Page 51 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

She scoffed at the word “dramatic.” She was not being dramatic. He was dramatic! She saw his face switch from playful and cocky to a warrior with no emotion in a split second.

“Besides, my father would arrange my execution if I let something happen to you...” he trailed off.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Emara disputed.

“Never mind. Let’s go back…” He turned on his heels, just expecting her to follow suit.

“No,” she protested.

“Emara, I’m not playing games anymore.” His voice was low and danger crept into his tone.

“Neither am I,” she said, standing up tall.

He shifted. “As if I am going to let a woman roam the markets alone.”

“There are plenty of women roaming the markets themselves…”

“Yeah, well they are not with me. You are.”

Something about what he said stuck in her throat. He probably wasn’t used to anyone challenging him, let alone a female, but she wouldn’t do as he told her, even if she wanted to go back with him.

Stubborn, she realised. She was being so awkwardly stubborn with him, just to prove a point.

“I came here because I wanted…I wanted information on...on something,” she said finally. His eyes narrowed onto her face and his ears perked up. “You are the last person that I want to ask for help, but it’s not looking like I have much of a choice right now.”

Since Gideon’s not here, she wanted to add, but thought better of it. She didn’t let herself think of where he might be or what he might be doing.

Torin’s lips parted as if he were about to say something snarky, but she quickly added, “And don’t say something sarcastic or sexual or I will walk away, and I will go alone.”

His lips shut into a tight smile as his chest puffed out in a sigh. “What is it?” he demanded, thinking better of his snarky comment.

“I need to find someone who can help me understand what a stone means...or what it even is.” She looked up.

Confusion crossed Torin’s features. “You are not making any sense Emara. What stone?”

She reached into the back pocket of her trousers and pulled out the stone she had found earlier. She held it in her palm, presenting it to Torin. The stone looked like a different colour under the darkness of night. Darker. More powerful. The colours that had sparkled before were gone.

She winced as it burned further into her skin. “I don’t know why it hurts to hold it, but it does. It’s clearly magical,” she added. “I knew the minute I saw it.”

“Give it here.” Torin took the stone from her hand and evaluated every inch of it. He looked around himself again. “We need to go!” he commanded, his face grave. He tucked the stone into his dark leathers and tugged on Emara’s arm.

“Wait! What? I—” Emara tried to dig her feet into the dirt path, but Torin was on the move.

“For once, don’t question me and just trust me. We need to get out of the main avenues of the markets.” His jawline hardened as he scanned around the market again for a third time. He was back in full hunting mode.

Emara, for once, didn’t argue back, clamping down hard on her lips. Her legs tried to keep up with his strides, but his movements were rapid. She tugged her hand back, receiving a glare from Torin. But he let it slide.

“Where are we going?” Emara tried to say through staggered breath.

“To see an old friend.”

Emara ducked underneath a low arch that was crowned with herbs and flowers hanging from brown string, into the back of a stall. Torin’s face was hard, his body prepared for anything as he stood in front of her. Unease sailed into her stomach as she placed a hand over her navel in efforts to cease the nausea. The room was cluttered in trinkets, crystals, candles, salt lamps, and obscure symbols. The lighting was dull, casting an eerie atmospheric glow over the room. Sage and salt swirled into her nose as she looked around for a sign of this so-called “friend” of Torin’s.

A five-pointed star was featured on the wall in front of her. She realised the star was made from all different types of crystals, enriching the star’s frame. Red and orange crystals outlined the section that had Fire written in metallic paint. Green and brown gems indicated Earth. An array of blue and light purple stones represented Water. Misty-coloured stones and transparent crystals embodied Air, and dark purple and black stones headed the star to represent Spirit.

All houses of the witching covens joined by one symbol.

A five-pointed star.

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