“Unless she wants you at her side foranother reason.” Cullen didn’t expand on what that “other reason” might be and Eira was glad for it. He understood strange and tense relationships that surrounded family. All the messy emotions that came with it. Mother above knew, he had those emotions himself.
“If that’s the case, then I’d want to stay for it, too. Find out the truth.”
“But—”
“My mind is made up, Cullen.” That stopped his objections. “So if I don’t get my magic tomorrow morning before Ofok, which I doubt I will, I’ll have to stay with Adela. The rest of you need to leave.”
“I’m not leaving you behind.”
“Go while you can.” Eira leaned over slightly, meeting his eyes. “This might be your only chance—if she keeps her word. I will try to escape later, as soon as I’m able.”
He frowned slightly and his eyes took on a stern intensity. “You know that’s not going to happen. Alyss and Noelle won’t leave you.Iwon’t leave you.” She sighed heavily. It was his turn to speak over her protests. “Eira, all this time you wanted me to make a choice. To pick for myself and live in the way I wanted, not in the way others wanted for me. Well, now I am.”
“You had to picknowof all times to start living life for yourself,” she muttered, and shifted again, uncomfortable. He was right and she had to respect his choice. She had to respect all their choices.
“There’s never a good time for hard decisions.”
For a few minutes, they sat in silence. Just looking out at the world passing them by. She closed her eyes and sighed softly. After opening up to her friends, so much, it was becoming difficult to act without their support.
“She said she’s not my mother,” Eira whispered softly.
“Did she?” he replied, just as soft. Eira nodded. “Do you believe her?”
“Sometimes I do…other times I don’t. Her power, Cullen, it’s greater than any sorcerer I’ve ever imagined. She can do more than any Waterrunner I’ve ever heard—even dreamed—of doing. The more I learn about her, the more I think that her crew is right and she’s telling the truth. There’s no way I could be her daughter.”
“Your power is astounding.Youwere the one who discovered echoes. Who had begun exploring widening channels. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Eira drew her knees back to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I never thought I would actually find her, but I dreamed that if I did, everything would fall into place. I wouldknowthat she was my mother beyond all doubt and she would be overjoyed to be reunited with me.”
“Family never turns out how you think it will.”
“It never does,” she agreed with a heavy note.
“Earlier…you said you wanted to get back to your parents and uncle in Warich. That you worried for them.”
Eira glanced over at him, trying to read where the remark was coming from. “I’m not heartless. Even though we were at odds, I wouldn’t want them to die.”
“I never thought you did. It’s just…all this time you were fighting to get to Adela. Now, you want to get back to your parents.”
“I want to make peace, if nothing else. We all handled things badly and, even if I don’t know if I want them in my life forever, I want closure… I’ve gone soft,” she said with a note of sarcasm, trying to inject some levity or jesting into the otherwise heavy conversation.
He ignored it, remaining serious. “You’ve found a more nuanced heart.”
“Well, you’re not the only one who’s changing.”
They shared a small smile. Things around him had somehow finally,finallybecome comfortable. Now that they weren’t trying to be anything, ignore anything, ornotbe anything, it was as if they had the freedom to explore what they were meant to become and everything or nothing was on the table.
There was something exciting about the idea. Of meeting Cullen all over again. Learning who he was without everything else attached.
“Are you two done with your alone time?” Alyss said, coming up from behind them.
Eira gave Cullen a pointed look that said,don’t forget what we discussed.He dipped his chin ever so slightly. She’d put her faith in him to seriously consider leaving when the time came, and encouraging the others to do the same. If they chose to stay…Eira couldn’t do much to change their minds.
“I think so,” Eira said. “Which is good because I want to hear everything you have in your journal now.”
“I am not ready to share my work in progress.” Alyss held the journal to her chest and patted it. “But as soon as it is ready, you will be the first I share it with.”
“I better be.” Eira had a sneaking suspicion that she had inspired a good portion of it.
