Like it’s all her fault.
And then she says we’re working on a way to try and protect the humans this has put at risk. And she ties it all back together with a very nice bow by telling them that in order for us to help, we’ll need the blessed to find bonded humans.
She’s smart.
She’s very well spoken, even if she can’t see it. Sure, her words are less carefully crafted than those of the Australian Prime Minister, but it makes her sound more believable, I think. I can tell the blessed who are close are also listening, and they’re interested.
The earth blessed who haven’t yet gotten wings are the most keen to hear what she has to say, but all the blessed look curious. I wonder whether Liz knows the power she has over others, because I don’t think most of it even comes from her connection to me.
She’s got a pull all her own.
Maybe it’s the heart that she somehow jammed into her delicate chest, but I don’t think that’s it either. I think the heart chose her, Jörð chose her, because of her own inner strength. It’s always been there. It’s probably why I bonded her in the first place, I imagine, if I could remember it.
She’s arguing with some woman about wiping off her own makeup, whatever that is, when Gordon races toward the set, barely stopping before crashing into one of the tiny cameras. We have a problem.
What?
He glances at Liz. Is she still busy?
Why? I don’t like that he’s evading my question.
Some of the blessed are suffering. He grimaces.
Sammy’s on his back, and doesn’t look torn like Gordon does. “Euphrasia’s sister just puked.”
Liz hears him, and her head snaps toward us. “Let’s go, right now.”
I shake my head. We can’t help, not anymore. If she’s already thrown up, it’s too late. We need to arrange to collect the humans who are willing to be bonded as soon as possible to prevent this from happening to more blessed.
“I want to go now.” She shoves something white and fluffy at the woman and launches into the air.
Gordon and I scramble to follow, and I realize she’s become faster. Much faster. I think you’re moving better. I should’ve realized it when she stayed in front of those vanir for so long earlier.
She glances back, scowling. “Shut up.”
He’s right, Gordon says. You’re much faster than before.
“I’ve had the wings longer,” she says. “Or. . .” She turns back again. Could it be that we’ve entwined again?
Or that you somehow jammed the heart inside your body? I’m still upset about that. How could she have allowed something that dangerous to happen? Sure. All of the things you mentioned, probably.
She’s quiet the rest of the flight over, but she slows down a little.
As we arrive, I send a quiet warning. Maybe think before you act today. The blessed need to see what happens when they don’t bond humans, so they can be appreciative for the ones who volunteer.
She frowns, but I can’t tell whether it’s because she’s listening or that she wants to save Eupraxia in spite of my warning.
I half-expect the blessed to already be dead when we reach Euphrasia’s cove. But no, her sister Eupraxia’s still breathing, lying just where the water meets the rocky coastline. I have no idea what Liz plans to do. All the humans who returned from Finland have already bonded other blessed.
“I’m sorry,” Liz says. “I heard.” She lands beside Eupraxia. “How are you feeling?”
The sky-blue water blessed closes her eyes in response.
She was bonded to your father, Euphrasia says. You don’t remember that yet, I assume, but she was. They got along well. Your mother and father came to us as a pair and said they wanted to bond æsir who were close so they could be together and still serve.
I don’t like Euphrasia sharing that. It feels. . .manipulative. Like she’s doling out the information at times that benefit her to make Liz do things that she wants.
“It’s fine,” Liz says. “Even if she’s manipulating me, she’s trying to help her sister. That’s something I understand. We’ve all lost too much already.” She crouches by Eupraxia and places both her hands on the blue scales. Next to the large water blessed, Liz looks impossibly small.
