“He’s made no effort to apologize.”
“Nor have you,” she snapped, and the truth of that statement stung. “Now, I won’t pretend to understand all of your reasons. I know there’s more at play here than some foolish comments between brother and sister. But you need to remedy this, Adrian. I won’t be forced to choose between my children. I won’t take sides in this petty disagreement. You’ll heal this family, you’ll close this rift, or I’ll be forced to take matters into my own hands.”
I hadn’t the slightest clue what that meant, but the way she’d spoken, with her head held high and her eyes narrowed that way only a mother who loved her children very deeply could do, I couldn’t help but soften at her words.
“I’ll talk to Warren,” I promised.
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Oh, thank you, Adrian!”
She pulled me in for a hug, and I went to her willingly.
“Now,” I said as we separated, “maybe we can enjoy the party?”
She nodded, and we walked back toward the festivities of the great hall, arm in arm.
“I really am proud of you, Adrian. I always have been, and I always will be,” she vowed as we passed through the threshold into the crowd beyond. “No matter what.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Man cannot be in two places at once. Likewise, he cannot split his soul in two. He must choose. To follow the Geist or to follow the ways of man. One path leads to righteousness, the other to ruin. And yet, temptation will always steer you toward the latter.”
-The Rite of the Acolyte, 1,280 Age of Sanctum
Our beloved spectators heralded us into the tunnel with screams of adulation and rhythmic chants of support. But inside this tunnel, deep within the darkness, it was only Dante and I, left alone to face whatever task was coming.
We stepped into our metal tubes in silence, masters at keeping our limbs tucked tight and accepting the harsh suction. When we were finally dropped unceremoniously onto the ground, I took a moment to run the coarse sand beneath my feet through my fingers. Dante did the same.
“He turned to the open vista around us, stretching on for miles. “A desert.”
Every other Trial had taken us to a chamber of some sort, an intricately designed room with specific items placedpurposefully throughout. None had dropped us in the middle of some strange land. There was nothing in sight as far as I could see and, given my enhanced sight, that was quite far. Nothing but sand and rocks and blue skies stretching on for an eternity. I'd never known such a place could exist.
“Should we…walk?” I asked.
“In which direction?”
I didn’t answer because I had no answer to give him. I peered around again. “Maybe that rock formation has something to do with it?”
I pointed to a small dot on the horizon, a few small, misshapen rocks huddled together forming a natural mass.
He shrugged. With no other suggestions, we strolled toward the rocks.
The heat was brutal. The sun beat down on our necks, already burning us before we’d even made it halfway, and the air was dry. It was like breathing dust. It left me parched, longing for my next glass of cool, refreshing water.
Do you want to tell me why you were warning yourself not to cry at the party last night?He asked in my mind.
My fists clenched at my sides.No.
Adrian—
Later. Maybe. We need to focus now.
He sighed but didn’t bring it up again as we made our way across the sand.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we made it to the rocks, but there was nothing special about them. In desperation, Dante used his tremendous strength to lift up a particularly massive boulder.
Something shifted then. The whole world blurred and shook. Dante yelped and dropped a now dripping wet boulder—onto the lush grass below.
The hot desert rock had become a smooth river rock, and we stood on the bank of the river itself. The roaring rush of water filled my ears as we both gaped around at our surroundings. I dropped to my knees and gulped as much water as I was able.
