Page 21 of Steeling Light
I blink. How am I important? And how are my Light powers important? The only thing that Light is ever used for is entertainment and storytelling. It’s to make things pretty, not to do anything of value. “You’re wrong. I don’t know what your webs are telling you, but there’s no way that I’m important.”
Cadence grins. “Ha! I win!” she says, her eyes going to Vellith. “I knew she wouldn’t believe us. You owe me two chocolate crickets for that!”
“Maybe I knew she wouldn’t, and I needed you to be motivated. Two chocolate crickets is a small price to pay for your undivided attention.” Vellith’s voice has an unusual sparkling quality to it. Like a mother teasing her daughter.
“No. This is my first. There’s no way I would be distracted!”
Vellith just hums softly, and Cadence huffs before turning back to me. “You are not useless, Ainslee Emlyn,” she says, light in those too-young eyes. “You are unique, and Light is the only thing that will save so many from the darkness that looms. Maerlix has seen this, and I refuse to question his words. The Ancient Ones are stirring, and they will bring a darkness so complete that the world will be flooded in tears. You, Ainslee Emlyn, must find your spark. You must breathe life into it, and you must push back the winds of turmoil that will try to snuff it out. You, and no other, must become the Light.”
I blink at her sudden seriousness. “But I’m no one.” My father’s words flash through my mind again, called forth from the darkness as they are so often.
“You are not no one. You are Ainslee Emlyn.” Her confusion is palpable. “The web would not have brought you here if your strands didn’t matter. It would not have brought you to me as my first charge or to Vellith as her last.”
The possibility and repercussions of what Cadence is saying push against everything inside me. I can’t be important. I’m not strong like Cole or Maeve, capable of standing against someone like Gethin. My place is to help, but I could never fight back on my own, and that’s exactly what Cadence is saying.
Cole bears the burden of being important, and he’s barely holding himself together. I’ve seen how it nearly broke Maeve. Rhion, Casimir, and even Gethin are all so much stronger than me, and yet, the weight of their responsibilities has threatened to crush each of them.
My place in this world is to help, not to lead. I cannot be the person they think I am. It would… it would break me to have that many people rely on me.
“No.” I say it and stand up, pushing away from the worktable. Cadence doesn’t move, her smile never fading. “I am not who you’re looking for. I’m sure there are a hundred people in the House of Light that would love to be told they’re meant for something greater. Not me. I’m not important, and I never will be.”
Instead of waiting for her to respond, I turn around and walk out the door, leaving Vellith and Cadence in the room. I don’t need to shine a light now that I know the tunnel was only darkened because of the spelled web at the entrance.
I go back the way I came, ignoring everyone and everything. I walk as fast as I can through the tunnel and into the main corridor. My heart races, my mind simply repeating, “No, no, no,” over and over again. Then I get to the small wooden door that opens into Selithar, and as I put my hand on the knob to open it, a soft hand touches my shoulder.
I whirl around, and Cadence is standing behind me, her head tilted ever so slightly with a smile on her face, and she says, “You will bring the Light, Ainslee. The web is leading you to that purpose. You will bring the Light, and it will be glorious. Shine brightly. Only the Bright can tame the Strong. As it was in the past, so will it be in the future.”
Then she lets me go, and I don’t hesitate to swing the door open and step into the waning sunlight. I don’t stop walking. Everything urges me to escape the Keep of Webs. Cadence and Vellith don’t follow me.
When I’m out of sight of the Keep, I turn around and make sure I wasn’t followed, that myguidesaren’t anywhere to be seen. Without a second thought, I step into an alley and shift into another woman’s shape, and it’s strangely difficult. The fear inside me at what they’d said won’t seem to allow itself to be pushed into a recess of my mind.
Then I feel like I can breathe again. My heart’s still racing, but my chest doesn’t feel like someone’s sitting on it. I’m free. The words that Vellith and Cadence said almost seem like they came from a dream. I know they weren’t, though, and I know that there’s nothing that will convince me to go back into the Keep of Webs until it’s time to meet Maerlix.
I take another full breath, savoring the air that tastes so sweet compared to the musty scent of the Keep. When I let it out, I smile, and the fear fades even faster. Nothing they said matters. I have my orders from Maeve, and that’s what I’m going to worry about. I will find Vesta, and then I’ll go back to Stormhaven.
We have a war to fight, after all. But first, I have to get ready for my night with Rhion. That, at least, brings a smile to my face.
Chapter 12
I’m still on the hunt for Vesta and the book, but I’ve hit a bit of a stumbling block. There’s no way I’ll be back in Stormhaven soon. Please give Cole and Maeve my regards.
P.S. I saw Mother and made a bit of a scene. She tried to get me to stay in the House of Light, and every moment I was there made me want to scream. I wish you were here, Darian. The days are so lonely.
~Ainslee Emlyn, Letters to Darian
Ainslee
“This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever been to.” My words are dismissive, but the laughter in my voice says something entirely different.
“Ridiculous? I think not. This is what it’s like to enjoy life, Ainslee.” He holds up a piece of something silver and says, “Now, taste this.”
“What is it?” The finger food looks tiny in Rhion’s massive fingers and shimmers in the dim candlelight. I can make out a layer withpossiblyberries, but who knows what it really is?
He chuckles. “Who cares? You’ll probably never have it again, so why care what it’s called? Now, eat it.”
I can’t help but laugh, and Rhion takes his opportunity to shove it into my mouth. He misses as I pull back, and whatever it was becomes a smashed mess on my cheek. “Hey!” I say in a mix between laughter and outrage.
Rhion nearly falls out of his chair as he cackles. If I’d been at any other diningexperienceand someone had smashed food into my face, I’d be furious. Now, I can’t help but laugh. The Selithar Seasonal Tasting isn’t supposed to be a chaotic mess, but between Rhion and me, I won’t be surprised if we end up getting kicked out.
