The fear—my emotion rising is like its own bell, signalling for the part of my magic Novandia touched to alight.
But I think of Kyra—her calm—of what Aslendrix told me and keep those thoughts as the barrier to the urge to draw on my power.
The two sides of my magic are growing clearer within me. A balance of my own, and one that relies on my clear head and focus to maintain it.
Aslendrix wants balance—give and take—because unchecked, that’s when the power will consume.
“We wait,” I say, taking a steadying breath. “We watch. It’s the alarm, right? We have time.”
“The bell signifies someone has breached the barrier. The Court has a protocol to follow, although that didn’t work last time,” Capella explains.
“Was the last time when they came for me in my cell?” I check.
“Yeah.”
“But that was only a diversion. A test.” I look at Ten. “Nobody believed us at the time.”
“We haven’t seen a lot of real alarms, Ever. Most of us will be scared and will do what’s asked of us—if we’re kept in the loop.” Raiden lands a glare at Ten. He didn’t keep the rest of the trainees in on any of our plans last time. We won’t make that mistake now. Although Ravi, Azur, and Ascella are firmly off that list.
“They could cross from multiple places. We don’t know their strategy, but we can count on them turning people as they go,” Kalan offers. “That’s for sure.”
“So, we wait? How long?” I start to pace and twist the ring on my finger.“I don’t like this, Ten. We don’t know enough.”
“Ever, you can’t fight the Usher or your brother if you’re captured by the Warriors, Rowan, or Kamari.” Ten tries to reason with me.
“Where are they, though? They must know we’re here. Ascella, Ravi, and Azur know. Any or all of them would have raised the alarm. Yet there are no officers or guards coming for us. Why?”
“I don’t know. We don’t know.” There are two fronts to fight this battle on, and we don’t know enough about either.
“I need to know what’s going on. I can’t… I can’t just sit here.” I walk out to the edge of the last training ring, closer, hoping to see… something. But there’s nothing. Only the flow of Warriors, moving.
“Are they here?” I mumble under my breath. But they wouldn’t have planned this for so long just to stroll into Kirrasia and up to the front gate. “Having someone with far-sight would be useful about now,” I jest. “Or a magic looking glass.”
“Don’t joke about that, Ever. Kamari would happily use our magic for just that. Maybe even my father.” Ten has followed me, and apparently, so has everyone else. He gives me a grim look, and I remember Kamari and our training sessions. And the Fenix’s memory of her on his ship.
“What’s Kamari’s end game? What’s the prize for her? Lyle, Kalan, do you remember her?” I turn to them.
“She wasn’t a Chamber member prior to her becoming the head of the Guard Order,” Lyle starts. “The Guards are more secretive. That’s the way of their Order. And with fewer than Warriors, Naturals, or Elementals, succession is less clear.”
“She has her sights on power. We know that,” Ten adds.
“Yes, but what part in this gives her that? Fenix’s plan was to have me and him rule. Where does Kamari sit in that?” I turn it over. “She was with Fenix on his ship. Does she know the Usher’s plan?” I pace back and forth, looking for what I cannot see.
“Heads up!” Ten shouts. “Calix is on the way back. He’s not alone.”
“Who?” I ask.
“Kyra. But behind them, a dozen or so Warriors and our best friends, Ascella, Ravi and Azur.”
“Doesn’t look like you’ll be sitting on the sidelines for long, kiddo.”
“Don’t—” Lyle snaps at Kalan but bites her tongue and walks off, back across the training ring.
Kalan looks after her, and I feel the betrayal still healing in my own heart—for both of them. But we need to get through this before we can work on any more forgiveness. To his credit, Kalan follows her and hands her weapons from our stash.
She’s killed for me before.
I hold onto that thought as I cross the sand, Ten right by my side. His tension is set along his jaw and his stiff shoulders, radiating from every angle of him. He’s worried, and I can’t blame him.
