Page 34 of The Divide that Binds Us

Chapter 7

Divine Balance

The Superiors

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The air is crisp andclear in the tower, yet screams curdle through white halls, passing a sealed room where glass breaks and is born anew.

“How many dragons have died so far?”Earth Superior Evelyn asks.She materializes a stone in her hand only to crush it, so it crumbles through her fingers and disintegrates on the polished ivory floor.

“Sadly, I’ve...lost count.”Fire Superior Frank’s wispy white brows glow against his umber skin, drawing together with concern.“Have you sensed anything?”

The sunrays beam through the stained windows, illuminating the four ethereal beings in the Circle.The name has always been ironic as the room is square, and they sit in a half-circle.

Evelyn lazily gazes at the giant floating sphere before them.She sits in her own floating white chair next to Frank.

“Of course,” she whispers.“People aren’t paying attention, but I can feelandsee it.”

Frank frowns.“You don’t mean—”

“Yes.Flowers that should be in season never bloom.Farmers curse bad luck for crops not growing.Forests are so clustered together they can’t tell when one of their own trees doesn’t make it the next day.It’s subtle, but I can see it.Can you not?”

Frank looks at the other two Superiors who remain silent and still.Their eyes are on the sphere, watching everyone on Zeala.

“Perhaps I’ve noticed some teens trying to start a bonfire that was never successful.They did everything they were supposed to do,” he murmurs.Air Superior Amelia and Water Superior Wyatt sit on the other side of Evelyn.They finally meet Frank’s gaze.“So, my fires will start to die out.”

“Water levels have dropped by one inch,” Amelia notes.She sits charmingly in her seat with her hands folded neatly on her lap.“Air quality has fallen to eighty-eight percent.”

Prayers and laughter of millions of Zealans pervade the Circle as the four Superiors stare at each other.

“How long will we sit here before we intervene?”Wyatt asks.“We sit and watch Zeala.Surely, we won’t watch it die right before our eyes?”

Evelyn crosses her arms.“The Code of the Superiors is to not—”

“Interfere in the lives of others,” Wyatt finishes, clenching his fist.“But there won’t be a Zeala—or us, for that matter—unless we do something.We don’t eat.We don’t sleep.We don’t shower.We have nothing left of our original selves, all for the purpose of focusing on Zeala, and you dare bring up the Code of the Superiors again?”

Evelyn’s smooth face tightens with sharply defined cheekbones that could belong to a statue.Her voluminous dark curls scatter like vines down her figure.She absently cracks her knuckles.

“We need to step in,” Frank urges.Wyatt nods fervently in agreement.

Evelyn’s poised, dark eyebrow shoots up.“Oh, and risk eternal damnation by the very entity that rules over us?Marvelous idea.”

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