“Halfsister,” she spat, but I ignored her outburst.
“Moved across the Iceshelf three decades ago, the same time we felt the artifacts for the last time. That does not seem like a coincidence to me. I think?—”
One of Solace’s fists came up, her fingers uncurling before closing once more. In an instant, the breath was stolen from my lungs, my airflow restricted entirely.
My eyes felt like they might pop from my head in surprise as my hands moved from my chest to cover my neck, as if that motion could protect me from my sister’s magic.
Never in our many centuries of life had my sister turned her power against me. It was always her and me against the schemes of our father and siblings.
We were two sides of the same coin, Solace and I, always working to be in balance and synchrony, even when we disagreed.
I carved my gaze across her face, desperately searching for something that remained of the sister I knew, but all I saw was the flashing of anger in her white orbs and a sneer curling her thin lips.
The rigidity of her posture and the slow tightening of her knuckles as the air continued to bleed from my lungs sank my heart to the depths of my gut.
I’d long ago predicted this day; knew that at some point our paths would separate. But I never anticipated the despair that would nearly overwhelm me at the thought of walking away from my remaining sibling.
Her white, gaunt face was carved from stone, no remorse reflecting in her lifeless eyes. My hands fell away from my throat in resignation, but Solace never relented.
She intends to kill me.
My knees hit the floor just as my palms slapped the ground, a thunderclap accompanying the motion as the ground rocked beneath my sister’s feet. Razia’s squeak and subsequent tumble would have been amusing if it weren’t for the situation.
Solace’s grip on her Air Magic faltered as she tried to calm the raging floor enough for her to find footing once more.
I retracted my palms from the ground just in time to halt a giant ball of water with a wall of fire. Steam erupted, coating my skin with droplets of boiling water as my magic consumed hers.
“Enough, Solace,” I barked, my voice commanding attention and respect. My sister’s chest was heaving, her hair saturated from sweat and the diffusing globe of water, but her hands remained poised to strike once more.
“Enough,” I said a second time, quieter and resigned. I dropped my hands to my thighs, palms open and unassuming, hoping she would have enough sense not to attack.
Thankfully, Solace’s arms drooped with each passing second, even though her muscles remained tense and coiled.
“Youwillfollow, brother.” She spoke through gritted teeth, incredulous that I would even think of denying her.
I shook my head slowly, sadly, my braids catching on the leather on my back.
“No, Solace,” I whispered, pain tinging my words. “No, I can no longer do that.”
“What?” Her gasp of outrage caused Razia to scramble to his knees on the floor, tripping on his cape as he tried to stand once more.
I sighed heavily, holding her gaze with my own.
“I will follow you no longer. We both knew this day would come?—”
Solace slashed her hand across the space between us.
“No. I forbid it!” she shrieked.
Discreetly, I opened a small portal at my back, ready to step into it if she tried to attack once more.
Solace, of course, noticed the movement, even in her anger.
“Where do you think you’re going to go, brother? Some place I cannot find you?” she sneered before spitting on my face. I flinched at the sudden movement, her saliva running sluggishly down my cheek. I made no move to wipe it away.
“Go,” she spat, waving her hand at the portal to my back that steadily grew in size. “Go find your stupid artifacts.”
I stepped slowly backward, keeping my eyes on my sister at all times.
