Page 28 of The Storm of the Empire

“So Nyx just has you full on spying in our sacred temples now?” She sounded disgusted. I knew all too well how seriously some took their faith in the Goddess.

Not all were as jaded as me.

“No, no, that’s not the case.” I held up my hands like I could stop the path her mind was going down. “Nyx doesn’t know I’m here. I was just looking around and followed my nose to see where it led me.”

“Across the Middle Sea?” she gaped.

“Yeah.”

Her tightly woven dark curls shook as she expressed her disbelief.

“Look, I know it sounds a little farfetched, but I just go with the flow and follow my gut. It usually serves me well, so if something brought me here, it’s worth looking into. Trust me.” I was sure it wouldn’t make any sense to her, and I didn’t expect her to believe me, but I wanted her to.

“Trust you? Seriously? You’re in a stolen robe, impersonating a priest—someone everyone is supposed to be able to trust—and digging around a sacred temple. And I’m supposed to just trust you? I almost slit your throat out there!” Her voice rose. “That should tell you what I think of anyone doing ill deeds in the temple of Kalilah.”

I stepped towards her, and she went on alert, taking a fighting stance. I held up my hands to show her I meant no harm, then winced as the earth shook with thunder. “Please lower your voice,” I begged curling my hands into fists trying to contain some of my emotion.

“Why? Are you concerned I will out you and wreck your plans, whatever they really are?”

“No.” I stepped into her space, placing my hands on her arms carefully. “I’m worried you’ll alert someone we are down here and we will have to run back out in that storm again. Goddess, what in the world is happening out there?”

She shook off my hands and lifted a shoulder. “Is that blackmail?”

“No, I’m being fully transparent with you. I cannot be revealed.” I hoped the tone of my voice convinced her. It was as real as I could be.

“They won’t find us. It’s the storm hours. Everyone heads below ground in the afternoon.”

I furrow my brows. “You mean to tell me this waking nightmare is a regular thing?”

“Yes, it happens every day. That’s why we call them the storm hours.” She rolled her eyes at me again as if I was truly tiresome. “Do you even do an ounce of research before trying to sell yourself as something you’re not?”

“I’m not usually in a place with lightning that feels like it could separate me from my body.”

“What did you think the Storm Kingdom would be like?”

“Some weather. I don’t know. So this”—I pointed at the ceiling—“really happens every day?” How was this not talked about more? I’d traveled across so many kingdoms and never heard a word of this breathed. Was it a secret?

Exasperated, she huffed and stepped around me, taking a seat on a crate and rubbing her temples. “Yes. The afternoon heat bakes the magic, lifting it from the ground to mix with the moist air blown from the Middle Sea, and it produces the storms. They usually pass in a few hours.”

“Goddess,” I muttered to myself. “Who can live like that?”

“We know of no else.” She lifted her head and glared at me. “The storm is a blessing from the Goddess. They used to call this the Blessed Kingdom before the Hundred Years War. It is thought that we are closer to Her here than anywhere in the realms as Her power charges the skies and gives Her people life.” Her face tilted towards the sky. “Being up there in the storm is the closest you can get to Her touch.”

“Who could even survive such a thing?” It seemed impossible.

“Storm dragons,” she replied flatly. “We’re made of the land, thus made of the magic given to us by the Goddess.”

I gaped. “You’ve—” I pointed up again. Had she really flown in this? Being out in it for only minutes made my skin feel like it was about to come off.

She blinked at me and a smirk graced her lips. “Oh, yeah,” she chuckled. “Surprised a little thing like me would dare?”

“Astonished any fae would be mad enough to even try! I was out there a mere moment, and I’m traumatized. You say everyone takes shelter underground, and yet you take to the skies?”

“Most do take shelter, yes. There are some who have to be out.”

I paced a little, processing all this new information. The idea of Hazel flying in weather like this turned my stomach. Some part of me wanted to demand she never did again, but I knew that would be fighting a losing battle. A dragon would never listen to a lowly fae with no magic.

“Can you take a seat?” she said, sounding weary. “It’s going to be a long night if you keep pacing.”

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