Page 49 of Broken Lands

“We’ll need to stop soon; you don’t want to burn yourself out.” I was worried about the amount of energy she’d used this afternoon. Her power seemed endless, but I didn’t know how close she was to the bottom of her well.

“I’ve got a bit left in me. Please, Stefan. This is the first time I’ve enjoyed my magic. I feel powerful and in control for once. Teach me something else.” Shewasenjoying herself, that much was clear. She hadn’t stopped smiling the whole time we’d been here. Joy was sparkling in her eyes. Who was I to deny her that feeling?

“Okay,” I said, planting a kiss on the top of her head and pulling her down to the ground with me and into my lap. It took me a moment to work out what to show her next. It was a little advanced for an ordinary first year. But she was far from ordinary in every way.

“Try to wrap the air around us, kind of like a shield. It can be moving or still. Do whatever feels natural to you.”

“Like a shield,” she murmured in agreement. She fidgeted in my lap, getting comfortable before closing her eyes and focusing.

Slowly, dark twisting shadows started to flow steadily from her hands, wrapping themselves around us in a dome. My jaw dropped as I watched them surround us, twisting together in a way that seemed all together unnatural.

“Riley,” I managed to whisper as they closed in around us, thickening and darkening, forming what looked like a solid black shield around us.

“Am I doing it?” she asked, her eyes still closed tightly. “It feels like I am, but I’m too scared to look.” I couldn’t say I blamed her, even if she didn’t yet realize what she’s released. It was growing darker inside the dome she’d created by the second, the shadows thickening, beginning to block out the light from the sun high above us.

“You need to look, Riley. You’re doing… something, but it isn’t an air shield. Open your eyes, little dove.”

She did, a look of horror crossing her features and causing her eyes to widen as she took in the dome surrounding us, blocking us from the world outside. She dropped her hands quickly, and it vanished just as fast, the sunlight almost blinding in comparison as the outside world was exposed again.

I blinked against the bright light a few times, giving my eyes a moment to adjust. Riley was shaking in my lap, and I wrapped my arms around her, offering comfort.

“Hey,” I said, cupping the back of her head and pulling her closer against my chest. “It’s okay. You haven’t hurt anyone. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“But what was that? It looked like shadows. I don’t have shadows, do I? Is that even possible?”

“It seems like you do, so it must be possible.” I murmured, my mind racing with thoughts of what this could mean. There was only one entity I knew of that had the ability to wield shadows. And he’d disappeared, hadn’t been seen since we crossed through the void.

“Kala. Kala could wield shadows.” I whispered, not wanting to startle her.

“Kala? As in the God of Darkness and Keeper of Souls, Kala?” She laughed, a little hysterically, clutching her locket tightly in her hand. “I’ve never met him, never knew of him until a few days ago.” She pulled back from me, twisting in my lap, her face turned to mine and full of a desperate need for answers. “Why do I have them? What am I, Stefan?”

My heart broke at the anguish in her voice, the longing and desire to know where she belonged. This girl had been through so much. Not only had she lost her only family and was in a desperate search to find him, but she also had to face new questions about herself and her heritage at every turn.

“Maybe there’s a connection there we don’t know about,” I mused. “I wish I knew the answers for you, Riley. I really do. I think we should keep this between us for now until we can talk to Professor Darmon, at least. This feels big. Like it might help you figure out what you are and where you truly belong.”

She nodded and nestled her face into the space between my neck and shoulder. I held her tightly, praying to the gods and goddesses that we could work this out. That we could find the answers she so desperately needed.

Chapter twenty-five

Riley

Colinhadsentmea message earlier to meet him at the gates to the academy for our combat training session. I hadn’t replied, still pissed at him for his attitude the other night. But I was going to meet him. I had to. I wasn’t about to skip my scheduled classes. Exhausted and wrung out, I was unsure what to expect, but I was dragging myself there.

The other first years had all been headed to the training field, and it felt odd to be heading away from them. It felt like pointing a neon sign at myself that screamed, look at me, I’m different.

I let out a sigh as I wandered up the path that led me through the trees to the border of the academy. I took my time, enjoying the warm spring day and the way the sun broke through the lush thick canopy here and there. I’d quickly grown used to the greenery here, but I hadn’t forgotten how barren the lands were back in Sommers.

There had to be something we could do to help. I understood that our magic could affect the humans adversely, but surely there was something to be done, supplies we could provide. Healthy seedlings, or nutrient rich soil. Maybe the healthy start would allow more crops to go without the risk of harming the community with magic.

Colin had told me the King and Queen were eager to meet me, yet I’d seen nothing of them. Maybe it was time to seek an audience and put my thoughts forward. Another thing to add to the list. It had become almost as important to me as finding James, now that I’d been here and could see the inequality first hand.

I was too tired to hurry, and I knew I was going to be late. Colin could wait. I didn’t care much what he thought of it. This last week had been intense, and it wasn’t even close to over yet.

Being able to fight and defend myself with my magic seemed like a vital skill to have. Especially after the attack at the outpost. I’d held those creatures off with the help of my group for a little while. But maybe if I’d known more, had more skill, maybe I’d have been able to help Amy sooner, stop her from being hurt altogether.

Amy and I had been messaging the last few days, and we’d agreed to meet for coffee at a bakery near the city center on Saturday. Its name—The Boardwalk Cafe—made me think it might be near the ocean. I was looking forward to taking a break.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t realize I’d reached the gates until the clearing of a throat pulled me back to the present.

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