“What’s wrong?” Instantly, Nina was beside her.
But Sol couldn't speak, she clawed at her shirt and skin, feeling too tight in them both.
“Off,” she said through tight teeth, nails digging into the ground.
One of them pulled her shirt off, leaving her in her breeches and camisole. She didn't care, she wanted to beg them to strip that off too if it meant the burning subsided.
“Sol, how do you make it stop?” Nina shook her shoulders. “Has it ever done this before?”
“The Yarrow mark. It’s magic in itself,” Alix said, kneeling beside her. “Here, let me see.”
Through the haze, Sol vaguely saw Sawyer and Cas standing over them, both with their blades out.
“If it burns, perhaps I can soothe it.” Alix pulled Sol into his arms, carefully placing his palms over her mark. Slowly, the fire dwindled, and it was as if she had been doused with cold water.
Sol inhaled and exhaled, dropping her head on his shoulder in defeat.
Her mother had never truly explained the mark’s purpose or origins, only that most of her ancestors had one as well. She said it was a family mark and joked it only condemned them to the occasional discomfort. But Sol had never had to deal with it as often as she had in the last few days. It made her wish she would have taken Lora up on her offers to construct a salve for it when she was younger.
Sawyer crouched, meeting Sol at eye level. “Better?”
Relief flooded Sol, though she struggled to keep her eyes open. “Better.”
“Does that happen often?” Alix asked, patting her back, sending more waves of cool.
Sol shook her head. “Not usually, but it has lately.” “Last time was at the docks, right?” Cas asked.
Her head pounded with leftover pain, but she gave him a small nod.
Nina didn't wait for a response as she shot to her feet. “The docks had Jinn. Alix, stay with her. The restof us will do a land sweep.”
For once, Sol swallowed her protests and savored the sweet, cool magic.
They stayed like that for a long while. Sol hadn't realized how much she truly just needed to be held. Her racing thoughts slowed, and her anxiety drifted. She was almost disappointed when she finally peeled herself from him, her face heating at the realization that she had clung to the man for nearly twenty minutes.
She smiled meekly. “Sorry.”
“Don't apologize. At your service.” He juggled a stream of water along his fingertips.
Sol folded her legs beneath her, then crossed her arms over her torso. “Is my shirt anywhere?”
With a chuckle, Alix tossed it to her. “Has it ever felt like that before?”
Sol shook her head. “No. I’m not even sure what it means.”
“There isn't much recorded on Yarrow marks. Your mother—and all the ones marked before her—were rather secretive about it.” Alix stretched out his legs and ran a hand through his tousled hair. “But we do know it’s connected to your magic somehow.”
“I don’t have any.”
“Yet. You will.”
The idea she might have any sort of magic refused to register within her. She, in absolutely no corner of her imagination, could see herself handling the gifts these people so elegantly carried. Even though she had only found out her mother was a Wielder days ago, she could clearly picture Irene being great at it. Her mother had always carried that gleam of mystery, as if she always had something to say but couldn't. Her head was always held high and her smile was casually fierce, even when Sol tried her very best to get her angry just to see what it would look like.
Sol leaned back on her palms, she let the memories drift into the wind. “I’m so lost.”
“I know you must have a lot of questions.” Alix gave her a small side smile. “After the official meeting with the Semmena Court, we will work to answer them.”
Sol sighed. “I don’t believe I’ve had the opportunity to ask what your duties are here within the group.”
