Page 5 of Riftborne
The girls approached, and I ducked my head, hoping they’d pass without starting what was sure to be an enchanting conversation. One that could very well send me flying over the edge.
And just like that, the forest floor betrayed me. I stumbled over a muddy branch and lost my balance. My hands hit the earth below and fear shot through me. I hadn’t put my gloves back on.
My branding was laid bare in the darkness, reflecting the dancing lights from the sky above.
CHAPTER 2
I crossedmy arms as I stood, and the girls looked me up and down, tipping their noses at my stained uniform before turning to each other and snickering.
“Bekha. Jordaan.” I nodded, looking up to the sky.Could the Esprithe just strike me down now?
“Fia Riftborne… what a lovely surprise. How long has it been? Six, seven years? That pathetic white hair is still hard to miss,” Jordaan smirked. “And your skin… I see you never did learn what a few hours in the sun could do,” she chided before looking over to Bekha.
“And those same creepy eyes.” The short brunette curled her lips into a smirk. “Or better yet, those hideous dark circles. You really haven’t changed at all.”
“Such a shame. You could have been quite pretty. Parts of you have potential… but no amount of pigment could fix the ghastliness,” Jordaan continued, ice slicking her voice.
“We really should catch up sometime. I’m sure mother would absolutely love to hear all about your time away from us.” Bekha’seyes traveled down to my clothes once again. “Are you living on the streets now?”
“Are we done here?” I asked as they fell silent. I knew I should have held my tongue, but I often had trouble doing so.
Bekha glared at me.
“What are you anyway?” she asked, her voice thick with vitriol.
Original.
I rolled my eyes and brushed past them.
I needed to get out of here.
“Disgusting Riftborne. You were always so rude. So ungrateful. You’re lucky our mother had a kind heart and took pity on you. If it were up to me, all of you would have burned with the rest of your treacherous country,” Jordaan spat.
I paused, clenching my teeth.
Just keep walking.
I mentally repeated the words, desperate to distract myself from the mind-shattering surge running through my head like a blade. Pain shot across the base of my skull.
I sucked in a breath, making my way back into the night with shaky, unsteady steps—towards the dancing lights that now seemed undoubtedly safer than the faux solitude of the forest.
Bekha cleared her throat.
“Dams are just so unpredictable… I heard about what happened to your little Riftborne pack. Absolutely devastating. Perhaps if they could swim faster…”
I stopped. There it was.
Their words hit me like a dagger, finding its mark right in my center.
My jaw began to tremble, and another jolt of white-hot pain invaded my mind, lighting my thoughts on fire and sending currents through my entire body. Starved currents. Lethal currents.
No! Don’t do this here!The better part of my brain was roaring.
But then I heard their laughter...
My muscles went rigid, and the world around me blurred, tinging my vision with a translucent haze. A scream threatened to tear through me as I fought to keep control, but I could already feel myself losing the battle.
It was happening. And I couldn’t stop it.
