Using the air around me to create a solid protective bubble around me, I flew back up and into the heart of the storm, two shadows sticking close to my wings. I tried my best to ignore the way they both seemed restless. Icouldn’timagine they werevery happywith me.
As my wings carried me straight into the storm, I knew myself and myziriliumwell enough to know I was safe.
But the males below did not share the same comforts.
Once I was far enough away, I let go of my connection with my iceziriliumand the shadow over my eye, but Iwasn’tworried about the males following. They may have beenbullies, but theydidn’tseem stupid enough to fly into my storm.
As I headed back to the small cave we had set as our base earlier, Icouldn’thelp but wonder what else Ididn’tknow about my homeland.
Was each Northern city in such unfortunate conditions?
Could I even do anything to change things?
Chapter Eight
The instant I landed, my feet barely scraping the lip of the cave, I felt Matea materialize next to me.
“What wasthat?”sheasked loudly, shoving my shoulder and causing me to fall back a step.
“Hey! Back off,” Rayven responded after appearing next to me and resting a hand on my shoulder gently, as though to stabilize me.
Shrugging off his hand, I regained my step forward.
“That,” I said, “was me doing my best! You both saw how they’re living out here. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing!”
Matea looked stunned, but a moment later, she began laughing.“Do you really think thathandfulof silver is going to help?You’redelusional, Aviva.”
My heart sunk at the thought. I knew, realistically, that the coinswouldn’tmake a dent in the kind of help thefaeofGenisynneeded, but I had thought it was better than doing nothing.
“You don’t truly mean that, Matea,” Rayven said.“I wasthere,I felt your shadowitchingto help her when those two males showed up. Youaren’tupset with Aviva for wanting to helpthat female—you’reupset with her for putting herself in harm’s way.”He steppedup to my side again. “Or does that hit too close to home for you, little wielder?”He nearlysneeredthe last part.
The amount of emotion written on his face as he spoke shocked me. The spy was always so calm and collected, but Matea got to himsoeasily.
Turning on her heel without another word, my sister ducked into the small cave, hopefully to cool off.
Watching as she disappeared fromview, Icouldn’thelp the creeping feeling of helplessness that snuck into my mind. What couldIdo for my people?
In the South, I’d gained power and I’d had a say in what happened, what moves we made. But in the North, I didn’t have those privileges—my twin did.
I wished to the Stars that Dimitrididn’tknow the state that the North was truly in. And if he did, that he was doing what hecould tofix it.
Before my mind could spiral any farther as I began to think about my brother, Rayven stepped into my line of sight, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Hey, Your Majesty? I think we’re safe now. You can let go.”
“Let go?”Itwasn’tuntil that moment that I realized just how utterly exhausted I had become in such a short amount of time. And how windy it had become.
“The storm, Aviva. Let go of thezirilium, before you lead them to our location,” Rayven said, firm but gentle.
I gasped as realization hit me, and my facetilted upto look at the gray clouds that had followed me all the way here.Thunder rumbled, and I could see the rain and hail not far off from where we were hiding out.
Panic began to eat at me as I thought about the last time I’d created a true storm—back at Echen Bay—and how I’d needed Byn’s help to release the hold I’d had onmy zirilium.
This time, I didn’t have him.
It was just me.
I’m here, a tiny voice inside me whispered.Always with you.
