Page 100 of The Divide that Binds Us

There it is.Recapping the live footage of my disgraceful descent into a canopy of rage.The overhead shot from the drone captures my finest moments I thought were peaceful.Every object the vibrating force of my shield touches either disintegrates, shreds, or crushes itself.Some of those mailboxes fire off from contact like firecrackers and crash into houses.The road crumbles within itself and creates sinkholes.Cars, once driving, derail themselves to avoid contact, and if they can’t, the driver scrambles out and runs in the other direction.One of the kids playing hopscotch was hit by road debris and has a gash soaking their shirt in blood and there’s also—

I hang my head, skin warm from toes to ears with guilt stabbing my throbbing head.I can’t watch anymore, and judging by Billie’s tears, neither can she.

“Your powers reached an indescribable level that wrecked a piece of this island!”Master Azul hisses.“We’re gonna have to fork up the money to repair that, and then youthreatenedthe King’s Advisor, Mildred?What on Zeala is the matter with you?”

Billie’s arm tightens around my shoulders until she’s stiff next to me.I look up in time to see Azul’s glare shifts to her.

“And you,” Azul begins.“You’re gonna need to answer to King Jonah regarding why you petrified his Guards.I let you take that call.Have we all forgotten combat first, powers second?”

“Ma’am, can King Jonah explain why his Guards raided a poor woman’s house?”Billie replies.“Each Guard had a red A carved into their hand.King Jonah probably doesn’t even know—none of them probably do.There are crooked Guards amongst all their ranks.”

Azul paces again.“You better hope that holds with King Jonah because he is not happy.”

Billie nods nimbly.“If we tell him everything that’s been happening, maybe it will hold.”

“I don’t trust him quite enough for that.We need to be careful with the information we have.”The wrath is dying in the room when Azul releases a long sigh.Her heels click as her pacing slows to wandering around the small space.She puts her hands on her wide hips.“Are the civilians safe?”

“Yes, they’re in the infirmary getting checked for injuries.”Billie moves her arm and nudges me.“The woman said she knew you.Her name is Vinyl Steed; she has a boy with her.”

“Wren,” I croak, slouching and stuffing my hands between my thighs for warmth.“He’s the boy with sight I met on Onyx Island.”

Master Azul whips the door open but hangs around, looking at me.“Stay put.I mean it.”

When she slams the door, my chest caves, slipping out a sob that was bobbing in my throat.I wipe my eyes and rest my head on Billie’s shoulder.The image of the kid’s wound etches itself into my skull like keying the wood at a bar.

“She’s going to discharge me, isn’t she?”I ask.“Billie, I really messed up this time.”

“I don’t think so, she cares about us.”Billie grabs the TV remote, biting her lip.

She changes the channel to Topaz with a statement from Queen Sophie addressing the attack in her home and how she’ll be at the station to interrogate every single Guard.

“Lastly,” she begins with camera flashes on her.She glances down before eying the camera with a paralyzing stare.“I would like to urge everyone to be wary of anyone with a red A branded on their hand.These people are not to be trusted.Please protect yourselves and your family.”

She did it.She said something—more than Azul is doing, even if it’s ambiguous.

Thunder blares throughout the sky as Sophie smiles pleasantly as if it’s another day on Topaz Island with a mild storm coming.But it’s not.

The cameras are still rolling as Sophie stares, but her black lipstick smile fades the instant a drop of rain splats on her forehead.She wipes her face, but the blood smears.The cameraman is barely audible, so Sophie leans forward before looking at her fingers in recorded horror.

Clouds lurk in the sky behind Sophie, shifting the camera’s view upward to a shower of blood pouring on them.Panic courses through the news crew as the cameras shake from the holder running back to the van, shouting, “A dragon has been killed!Go!Go!Go!”

The broadcast ends, so I turn to Billie to meet the panic in her eyes.

My skin prickles as the fog of my destruction clears enough for me to realize what has happened.Another dragon died.

We scramble to our feet and bolt out the room to see Evangeline.

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