Page 79 of Rising

I’d been there. Understood the draining, numb feeling that consumed you after. His breathing finally slowed, and he looked at me like he’d never seen me before. My head tilted in response, realizing I’d never really looked at him either.

The eyes that usually focused on me hard and cold, also had the ability to be kind, and soft. His hand moved to the crusted blood that pinched the corner of my forehead, my hands moved up in the same motion, wanting to hide the blemish. A battle scar I wasn’t proud of, his hand brushing against mine.

“Thanks,” he said.

My curiosity piqued. “What are they? Your rings? You play with them when you’re nervous, but I’ve never seen younotwear them. Except once, during the elemental part of your assessment.”

He studied me for a moment, the internal battle on if he should open up to me again showing on every part of his face.

“Working with my old settlement, there was an incident.” His voice was hollow. “I lost control, and it ended badly. Learned the hard way that power is nothing without structure, without self-control. A scientist, orTinkerer,as you all call them, pitied me. Made these siphons to help cut back on some of my power. Make me normal.”

A dead laugh escaped his lips. “I told you once, and I’ll tell you again. I don’t need your pity. I lost myself for a second, thank you. Let’s go find our packs.”

“I can help you,” I offered, stopping him in his tracks. “Learn how to control your magic. I’ve had … similar issues in the past. It’s hard, takes effort. But I can help. You won’t need the rings anymore.”

His arms moved and though I could only see his back, I knew the rings were now sliding up and down his fingers. He stopped, hands back down near his side, and started walking again. “I don’t need your fucking help.”

I followed close behind; the trees looked different at night. It took us a while to find our packs, but there were no signs of the wild men. We checked our belongings, making sure we didn’t lose anything.

Hesitantly, I decided to try another approach. “I don’t pity you. But I understand, when you cause destruction for something outside of your control, it changes you. I just want you to know that someone else gets it, and … you’re not alone.”

I don’t know what I expected to see, but it wasn’t the hard death glare that I received.

“I know,” he said.

As soon as the path cleared to the horses, I spotted them. Happiness taking over, pushing out the thoughts running rampant in my head.

“There they are,” I said, my side ringing out in pain, a reminder of the night past, as I jogged towards them, grimacing on impact of our group hug as Seth desperately tried to pull away.

Everyone was okay. Reina was more excited than anything. Claiming she felt like a badass, and detailing their night. Moe and Seth lackadaisically watched on as she chatted away, rolling their eyes in exhaustion.

I’d imagined it’d been a team effort trying to get her to be quiet for the entire night, keeping their position in the trees undetectable. There were three of them, and two men that had followed. They appeared to be oblivious to what the group had been capable of. So I kept it that way. Daring Alexiares to say more as he kept his distance, eyes shooting to the hand that rested at my side causing me to shift under his watchful gaze.

I’d thought mounting would be the most painful, but I’d been wrong as we rode the next three hundred miles, the pain had only gotten worse. Stepping away and using the excuse of going to the bathroom to hide my retching, flinching with every gallop or thud.

The days and nights following Yosemite were uneventful, but we wouldn’t be caught off guard again, stopping only when we needed to, minimal rest or breaks. By the time Elko graced our horizon, our appearance suggested we’d been through hell and back,at leastfour times.

Alexiares rode at my side, not having left it much since our talk in the woods. He didn’t say much, outside a few grumbles and sarcastic comments under his breath, but he watched me all the same. Most nights I’d fall asleep, recognizing the alertness in his breath as he listened to my own. When I woke up in the mornings, he was up too, volunteering to pack our belongings away and take down the tent when we used it.

I wondered when he slept, how he’d been able to keep going. Wanting to check on him too, but not wanting the fight. This game we were playing was exhausting, and I found myself not having the energy to want to engage. I was fine with having a new team member to rely on, to trust, but that worked best when we kept our thoughts to ourselves.

Amaia

Elko’s the kind of town I’d expect Seth to thrive in, even in The Before. The history of the small town was still present in its current purpose. It’d been founded as a stop on the Pony Express, and later became big with mining and ranching. The terrain simultaneously rugged and beautiful, the mountains towering over it as we descended towards their front gate.

Scanning the settlement’s defenses from what I could see, I squeezed the reins, fighting with my mind to focus and keep my body atop the horse. They’d made the decision to utilize a natural barrier instead of solid infrastructure. Elko was known to have talented blacksmiths and plenty of horses that earned them a spot within Salem Territory, keeping them protected and a sought-out alliance. Though the blacksmiths were talented in making well-balanced weapons, wielding them and infrastructure was not on their list of talents.

The final ascent to their gate was brutal, my body hunching under the strain, agony pulsing through every nerve. Alexiares reined in his horse, hearing my labored breathing. This trip had allowed me to see landscapes that I’d logged away on some backlist of to-dos that I would never get around to. Now I was just thankful I’d seen so much. Could die knowing I’d lived and seen things I’d thought I’d only read about.

Bile rose in my throat as I bit down into my tongue. At least they had someone to get them there. Alexiares knew the route and could keep them safe. Riley knew the plan. Knew what to do.

“Hands,” a guard said, coming from behind the thick, green bristle of the tree line, gun raised and pointed at Seth who’d been leading the way down the narrowing path.

“Kind of hard to do while riding a horse,” Seth snickered.

The guard fired off a shot, skimming the top of Seth’s hat. “Something tells me you can manage, cowboy.”

Seth’s body stiffened as I rode to his side, his hat now in his hand as he slowly turned towards me. His pupils were dilated, the stormy blue eyes staring back at me almost black, the wildness in his eyes unnerving.

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