Page 152 of The Ascended
Xül circled me. I felt his gaze like an iron dragging across my skin.
"Good," he said, the word dropping between us.
"High praise indeed," I muttered.
He came to stand before me, arms crossed. The fabric of his shirt strained against his shoulders as he moved. I dragged my eyes back to his face.
"You've mastered the basics," he said. "Drawing a single star, forming a weapon."
"I sense a 'but' coming."
His smile widened. "But it's time you learned to do more."
"Where are your souls, Xül?" I braced myself for battle, for the faceless damned he'd conjured before. “Let’s get on with it.”
But Xül merely shook his head. "It's time to grow." He gestured to my sword, then to my empty hand. "Pull down another star. Form a second weapon."
I blinked. "Two at once?"
"Don’t think you could handle it?" His eyes flashed wickedly, and I realized we weren’t talking about swords anymore.
“Hilarious.” I shot back.
He gave me a knowing look. “Do as I said.”
I turned my attention skyward again, raising my arms. The sword of starlight hummed in my right hand as I reached with my left, searching for another connection.
A distant star pulsed in response. I pulled, feeling its light begin to stream toward me—a silver thread stretching across the crimson sky. For a heartbeat, it seemed to be working. Then the light wavered and dissolved among the morning clouds, like smoke carried away on a breeze.
"Shit," I hissed through clenched teeth.
Xül clicked his tongue. "Try again."
I did, muscles tightening with the effort. Another star responded, but again, the light dissipated before fully forming.
"Why isn't it working?" Frustration clawed up my throat.
Xül moved closer, his head tilted in consideration. "Why do you think?"
I glared at him. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you."
"Think, starling. When have you successfully pulled multiple stars before?"
I opened my mouth to say I’d never tried, but stopped as memory crashed into me. That evening so many weeks ago, when I'd flooded the arena with starlight, turning night into day.
"During the Proving," I admitted reluctantly. "When I was trying to save Thatcher."
Satisfaction flared in Xül’s eyes. "And what was different then?"
I frowned, trying to put it into words. "I was desperate. I wasn't thinking about it—I just needed the power."
"Precisely." Xül began to circle me again, his voice dropping lower. "You've spent your entire life containing your power. Keeping it hidden. Keeping it leashed."
My throat tightened. "I had to."
"And now that control is holding you back." He stopped behind me, close enough that the hairs on my neck rose in response. His breath ghosted over my skin when he spoke. "You need to let go, starling."
I turned to face him, refusing to let him intimidate me. "Easy for you to say. You've never had to hide what you are."
