Percy and I had survived falling into the Empty. Had that only been because Seraphim was near, and the Maiden’s Bloodstone with her?
“That’s all you have to say?” He said. “Gods know how many people just died, andthat’s all you have to say?”
“I couldn’t- Nothing I did worked!”
“Of course it didn’t.” He spat. “They’re fools for thinking some knave is going to save them. Nobody has power over the Empty.Nobody.”
Seth’s voice fractured on the last word. I hesitantly raised my eyes to meet his. Why did he speak as though he’d long known about the search for someone who could wield the Empty?
And why did he sound so brokenhearted?
“Seraphim’s theory was a good one.” Seth leaned back, staring at the rain. “It might have worked. But now they’re dead.”
“They might not be,” I said. “They Maiden’s Bloodstone-”
“Is probably as useless as you.”
Thunder crashed overhead, and I flinched. My hand brushed my satchel, where I’d tucked the quill I’d meant to surprise Eleos with.
Everything in life ended so suddenly. One morning, I’d awoken to find Ainwir gone. A few nights ago, I’d sat by the fire with Percy and learned of his illness, seen the fear in his eyes. This morning, I’d planned to catch Seraphim alone with a drink and ask her about her storied past.
Justgone. Blinked away as though they’d never existed. Never mattered.
All my fault.
The entire outpost had perished because ofme.
Choking, I fled the cavern and ran into the storm. Pounding rain washing over me, soaking my hair and toga. My foot caught on a boulder peeking out from thick grass, and I tripped, landing on my knees.
My fingers dug into the mud, and water gathered in the gouges. Lightning struck nearby, blinding my eyes with a bright white flash.
I don’t know why I ran into the storm, why I couldn’t find the strength to move. All I’d wanted was to get away from Seth and his accusing glare. The rain was frigid, and chills seeped into my bones, but any sensation was preferable to the nothing I’d been feeling before.
All I wanted was for the storm to sweep me away.
Back to the Empty’s silent embrace, where everything lay still.
“Aethra!” Seth ran towards me, a blur of black in the storm, boots sloshing through the mud. “I—I shouldn’t have said that.”
With his words, I realized I wasn’t mad at him. How could you hate someone who spoke the truth?
Seth knelt beside me. “The storm is going to blow you away.” He flinched as thunder boomed above us and a nearby tree splintered beneath the wind. Cursing, he grabbed my arm and hauled me up.
I didn’t resist. Stumbling over the rocks, fighting against the gale, we returned to the tiny shelter, where two cowering animals awaited us. Pressing my back against the stone, I slid to the floor, water dripping everywhere. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I stared at my horse instead of the man.
Seth sat beside me, far too close. “It’s not your fault.” He said softly. “I was just. . . lashing out.” He shifted, resting an arm on his knee. “Maybe we shouldn’t have run. You and Percy managed to walk through it okay.”
“For only a moment,” I said, finding my voice. “How am I to assume from that mere second that I could just, what, hold everyone’s hand and guide them to safety?”
“We don’t know enough about how it works,” Seth agreed. “It’s not an easy thing to test.” He gritted his teeth. “It’s not a thing thatshouldbe tested.”
“Someone has to.” I raised my head, watching the storm. The Empty wasn’t far. I could return to its border and test my supposed magic in full.
Pressing a hand to the cavern wall, I tried to rise, but Seth yanked me back down.
“Stop,” he said sharply. “You’re no good to anyone dead.”
“I thought I was useless.”
