Page 42 of The Scarlet Star

“Why should I?” Ryn whispered. And how exactly did El think this man would be able to see again?

“Didn’t I tell you that you must learn how to love?”

Ryn’s gaze drifted back to the man in the blindfold. El wanted her to love this beggar? She’d already felt compassion toward him after he’d reached out for help and didn’t find it.

“Is he an Adriel?” Ryn asked quietly.

“He’s not.”

She huffed. “Then why?”

“What if he can become one?”

Ryn’s face changed. She’d never heard of a Weylin choosing to become an Adriel. Only the other way around.

She took in a deep breath and squinted, trying to see the man differently. She wasn’t sure how to turn her ‘spirit eyes’ on and off. But the longer she stared, the more she made out the edges of chains. Lots andlotsof chains. Some around the man’s legs, and one large one around the man’s eyes. The chains were of the same shadowy substance as the creatures in the Celestial Divinities temple, and Ryn swallowed.

“I don’t have my harp to chase these shadows away,” she reasoned.

“What are you doing, Ryn?” Heva called again. The Folke began nudging people back who got too close. A crowd was forming. “We have to go!”

“She’s a Heartstealer!” citizens shouted to each other, waving more people over.

“You don’t need your harp. Just tell these false gods to leave this man alone. Tell them you speak on my behalf.”

Ryn squeezed the man’s hand. A warm wind tickled her neck. “Celestial Divinities,” she called to them, “pay attention.” She eyed the chains over the man’s eyes and spoke to them next. “Leave this man at once. In the name of El Tsebaoth.”

Fire burned through Ryn’s stomach, and she inhaled, tearing her hand away from the man in surprise. A snapping sound filled her ears. She didn’t know what had happened, but something had changed—the air had shifted, something hadmovedbetween the two of them.

No… something hadbroken.

A gasp escaped the man. His hands trembled as he reached for his blindfold.

“Ryn!” Heva shouted. But Ryn kept her gaze on the man as he pulled down the cloth and blinked at the sunset in the distance.

The loud ring of Heva drawing her sword brought Ryn to stand. She whirled to find the Folke guards holding back a crowd who shouted at her, reached for her, tried to hand her things.

“Don’t you know how foolish it is to linger in the streets, Maiden?!” the same Folke as before snapped, and Ryn’s cheeks warmed.

“I’m sorry…” She watched people toss their dignity aside. They acted like she was one of the Divinities themselves and they wanted to grab her and feel her magic.

Wailing lifted at her back. Ryn found the beggar pointing up at the setting sun in disbelief.

“Well done, Adassah.”

The warm wind fluttered away.

The beggar stared at the buildings, at the people, at the streets left and right. Ryn was sure he could see. A slow, awe-filled smile found her face.

“You are wildly irresponsible, Maiden!” the Folke grabbed Ryn’s arm and her hood fell back. She reached to yank it up again, but realized the crowd wasn’t looking at her anymore; the crowd gasped and pointed toward the palace, their shouts lowering to whispers.

“Is that…?”

“That can’t be…”

Ryn tugged herself free of the guard.

“You think you can cause a ruckus for the Folke because you’re famous now? Ha!” The guard turned and grabbed the beggar instead, yanking him to his feet. “All this so you can give attention to a worthless street rat?!”

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