Page 5 of The Divide that Binds Us

“I don’t get it.Is this an anti-Spirit User statement they’re making?Anti-Ultima?Anti-Elite?We could make so much bank if they let us help,” she whines.

For each island of Zeala, there’s a king or queen, and the chain goes: Guards are for laws.Ultima is for dragons.Elite is for people.But in a crisis like this, I figure it’s all hands on deck.Spirit Users—citizens with powers who don’t work for Ultima or Elite—can’t even help.It’s odd.

I cross my arms.“What’s it going to take for them to take action?”

Evangeline tosses some of my blankets for Billie to share on the other side of the bed.She’s sitting on my pillow, and I’m worried she’ll fart on it.

“What’s it gonna take for the Superiors to do something?They see everything and do nothing every day,” Billie says.“That’s pathetic.”

Evangeline’s mouth arcs into a frown across her pale, mousy face.

“They’re doing their best overseeing our world.I’m sure there’s a reason they haven’t stepped in; I’ve been praying to Evelyn every day,” she says.

Billie gives me a look, but I suppress my smile.

Oh, Evangeline.Always optimistic of our useless deities.Since anyone with powers were Traced, we each have a respective deity who gifted us.Evangeline worships Evelyn, the Earth Superior for Tracing her, but an abrasive, detached upbringing on Amethyst will do that to someone.

“The monarchs meet routinely at the island of choice to maintain checks and balances on each other,” I murmur.

“Then they must’ve consulted each other before making their statements.It seems odd they’d say no to this,” Evangeline says.She’s sitting by the window that’s centered right at my lower bunk.The sun comes from hiding in the clouds and beams bright rays through the glass, hitting Evangeline’s rich, cherry-red hair.She looks like a swan with a maple tree blooming from her head.

Billie shrugs and nestles under the covers until only her head is poking out.I try to stretch my legs out but accidentally graze the side of Billie’s hip with my foot.She giggles and wags her feet rapidly, hitting me and Evangeline on our end of the bed.

A vibration radiates on the bed until Billie pulls out her phone.She squints at the screen and tilts her head.Evangeline’s phone ringer goes off and she checks it, too, but furrows her red brows.Nothing comes through on mine.

“I’m assigned patrol by...Master Azul?”Billie looks at Evangeline.“You get something for tomorrow, too?”

Evangeline nods, mouth slightly parting.“Why would we be assigned this by Azul and not Rebecca?”I shake my head.

My blanket flies up in a purple flurry as Evangeline quickly climbs over me and off the bed.Still looking at her phone, she mumbles something about checking if her roommate Rachel is back and doing laundry.Billie barely emerges from the mangled blanket; her wavy, buttery blond hair lies sprawled all over her head with a big, goofy grin.She emerges before heading to the bathroom connected to our room.Jiggling pills in a bottle echo in the bathroom, but I don’t pay it any mind and resume reading.

The rapid tapping hittingmy window eventually pulls me out of my nap.I choke on my spit and jolt upward, finding my book lying face down on my lap.The sky appears darker through the textured window, only for me to realize it’s probably raining at dusk now.

I yawn, stretch, and rub my eyes before dragging myself out of bed.I peek at Billie’s top bunk, but she’s not there.

Evangeline bursts through my door, panting.“A-Alice!”

“Hey, what’s going—”

“Billie is in the infirmary!”she blurts.

“What?!What happened?Does she need me to heal her?”

Evangeline raises her hands, but they’re trembling.“I don’t think you can; it’s an internal wound, not external.Also...there’s another problem.”

A familiar, piercing wail is muffled but distinct from outside of the window.A panicked palpitation hits my chest.When I meet Evangeline’s wide eyes, her body vibrates from tremors.It’s probably not dusk, and that probably isn’t regular rain either.

“Another dragon was just killed,” she says.

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