And the Hunger stirred in response.
It rose with the shame, a dark swell against her ribs.
“No!” she cried out, doubling over. Her hands clenched at her stomach as if she could tear it free, rip the demon out before it found more to consume.
“Leave us alone!” the girl shouted this time.
Rynna looked down into the cellar, heart pounding, mouth dry. She didn’t trust herself to stay another second. If she did, she knew—absolutely knew—she would do to those children what she’d done to the rest.
“No.” The Hunger nearly brought her to her knees, but her will was harder.
She forced her gaze away from the little ones, every muscle protesting the shift. Her body resisted, still leaning toward the dark below, but she wrenched her focus upward toward the hill and the estate waiting above.
Springing forward, the ground fell away beneath her as her body was lifted by instinct and power. The wind tore past her face, then stone met her boots with a brutal jolt as she landed on the steps outside the looming doors.
She stared up at it, her body still shaking from restraint, when a quiet, corrosive question cackled through her mind.
The next time the Hunger came, how long would it take her to come back?
Would she come back at all?
And if she didn’t, would she even care?Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Thelittlehealerspokewith a mouth full of beans, bless her. “So you’re really going with Thorn to train?”
The moment Elara asked her question, I felt him stiffen around my flames. The boy was wound too tightly for such a simple day.
Bran grunted in reply, half-heartedly chasing broth-slick noodles around his bowl. “Apparently, the new Ember Warden wants me as far from the Reach as possible.”
“You’re in good hands. He’s Guide Fenn’s best friend,” the one who was not a girl said, arms behind her head, eyes skyward. The sun winked against the water, casting lazy patterns of gold across her expression. “And it’s just until you can control the power of the Great Phoenix better.”
As if they could control me. I could have snorted fire.
“Still odd,” Elara yawned, stretching overhead. “That basically a god would pick you, of all people, you misfit.”
“You think I don’t know that?” The boy bristled.
He shoved the bowl aside and glared toward the lake. Palm fronds whispered overhead. The wind carried the scent of lotus and something older, the kind of scent that clings to memory like ash.
Elara softened. “Hey. I didn’t mean it like that.”
He didn’t respond as Rynna turned onto her side, studying the water.
I sighed. He’s finally realizing he’s special. Chosen. Now he thinks he doesn’t deserve it.
Rynna broke the silence. “The Phoenix is the strongest of the Elementals. Do you know why that is?”
I preened, basking in the praise like any self-respecting divine firebird should.
“Fire. Duh.” Bran didn’t look at her.
Rynna scoffed. “Fire’s cool and all, and yeah, it can be one hell of a destructive weapon. But that’s not whyshe’s the strongest.”
“Then why?” Elara asked, flicking sand from her knee.
“Because fire doesn’t just destroy.” Rynna watched the sky. “It also creates.”
