Alvina and Quinn have never been further apart, but their connection to the spirits might be what reconnects them again.
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Quinn av Stál is slowly losing his mind. He's sure of that, and the only thing keeping him together is his fiancé Islo Charr...
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I took a deep breath, looking down at my outstretched hand.
"Focus and then release."
I exhaled slowly and black smoke gathered in the palm of my hand.
"Good," Nila said and gave me a single nod.
The smoke flooded down between my fingers and hit the ground. The grass slowly died around me and I felt it. I felt the death reside inside of me. I slowly closed my fist and stopped the stream of smoke.
"It's so destructive," I whispered.
"It is," she said softly.
"I don't like destruction."
"With destruction comes new life." She patted my metal arm. "Humans learn from things breaking. You will be their teacher. As queen you will be their guide, both in faith and in moral." She moved her hand up to my shoulder and gave it a squeeze, trying to smile a little.
I sighed deeply and nodded. I didn't wanna argue with her. She smiled and offered me another nod. And then she simply evaporated. Nila made the most awkward exits in history.
I went back to the place Dy and I had decided to make our camp. She sat under the tree, dosing off as it appeared.
"Dy," I said softly and joined her by the tree. She put her arm around me and pulled me close.
"How was it?"
"I don't know. It's weird. I'm not sure I like it."
She placed a soft kiss on my hair, her fingers running up in it. "It probably just takes some getting used to."
I nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."
"Can we leave soon, you think?"
My heart sank down into my stomach. I had dreaded and dodged this question. I didn't want to talk about leaving. I didn't wanna leave.
"Al? Did you hear me?"
"Yeah," I muttered. "I don't know."
"You don't know if we can leave soon? Because I feel fine. A little sore, but I'll be alright. We gotta get back into it."
"I don't know," I repeated in lack of something better to say.
"Al, I think I've known you long enough to spot when there's something you wanna say, but isn't."
I shrugged and continued to stay silent. It was so embarrassing. I was being a coward. And it was so hard to admit that to Dy. She wasn't a coward. She was so brave all the time and I just couldn't be like her. I couldn't just whip out a pair of guns and stare down death.
"Al," she said softly. She cupped my cheek with her warm hand. "I'm scared too. It's safe here, I know. And out there it isn't."
