“But I need to bond. The storm’s getting stronger. It’s too strong for me.”
“No, Marbella, no. You already have everything you need to control it. The Elven Command wants you to believe that you aren’t enough—that you need to share the burden. But you’ll discover once you marry that it’s all a lie. The other Princesses weren’t alive to tell me, but I’m telling you.Youare all you need.”
She glances at Darian. “I love him and I wouldn’t change my marriage for all the world and, yes, he has supported me and been my best friend, but the moment he stepped into the Vault it almost killed him!
“I’m forbidden to speak of it, Marbella. But the truth is thatweare the Storm. Only us. Only our bodies. And now… the storm is choosing to connect with me again, trying to send you a message through me.”
“We have to get you help.”
She gently shakes her head. “Soon. I promise I’ll be okay. But you need to understand your power.”
“But… why? Why does the Elven Command make us marry if it doesn’t help us?”
“So that we are never seen to hold all of the power ourselves. So that we are notall-powerful.” She grimaces. “I can’t hold time much longer. Promise me you’ll fight for yourself. Promise me!”
I have so many more questions. So much else to ask her.
But at the heart of what she said is the answer to saving Baelen: I will fight for myself. Even though confusion whirls through me about everything Mai revealed to me, I’m filled with intense relief.
As everything speeds up around us, I say, “Thank you, dear friend.”
She nods and collapses against Darian.
I spin to Elise. My advisor shivers beside me, running her hand through her hair as if she’s pulling off cobwebs. She’s a gifted spellcaster and will be able to sense that something just happened, but she won’t understand how. She doesn’t know the power of the storm. As it turns out, I don’t either.
I know I should tell her what just happened, but Mai spoke only to me for a reason. I meet Rebecca’s eyes across the room. She’s Mai’s advisor—she would have seen what happened when Darian accompanied Mai into the Vault.
She must know the truth about the marriage protocol. Her lips are pressed together. I know she won’t speak a word of it.
I spin to Elise before she can say anything. “Mai needs help now. Call the healers, please.”
Elise waves her hand, lifting the cloak of silence around the room, and the message is relayed back through my Storm Command. Two of my elves separate from the others and sprint away, their lithe bodies a blur of movement. Of the ten, they are my message bearers, chosen for their speed. Every one of my Command is highly trained and hand picked to excel.
I’m afraid to touch Mai in case the power inside me could hurt her, but I kneel and lean as close as I can. “I’ll do as you say.”
I will fight for myself.
