“No.” My answer is quick. I won’t give him something he wants in exchange for information. I have to keep the boundaries he’s already drawn. He isnotmy brother.
“Interesting. Will that change, perhaps?”
“I don’t know. Will you ever give me a straight answer?”
“Do you know anything about Aerith and Elex?” His eyes home in on me, looking for a reaction, perhaps.
Elex. Orion had used that name before. And my gut told me then it might be my father.
Seems he’s not done with playing games. Well, I’m done with being at a disadvantage. I might not know how to wield my power, but I’ve tried before. I entered Orion’s memory and saw the aftermath of a battle.
I’ve got nothing to lose now. I clench my hand around the edge of the table and concentrate on the man across the room and the two names he just said.
If he doesn’t want to give me information, then fine, I’ll take it from him anyway.
My mind empties of everything except for those names and the only other time I’ve heard someone mention them. The well at the centre of my chest is still, barely a ripple, but I know I can do this—I’ve done this. That should give me the confidence I need.
But there’s no rush of power, no flood of energy, only a trickle of water, of shadow, snakes out towards Fenix, and he tilts his head at me as if questioning what I’m doing.
But as soon as my magic reaches him, it seems to respond, like it recognises him. The strain to force my energy lessens, and it seems to flow directly to him.
A scattering of images starts, like those first times back home when my magic was awakening. I don’t know the places or scenes I’m shown, but then it stops on something, and I’m pulled into it, like before.
The smell of pine and earth hits me as the gloom clears. I see Fenix with an older man. A much older man. His skin is lined and sagging, and he immediately reminds me of the Maker. He’s talking to Fenix, but I can’t hear what they are saying.
“What are you doing?” Fenix’s voice rings in my mind, and I’m suddenly back in the cabin, looking over the maps. But he hasn’t moved from his position at the breakfast table.
“I’m… looking.”
“Not where I thought you would be.”
“If you’re only going to taunt me, I’d rather go back to my room until we reach wherever you’re taking me.” My hand relaxes against the wood, and I shove the parchments in a fit of fury, sending them flying to the floor.
Fenix bolts upright and scurries to collect the pieces of his plan that I’ve just disorganised for him. But as he leans down to pick them up, a gold pendant falls from behind his shirt, glinting in the light.
It stops me in my tracks.
Because it’s like mine.
Mustering my courage and not caring if he freezes my body in mid-motion, I charge towards him and push his chest, pulling the chain from his neck so I can see the pendant in more detail. It’s like my ring, but instead of two crescents framing a dark stone, there’s only one. The crescent sits at the top, whereas I wear the ring so that the crescent is cradling the stone. It’s a pair. The gold is even the same, with identical markings to the ring. It’s a perfect match, as if created to be together.
“Starting to believe me now?”
“Where did you get this?” I drop it and take a step back from him, squeezing my hand closed and rubbing my thumb over the ring on my finger.
“Probably the same place you got your ring. Your necklace is a pretty addition, though. A bit sorry that I didn’t get my own.”
“Where, Fenix?”
“Kalan. He gave it to me a long time ago. Didn’t tell me much about it. That came later.”
No. This can’t be.
I feel the subtle vibrations grow as I shake my head in defiance.
Kalan is Lyle’s friend. He left me the brooch, not the ring.Lylegave me the ring. I turn away and lean against the table as my mind runs over everything I know about those two things—everything that Lyle has ever said to me about Kalan.
He knew I had a brother?
