I cross the distance and sink to my knees at the edge of the dais so I’m at eye level with my brother. “Hello, Macsen. Brother.”
He bows his head more formally than I expected him to. “Princess.” But then he grins at me. “Sister.”
I smile. “There’s the brother I know.”
“You’ve put yourself in the path of danger by becoming a champion.”
“I’m in greater danger if I don’t compete.”
He tilts his head, questioning. “Whatever you face, Baelen won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Unfortunately, Baelen’s strength doesn’t help me right now.”
His smile vanishes. “Well, now you’ve really got me worried.”
“I wish I could tell you more.” I force a smile onto my face. “Actually… I really wish I could give you a hug. I have a feeling you’d tower over me now.”
“That I would, big sister.”
Elise clears her throat from the side. My time’s up. “Are our parents well?”
“Much better for seeing you.”
I draw to my feet and he takes a step back. I can’t leave until he does. It’s my job to take the chest to my quarters where my Storm Command will guard over it.
Macsen pauses. “I don’t know what happened between you and Baelen. But he won’t let you go without a fight.”
With that, he spins and strides from my sight. I blink away my surprise. I have to focus on the trial now. When I reach Jordan, my brain is already working at a million miles an hour.
I say, “Winning at this test is as much about preparation as endurance. I need clothing to withstand the climb and protect me from the weather, as well as food and equipment. I’ll need to survive a night in the mountains. And I don’t have as much time as the other champions to prepare because I need to subdue the Storm.”
She keeps pace beside me, calling the Storm Command to bring the chest. “We still have packs prepared from when we climbed the Rath peaks to collect webs and husks. I’ll modify the contents of one of those. And you can wear the same climbing suits we used—they’re light but thermal to guard against the cold.”
“I’ll gather food,” Elise chimes in.
“No, please, I need you with me in the Vault. I have a feeling it’s going to be hell today.”
* * *
The wind picks up first,wailing around the walls of the Storm Vault. It’s so fast and thick that it looks like water streaming against the walls. The center where I stand is total calm. My heart sinks. The storm’s only done this once before—the day of Rordan Rath’s funeral—the day I tried to see Baelen.
I’m not an unwitting victim this time and I don’t wait for the Storm to build. I know what’s coming and it’s not pretty. I hold my hand up high, drawing the lightning down to me, waiting for it to encompass my arm and torso like armor made of light. I feel stronger with it around me. Then I scream into the clouds. “Why are you doing this, Beast?”
A small but visible wind tunnel separates from the wailing wind spinning around the Vault. It’s a mini tornado and it shoots right at me, screaming sound as it moves.
Your husband will kill you.
I duck. The tornado speeds past my ears and does a U-turn right back at me.
“No, he won’t! I won’t have a husband. I’m fighting for myself.”
The tornado strikes at me like a snake. I throw my hands up to ward off the blow, expecting the pain of the lashing wind.
Everything stops.
He won’t be himself.
The whisper comes from right in front of me. I release my crossed arms and open my eyes to find the mouth of the wind tunnel paused in front of me.
