Silence fell between them. Suza began to braid Seda’s hair into a tight braid, concentrating on her work. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to join you guys on this trip,” she said, breaking the silence.
“Why?” Seda asked.
“I promise you I’m not trying to go after King Ael anymore. I failed at that part of my task. But, I want to do everything I can to assist you so that I won’t have failed in everything.”
Seda studied her, watching how her form now flickered between both Fae and snake, and she sighed in response. “Okay.”
Suza perked up and smiled brightly, transforming her face into something quite lovely. What was once a face full of snide expressions was now radiant and beautiful. The ice surrounding Seda’s heart began to melt, and she fought her smirk. “You know,” she started, trying to sound angry still. “Maybe if you showed that expression more often, your wooing might have worked.”
Suza laughed loudly, and the sound was contagious, making Seda chuckle and cover her mouth.
“You’re likely right, but I didn’t really want to woo him, Seda,” the woman said.
Seda reached up and cupped her hand within her own, staring into her eyes. “Thank you for telling me. Honesty means a lot.”
Suza beamed under her praise, and the snake within her flickered, revealing lustrous black scales that reflected the light.
Seda looked down at Suza’s ragged dress. “Do you have anything else to wear? You can find something in that massive closet if you don’t.”
“Oh, may I please?” Suza asked excitedly. “This is all I have.”
Seda nodded, and Suza entered the closet. She could hear her rummaging through the clothing.
This trip... She needed to explain everything to everyone in the dining hall, but she was nervous to share what she had learned, especially the part about Feich.
Anxiety flared through her when she thought about the new information and Kalon’s plea for her to stay focused.
Finding the stones was important. The people of Joro were important. Doing whatever she could to destroy the corruption of the worldmattered.
All of it felt like too much, too quickly, and she felt her magic flare back to life unwillingly as her mind continued to churn.
Destroying the Camp was important. Bringing balance into the world was needed. She needed the stones. She needed to get back to the door.
Seda was the key.
Agonizing pain ripped through her body, tearing through her back muscles and shredding through her skin. Seda screamed as her chest vibrated a glowing storm of pulsating purple, throbbing through each heartbeat. She felt her back muscles tense, and the sound of a rustling storm blew through the room.
She dropped to the floor, panting for breath, crying through the pain as tears slipped down her cheeks. She felt new muscles she didn’t know existed tense. A heaviness pressed her further into the ground.
Suza ran out of the closet, clothing in hand, and dropped her items on the floor. She rushed to her side and knelt, “Oh my gods! They’rehere!”
Seda looked up at Suza, whose wide eyes were filled with wonder as she gazed over Seda’s shoulders.
Seda lifted her eyes with a hesitant breath, and twilight rose to meet her, unfolding around her like a quiet revelation.Wings, massive wings, the color of midnight with white, beating sparkles like stars etched into every feather, blanketed around her. A moonlit dust floated around the room, blowing out from each feather as if caught in its own wind.
Seda had wings.
Part Five
THE DIVIDE
Chapter 29
Ael
Everyone sat around the dining table, discussing their upcoming trips and waiting for Seda to arrive. Roya had successfully gathered two Corvids to aid their cause: Vira, who was a tall, moonlit woman with a pointed nose, and Sepher, who was as dainty as the other two Corvid women, but her eyes were filled with a fire that rivaled Roya’s.
“Has anyone told Elco you guys are leaving?” asked Praxis as he plopped two breakfast sausages on his plate and smothered them with thick syrup.
