I watch what the others do and try not to burn the hell out of my dinner as I hold the stick over the open flame.
I listen in on random conversations and smile at Storm when he comes to stand between Luna and me.
“Have you done this before?” I ask. “Camping out in the desert.”
“Yes. We do it once a year,” he replies.
“I never asked, but are you a charge or a guardian?”
“Neither.”
Curious, I ask, “Do you have talents.”
He just nods, and before I can ask another question, he walks away.
Glancing at Luna, I ask, “Did I say something wrong?”
She shakes her head. “Storm doesn’t use his talents, and he doesn’t speak about them.”
My eyes widen. “Why?”
She shakes her head again. “No one talks about it.”
I let it go, not wanting to pry any further.
Once the meat looks cooked enough, I pull a piece off the stick, and when it tastes good enough, I eat while glancing around the fire at my companions.
Turning my attention to Luna again, I ask, “Who are you training with?”
“My brother.” She gives me a smile, and glancing up at the moon, she lifts her arm and opens her hand.
My lips part with a gasp as a silver light starts to glow in her palm, and when she closes her fingers in a fist, the light snakes up her arm until it settles in her eyes, making them glow.
“Holy crap.” Impressed, I grin at her. “That’s cool.”
“Time for bed,” Raighne suddenly says from behind me.
I smile at Luna. “See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good night’s rest,” she says before turning her attention to Lucius.
Walking to our sleeping area, nerves start to spin in my stomach, and I wait for Raighne to lie down before I put a safe distance between us.
I try to get as comfortable as possible on the ground and tuck my pillow beneath my head.
Staring up at the stars, I whisper, “I can see the Milky Way clearly.”
“There’s no pollution on Vaalbara,” he murmurs.
We lie in silence, and my thoughts start to drift. The vision I had earlier pops into my mind, and I shake my head, trying to suppress it.
When I see Adeth’s face, Raighne must pick up on it because he says, “Adeth wasn’t always dark. She’s my mother’s sister.”
I turn my head, staring at him as surprise shudders through me. “She’s your aunt?”
He tucks an arm beneath his head and keeps looking at the night sky as he replies, “After my mother’s death, Adeth went to the shadowlands. To this day, we don’t know why he didn’t kill her.
“He?”