Page 95 of The Divide that Binds Us

Mildred takes off her hood and smirks.“Are you okay, sweetie?”

“Not...n-not really.”His teeth chatter.

“I’m Mildred,” she says.“What you did for Alice was brave.I admire loyalty.”

“Go to hell,” he hisses.

Mildred frowns.“It pains me we had to put you in this box.I’ve heard you violently react to strangers touching you and can increase your body’s temp to 500 degrees.A lot of my friends have trauma with fire.They may have lost their home, burned themselves—it’s an exquisite element.”

“The p-people you’ve brainwashed?Whatever.You’re just as bad as Ultima,” he scoffs, sitting up.“The name is Nick Hardy.”

“Nick, why are you in Elite?”

“Why don’t you start with telling me why you’re killing people and dragons.We know it’s you,” he spits, arms crossed while shivering against the wall.

Mildred strokes her chin and tuckers her loose hair behind her ears.“If I did, you’d fall asleep.I will say that The Light of Judgment is destined to strike again.We know of the first time this happened; it turned Zeala into six wonderful islands and the Isle of Superiors,” Mildred explains.“If it strikes an island again, it’ll crumble, not split.”

“So?Let nature run its course.”

“Why when we can save everyone?”Mildred presses.

“Bykillingthem?”Nick counters, arms still wrapped around him and failing to maintain his body heat.His fiery Trace Mark flickers.

“They’ll come back,” Mildred admits.Nick makes a weird face.“It’s the truth.Naven was built for us; it’s a place with endless opportunities and a chance to reunite everyone with their loved ones.You can be with whomever you’ve lost in your life.”

Nick’s eyes glow.Mildred considers stepping out to bring the temp down again, but she doesn’t want to suffer with him.He stays pressed against the wall, so maybe he doesn’t have much energy.

“Why is that any of YOUR business to do?How would an inferior Zealan like you know what the Light is gonna do?”Nick asks, voice laced with disdain as he wrinkles his nose.Mildred clenches her jaw, concentrating on not shivering to appear strong.

“My eyes saw the future,” she says.“It came to me after my best friend and her son departed this world.You’re probably going to mock me for not being a Spirit User, so let’s save you some of your limited energy and confirm that you’re right.I’m not.”

Nick snorts with a smirk, eyes still glowing.

“Zeala is in trouble, sweetie.I rather lose people we can bring back in a new world than lose them because the Light decided it was having a bad day,” she explains.“On Naven, everyone is equal, has food, and a home.”

“So, you’re a self-proclaimed prophet AND the chosen one?That’s rich,” Nick chortles.

He’s a trembling mess—legs quivering until his knees buckle, arms squeezing tightly around his body, and chest heaving with no sign of fire producing.Mildred stares pitifully at him.

“Why are you with Elite?”she asks again.

“I ...I lost my little sister, so I’m out to kill someone,” Nick admits.

“Join me!”Mildred offers, outstretching her hand.It quivers as it meets the icy air.She likes him enough to make the exception.“I’ve heard Spirit Users are weaker from the dying dragons, so Elite cannot serve you well in the long run.Please know that’s not my intention.Treelings, like your friend, are powered up when a dragon is killed.They can—”

“My coworker is in a coma because of the dragon deaths.You are completely full of it.”

Mildred gasps, confused from the results of her finely timed actions.“Is she now?How unfortunate.I’ve met several treelings just like her and they too mentioned feeling weaker before they grew stronger.Wasn’t sure if this was the case with everyone, but...she’ll awaken soon.I’m sure of it!All Spirit Users will benefit from this, but the treelings specifically can create a bridge between worlds, so we can all go to Naven together.”

There’s also the fact that the Superiors may have plans of their own, but they’ve been quiet all this time.Mildred can’t be sure of anything that goes on with them, and she refuses to wait.

Nick rolls his eyes.Frost covers his eyebrows and fuzz around his face, but those gold eyes ablaze with his hatred.“I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll leave you with this, if what I’m doing is so wrong, so morally evil, then why haven’t the Superiors stopped me?I’m doing the right thing, and you’ll admit it to yourself someday.”

Nick’s top lip curls as a deep growl vibrates in his throat.Mildred steps back in time for Roon to open the door with a beaming smile as he adjusts the temp on the touchpad.His notebook is tucked in his armpit with his pen in his ear.

The temp in the cooler drops dramatically to the dry bone-chilling air that brings Nick back to his knees, shivering as the glow in his eyes fade.Mildred leaves the cooler and takes the cloak off while Roon holds her oil lamp.His head barely reaches her shoulder but keeps a good pace beside her due to his long legs.

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