Page 102 of A Reign of Chromes & Shadows

“If I want you to trust me, you deserve honesty. I’m believed to be Blue, but my blood responds to all Aetherchrome. Only my sister knows of this and she is like me. This morning, I held Red source Aether and it ignited something inside me. I wasn’t fireproof before today.”

He had burnt himself on candles countless times. Sometimes intentionally, when pain was the only thing, he could control. This was a new power, that, he was sure of.

“Are you a God?” she asked earnestly, shuffling closer on her knees. Her amber eyes were enormous, inches from his, studying him like he was a constellation made flesh. “Is that why your eyes look like green stars plucked from the night skies?”

Rain smiled softly, letting her look.

“No. I’m just like you.”

He straightened, gently guiding her back to focus.

“Now, do you have any shoes?”

She blinked down at her bare feet.

“No. I don’t leave here.”

“That’s okay. We’ll take a pair from the guardians.”

He stood and offered his hand. She froze.

“How did you get past the guardians?”

Her fear spiked like a blade.

“Okay good,” Rain said calmly. “Acknowledge that feeling. Don’t feed it. Watch it.”

He guided her through the exercise again; the red orb in her chest, pulsing with her heartbeat, shrinking with each slow breath. She followed surprisingly well.

“Perfect. You’re a fast learner. What do you even need me for?” he teased lightly.

She almost smiled.

“There are things outside this room that will overwhelm you,” he continued. “But I will keep you safe. Nobody wants to hurt you.”

Her energy steadied.

“Unfortunately, there were casualties among the guardians,” Rain said gently. “They wanted to keep you locked away. I couldn’t allow that.”

“You… you mean they are dead?”

Her voice cracked.

Her chest flared, sending out a burst of flame.

Rain soothed her instantly.

“Lyla? Is she gone?”

“Lyla is one of the guardians?”

She nodded frantically.

“There is a woman among the survivors. But Scarlet, we need to leave. Your only job is to stay calm. I’ll handle everything else. Can you do that?”

She nodded again, slower this time.

Rain took her hand and guided her downstairs toward the exit. She almost recoiled at the threshold, fear clawing at her as she faced the world beyond her prison.