She’d already learned that the hard way, multiple times. Whatever trauma life threw at her, she had to bury it, push forward, and move on, or else risk being suffocated by her own self-doubt. No one would understand, or have any sympathy, if she complained.
“Come on, up with you.” Jax held out his hands. “Can you stand?”
“I think so.” Vi took his hands, trying to pull herself to her feet. She let out a yelp of pain in the process and her left knee folded. Her uncle quickly caught her, using his strength to support her so Vi didn’t have to put her weight on what now seemed likely to be broken. “Or, not.”
“First, cleric. Then we speak with Sehra.”
Vi gripped him tightly, looking back to Sehra at the mention of the woman. The scolding would be well deserved, but Vi wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Are Ellene and Jayme truly all right?” she whispered.
“Shaken up a bit, but Ellene’s magic protected her, barely. If you hadn’t stopped the fire when you did, this might have been a very different day.”
“A day I don’t want to think about.”
“But you did have control at the end, didn’t you?” Jax murmured. “The fire stopped before we reached it.”
“I don’t know how,” she confessed. “My magic seemed… strange.”
“I’m not surprised. Given that display, Vi… You’re Awoken.” It seemed much more than that to her. “We’ll discuss it when we’re back. Let me help you up.” Jax laced his fingers and held them down, granting her some relief and not pressing further about her obvious hesitation. “I know you’re more confident riding these things than I am. But that’s usually without a bad leg.”
Vi hesitated, staring at the animal, balancing as best she could on her good leg. Gormon turned his furry head toward her, and Vi saw the dead eyes of the noru layered atop his bright, clear ones. She flinched.
“He’s the same Gormon you’ve always ridden,” Jax said encouragingly, soothingly, as if reading her mind.
“I know.” Vi tried to roll her eyes as she placed a hand on the beast’s dense fur. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“Of course you’re not.”
“I’m merely debating if I can endure your help mounting. But I suppose I shall this one time.” Vi made an attempt at the dramatic for a laugh and her uncle indulged her. Together, it distracted her from the pain as she got astride the animal. Her leg screamed in protest, but could still be moved—marginally—so perhaps it wasn’t entirely broken.
“You settled?” Jax asked with a grunt, mounting behind her.
“Yes, and more than ready to get this mended.”
The cat sprang to life and they bounded back in the direction of the capital of the North. Uncle Jax muttered to himself the whole time.
“It’s a miracle you’re all right. Thank the Mother. I couldn’t have imagined what might have happened if something befell you or Ellene. We should’ve never let you go.Ishould’ve never let you go. The Senate advised against these hunts of yours as you got older and there was less supervision. I should’ve listened. Mother knows what that boy is going to write in his reports of his.
“But… to think, your magic is Awoken and you’re already learning to control fires of that power and size. We may be able to work with this before you return south…”
The words blurred like the trees passing to either side. Vi stared at nothing, letting her eyes glaze over. She could see her father, kneeling before a foreign queen in strange clothing. He had to be on the Crescent Continent in her vision… so how far in the future was that? Tomorrow? A month? A year? She wasn’t sure how long ago his farewell letter had been written.
Then there was her other vision… and that man. The voice, he’d called himself. He’d done something to her and then left with nothing more than a command to find him again.
Vi didn’t know where to start—the fact that he would command her… or the fact that even if she wanted to summon him, she had no idea how.
Soricium emerged before them. The buildings with bases of stone and second stories of wood blurred past them as the noru bounded down the main streets of the city, heading to the large castle-like fortress at its center. The street forced the noru closer together, close enough that Vi could speak with Jayme and Ellene.
“I’m sorry,” Vi called over. They both turned, startled. “I didn’t mean—”
“What’re you sorry for?” Ellene shook her head. “We’re glad you’re all right!”
“Likewise.” Vi breathed a sigh of relief, knowing there were no hard feelings between them.
The noru came to a stop and Jax immediately swung his legs over, reaching up to help her off. Vi allowed herself the assistance once more. She was far too tired and in too much pain to object. His hands fell on her waist and he eased her down. Vi put all of her weight on her right foot, allowing him to shift an arm around her back to help support her.
“Call for Ginger,” he shouted, loud enough that Vi was certain half the castle heard. “The Crown Princess is injured.”
