Lena’s tutors taught her to skim her gaze over the audience, never focusing on one person, but offering enough attention to make people feel as if she were singing directly to them. She intended to do the same with this audience, but with the first chords, the Nethren went so still, their expressions rapt, that Lena actually met every gaze, not just pretended to.
The song poured from Lena as if handed to her by the Sources. It was a tale of renewal—rising and falling in the cadences of life. She sang about the journey ahead for everyone. How it could take you through great pain, but that would only magnify the pleasure. As Lena sang, she met those rapt gazes, and she felt the connection her mentor had promised she'd one day feel. They were with her in the music, swaying to her voice.
The vibrations in Lena's throat seemed to seep through her skin to blend with those of the guitar, filling the room with words and a shiver in the air. Lena turned in a circle as she sang, moving so that everyone could see and hear her, but also so that she could see them. She'd never felt such glory and wonder from an audience before. Never seen such blissful faces. It was as if they'd never heard music before.
When her fingers made their last strum, the sound flowed out from Lena in a wave, and she felt as altered as the Nethren looked. The energy exchanged between a singer and their audience was always uplifting. But with this audience, her song became transformative. Lena could feel the difference in them and see their astonishment as they felt it too.
The last note shivered into silence, and the entire hall stared at Lena as if frozen in time. Then that man with the blue eyes whooped and clapped. The others flinched and blinked as if coming awake, but then they joined in with great fervor. The applause gathered, growing louder and louder as people got to their feet. Tears came to Lena's eyes as she turned and bowed to each section of the room. She'd never felt such appreciation from an audience before. Even her parents had never applauded for her like this, as if Lena's song had just changed their lives.
Vor's smile was the largest in the room, spreading wider as he came over to her, his hands lifted as he clapped. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “Miraculous.”
Cheeks wet, Lena smiled up at her metal-man, feeling as if her life had just changed too.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rinna
“What the fuck?!” Rinna Jass pounded the wooden table with her fists.
It had been over two weeks since the Nethren had taken Fortress 6. Over two weeks since she had fled with Laroc and then returned to help retake the fortress. She'd been converging for most of that time. And nothing worked.
Frustration and lack of sleep were making Rinna tense to the point of breaking. She couldn't even ask for help because she was the only one who knew the frequency the convergence had to be set to. Liria could have done it in a few hours—tops. Seeing her worried looks made Rinna feel even worse.
She was letting everyone down, especially Liria. The Nethren had imprisoned Rinna's best friend's sister. Sources only knew what they were doing to her. And Rinna was their only chance of getting through the ward and saving Lena.
“Rin.”
Rinna turned to see Liria in the open tent flap as if her thoughts had summoned the woman. “Hey.” She looked down.
Liria walked in and looked at the mess on the table. “Not going so well?”
“I don't know why it keeps failing. I swear, this shouldn't be a problem.” Rinna rolled her head to stretch her neck. “It almost feels as if something is blocking me.”
Liria glanced at the tent opening. “I don't think we're the only ones in this fight, Rin.”
Rinna went still, her hands falling to her lap. “What do you mean?”
“I think the Sources are with us, but our goals are different.” Liria glanced at the tent flap and toward the fortress. “Everything about this feels odd to me. I came here so certain of who the villains were, but now I'm not so sure.”
“You think the Sources want the Nethren to have Lena?” Rinna gaped at her friend.
“Maybe.” Liria sighed. “There's so much about the Nethren that I've gotten wrong.”
“We all have. I can't believe they lied to us all these years.”
“Yes, but do you understand what this means, Rinna?”
“It, uh, means we should think about peace?”
“It meanswe'rethe bad guys. Us! We're the monsters, not them. We forced an innocent race underground and have kept them there for centuries, killing them when they try to crawl up into the light.” Liria's voice broke, and she rubbed at her eyes. “It's so wrong. It makes me sick to think of my part in it.”
Rinna shivered as she remembered the Nethren Commander defending himself against that blond Aethari. Hishand had transformed. “There are signs that Tech is with them, but that's to be expected. What about Thaxvarien? He roasted that Nethren and nearly brought down the fortress.”
“I don't know, Rin.” Liria sighed and sat down. “If I tell you something, will you keep it to yourself?”
“Of course.”
“I've seen that Nethren Commander before. In visions.”
