The trees are frozen, stilled in their movement, and the sounds have silenced, as has everyone around us.
Everythingis frozen. Except for us.
It’s like we’ve stopped time, wanting a moment before it plays on, locking the two of us away, safe and protected from the rest of the world. Except I’m trapped inside the bubble with the one person that I despise.
“Incredible. I’ve only ever been able to extend my power over people, but with you…” He sounds awed, and it twists in my gut.
I close my eyes and concentrate, terrified of what’s around us—of what we’ve done—and what I’ve shown to him.
Don’t think of your power as a singular thing. It is earth and space and time and everything in between.
The Maker’s words ring in my head, and I wonder if this is because of me or Fenix. He can manipulate our bodies, freeze them to the point of stopping my heart from beating and overtake us, control us. This is just… more.
He said he wanted me at his side. For what? What does he need from me?
While he’s distracted by our little trick, I force my stream of energy towards him, willing it to obey and hijack the connection already between us. In that split second, I focus on his intent and hope I can peek further into his thoughts this time.
My vision swims into a blurry scene, and it grows clearer, another vision or memory perhaps, the same setting, here in the woods, but Kalan is with Fenix and the Usher. They’re talking.
Jealousy clouds my mind, turning the vision into nothing but smoke, and I rip my hand away from Fenix. As soon as I do, the world around us comes back to life, loud enough to drown my hurt that Fenix has answers that I don’t.
“You know, I thought you’d be different. I thought you’d be grateful to find the answers you so clearly want,” Fenix spits at me.
I need to go. My feet shuffle back, as I’m aware that the people around us are now all focused strictly on me. But I’m sick of playing along.
The urge to run is all I can think of now, but I don’t want to be chased. So, I opt for the next best thing and march past the tented area. To my surprise, nobody tries to stop me. I keep going, my power vibrating the more anger I feel, like it’s feeding my magic—enflaming it.
When I was in the Variscite Forest, I could hear the trees, as if they were alive and could speak to me. My magic held without physical contact, which was a little terrifying, but it worked.Would it be the same here?
“Where are you going?” Fenix calls after me, which is a step up from incapacitating me. “You can’t run.”
I can. But to where? I keep marching, but hear another set of footfalls behind me.
The trees grow denser, blocking out more of the light as I venture deeper into the forest. I strain to hear, to pick up any voice or other feelings on the wind, but these trees are silent except for the rustle between their leaves.
My rational mind reminds me that I could be walking into danger—more danger—or could come face to face with a living monster in the woods, but surely Fenix would have stopped me if that were the case.
He doesn’t want to see me harmed.
At least I hope that still stands.
I don’t stop, my heart pounds in my chest as my breathing grows heavy, until I clear the thicker area of trees, and the ground turns rocky and steep.
But as I round a large boulder, the Usher blocks my path.
He’s waiting, as if he knew I’d be coming this way.
“Ah, Ever. Good. You’ve saved me from having Fenix fetch you.”
“Fetch me? I’m leaving.”
He nods and does that creepy smile.
Hands grab my arms and start hauling me forward, beyond the boulder, towards the foothills of a cliff. No, a mountain. We’re near a mountainside.
Two men, on either side of me, do the wrestling, with Fenix overseeing. My boots slide as I dig them in and try to anchor myself in the dirt, but it’s no good.
“You did make this rather easy,” Fenix mocks.
