Page 18 of The Ascended
The priest's eyes stopped, fixed on a point somewhere behind me. His smile returned, cold and satisfied.
"You," he said, pointing. "The young man there. Step forward."
I turned, following his gesture, and my heart stopped.
Marel.
Two of the priests moved past me, seizing him by the arms before he could react. His face went blank with shock and confusion as they dragged him toward the fire, his feet scrambling for purchase on the sandy floor.
"No," he said, the word barely a whisper. "No, I don't—I'm not?—"
"Such a shame." The priest clicked his teeth, circling Marel. "You could have made this so much easier for everyone. Instead, you chose deception." He gestured toward the cave mouth, where torchlight flickered against the darkness. "We observed you descending from the cliffs not an hour past. The very cliffs where the disturbance originated."
Oh gods.The blood drained from my face as I understood. They'd seen him coming down from our overlook.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Marel said. "I was just walking. I haven't done anything. I'm not—I don't have any powers!"
Around us, the villagers were backing away, instinctively creating distance between themselves and whatever was about to happen. I saw the fear in their eyes, but that fear wasn’t alone. A terrible, shameful relief hid behind it. Relief that it wasn't them. Wasn't their children being dragged forward.
"Of course you don't," the priest replied. One of the other priestsproduced a length of rope—but it was not ordinary rope. This rope sucked in all the light around it. "Hold out your hands."
"Please!" Marel's voice cracked, and the sound gnawed through me. "Please, I'm telling the truth. I don't know anything about stars or powers or?—"
“This is an honor,” the priest said as they bound his wrists. I watched his face contort with pain as it touched his skin. Whatever that material was, it burned.
Do something.
"It's me."
The words tore from my throat before I could stop them. Before I could think.
Every head in the cave turned toward me. The priest's smile widened.
"It's me," I repeated, louder this time, taking a step forward on unsteady legs. "I'm the one you want. Let him go."
"Thais, no," Sulien whispered beside me, his voice breaking on my name.
But I was already moving, pushing through the crowd toward the fire. Toward Marel and the priests and the end of everything I'd ever known. Behind me, I heard Sulien start to follow, heard Thatcher's shout of alarm from across the cave.
"How noble," the priest murmured as I approached. "But I'm afraid we can't simply take your word for it. We have quite compelling evidence that it is him." His pale eyes glittered as they flicked between Marel and me.
"Then I'll prove it," I said, surprised by how steady my voice sounded.
"Thais, don't," Marel begged. "Whatever this is about, don't?—"
"I'll prove it," I repeated, never taking my eyes off the priest.
He cocked his head to the side, curiosity crossing his features. "Excellent. Please, demonstrate this gift of yours."
Behind me, I heard Sulien's sharp intake of breath. Heard Thatcher pushing through the crowd, calling my name. But it wastoo late for any of that now. Had been too late from the moment the priest pointed at Marel.
I raised my hands toward the cave's opening, toward the night sky beyond.
"Thais, please." Sulien's voice was raw with anguish. "Please don't do this. We can find another way. We can?—"
"There is no other way," I whispered, and reached up to touch the heavens.
Power rushed through me. Above us, a single star pulsed brighter than the others. Brighter than should have been possible.
