Page 75 of Wings of Ebony
“Everyone has some form of magic here.” He hesitates at that last part. “And not a single one of us has onyx.” He glances at Aasimand he nods. “Jelani, Ghizoni magic was birthed by your ancestors, passed down to their children and their children’s children, breathed into us—andonlyus—by the gods themselves.”
“But,” I start, “the Chancellor, he…”
“Those stones are a child’s toy compared to the power your ancestors could wield. Astolenchild’s toy.”
“So… I don’t… wait… you mean…” Words are a jumbled mess in my head. “You’re sayingallmagic… the onyx that the Chancellor gifts everyone… the power that’s here on the island… it’s…”
Bati nods, handing me back my cuff.
No, it can’t be.
The chilling realization washes over me and I bar my mouth shut, as if my hands can hold in the truth and everything it means.
I never liked the Chancellor, but this? This!
“It’s not possible… he…” I stutter.
“Yes, Rue.” Aasim turns to me. “Magic was never the Chancellor’s to give.”
I meet his stare and finally understand the fire that burns there.
“It was ours.”
CHAPTER 25
Eleven Months Ago
THE HALLWAY IS BARRENby the time they call my name for Binding.
The revelry and thump of the drums outside have faded and only scraps of streamers and confetti remain. Sorting is done for everyone, and except for me, Binding is done too. Each person before me, including Bri, disappeared behind the chrome swinging doors and came out sniffly with bandaged wrists.
“Come,” a gruff voice says. The lady who called everyone else must be gone, because the man standing at the door is only vaguely familiar. His hair is cut low, very neat. He has a shadow of a beard on his face, white like his low top. And a mean gash beneath his eye. He doesn’t wear a lab coat like she did or even have a clipboard.
I don’t like this. “Where’s the nurse lady?”
He turns his back without an answer. I’m here, it’s finally my turn. I’ve been waiting all day for this. I need to just go through with it. Get it over with. Push comes to shove, I can throw some hands if I need to. He look old as hell.
I follow him from a distance. The hallway through the silver doors reminds me of the clinic Moms used to take me to. Sterile rooms, like patient rooms without windows, line both sides of the lengthycorridor. Except here there are no nurses, doctors, or people moving from room to room. This hallway is as silent as it is stark white.
The only bit of color is a painting of the Chancellor’s head on display at the end of the hallway. We hang a left. Then a right and two more lefts. I keep track.Just in case.
The room we slip into is like the others except cabinets line one wall and there’s a black door at the back of the room.
“Sit,” my escort says, pointing at a metal table in the center of the room.
I swallow the lump in my throat and take a seat. The metal chills my legs, even through my jeans, and I hug around myself. “So you doing this or what?”
He doesn’t laugh at my obvious attempt at sarcasm or even comment. Instead, he grimaces and posts up on the wall in the farthest corner of the room. His gaze never leaves me and I feel icky. Ten showers with screaming hot water are in my near future.
The door clicks open. “Oh, there you guys are.” A dusty brown-haired man sticks out his hand. “I’m Twan, the tech that’ll be doing your binding attachment today.”
“Uhm, okay,” I shake the tip of his hand.
“So first I need you to take off this outer robe you have.” He pinches my hoodie.
“I’m not taking off my hoodie.” I roll up my sleeves. “This will have to work.”
He smiles apologetically. “O… of course, sorry. I just would hate to get any blood or anything on it.”
