let my fury burn at my fingertips, willing it into the knife that lay flat on my palm…

But then the feeling ebbed. The faces in my mind began to morph. Their features were wrong… No, I couldn’t picture them perfectly. Even Lilith’s face was slightly amorphous in my mind, intangible. Eventually, the images faded entirely. I opened my eyes to find that the knife, which had briefly been warm with power, was cold again.

I shook my head and sighed. “That didn’t work. I don’t think I could visualize their faces well enough. Let’s try something else.”

“Another emotion, maybe?” Andrei asked. “It doesn’t have to be hatred. Maybe we can focus on something more tangible, something right in front of us…”

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Chapter 344

+25 Bonus

7

“What do you have in mind?” I asked, glancing at him.

A slight smirk drew one corner of Andrei’s mouth upward. He stepped behind me and ran his hand down my arm, then wrapped his fingers around my wrist and gently lifted it so I was pointing the knife at the training dummy across from us.

“I’m right here,” he whispered, warm breath fanning across the side of my neck as he spoke. “If you can’t focus on your anger, then maybe you can focus on me.”

“But I don’t…” I shivered, fighting the urge to smile, as his breath warmed my neck again with another husky exhale. “I don’t hate you. Not anymore, at least.”

Andrei chuckled, a low and rumbly sound that instantly set my nerve endings ablaze–not with anger this time, but with something headier, something more intimate. Arousal.

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