Let The Wind Rise (Sky Fall, #3)(61)

Yes, I know I sound lame.

“Maybe later,” she says. “You should be helping Audra.”

My eyes stray to the chair, where Audra hasn’t moved.

“Do you think she’s in shock?” I whisper.

“I don’t see how she couldn’t be. What happened with Arella? I heard screaming,”

“Honestly? I have no idea. Arella might be okay, but . . .”

Solana closes her eyes. “I don’t hear an echo.”

“Would you really be able to hear it? We’re inside—and the storm is super loud out there.”

“I can still hear whispers of Gus’s.”

She wraps her arms around herself, and I try to hear what she’s hearing, but my senses are too dull.

Or maybe I’m too numb.

“So you don’t think Arella’s dead?” I whisper.

“I feel like we’d know if she was. She has such a powerful presence. The sky will shift when she joins it.”

I can’t decide if that’s good news or bad news.

“How exactly did Audra hurt her?” Solana asks.

“She flung her like she weighed nothing more than paper. It was crazy.”

Solana covers her mouth. “I wonder if that means Gus gave her his gift. I thought I heard something transfer as he died, but it was hard to tell.”

I guess that makes sense, given what I know about Gus’s ability. And I know it shouldn’t bother me—at least not for the reason it bothers me. But my hands still curl up so tight, my nails cut into my palms.

“Want me to find Aston and see if he has any news on Arella?” Solana asks. “He won’t be able to come inside without drawing too much attention.”

Yeah, I can’t even imagine what would happen if he walked in here with all his holes.

“It can wait,” I tell her. “We should stay out of the wind as long as we can.”

Our eyes both drift back to Audra.

“Go,” Solana tells me. “She needs you,”

She needs someone.

But I’m not sure if it’s me anymore.

“Seriously, Vane,” Solana says, “don’t overthink it.”

I try to breathe the words in, but they feel too raw and scratchy in my chest.

“How bad do you think her wounds are under that jacket?” I whisper.

Solana bites her lip. “I don’t know. After Gus . . .”

My stomach sloshes with a fresh wave of bile as Solana soaks a stack of paper towels and hands them to me. “If you need any help, just ask.”

I give myself three deep breaths. Then I make my way over to the chair.

“Hey,” I say, crouching in front of Audra.

She doesn’t blink.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here. Shake her? Wait for smelling salts?

I settle for taking her hands, surprised at how much heat sparks at her touch.

“There you are,” I whisper when her eyes slowly clear.

She turns to scan the room.

“We’re in a hotel,” I tell her. “They’re letting us use their bathroom, and they’re hopefully getting us new clothes and bandages. Do you need water or something? I know you don’t like to drink or eat, but—”

Audra shakes her head. “My mother?”

It’s such a relief to hear her voice, I have to resist the urge to throw my arms around her.

I brush the hair out of her eyes, instead. “I don’t know. But Solana doesn’t feel an echo.”

She looks just as torn by the news as I feel.

I’m trying to think of something brilliant and healing to say. Best I can come up with is: “Can I check your wounds?”

“I’ll be gentle, I promise,” I add when she flinches.

“It’s not that. I . . . don’t want you to see.”

Oh.

My face burns as I remember what I’ve learned about sylphs and underwear. I’m guessing that applies to bras and stuff too . . .

“I can turn away while you take off your jacket,” I tell her. “And then you can use it to cover your, um . . . you know.”

“I didn’t mean that,” she says, and I’m pretty sure she’s blushing.

My smile dies really quick when she says, “I don’t want you to see what he did to me.”

Fury lumps up in my throat, and it’s not easy to choke it down. It’s even harder to find the words to explain what I’m feeling.

“I hate him for hurting you, Audra. And I hate seeing you in pain. But . . . that’s it, okay? It’s not going to change anything. I’ll still . . .”

I stop myself from saying I’ll still love her.

I can’t tell if it’ll make things worse or better.

She swallows several times, then nods and starts unbuttoning her jacket.

“I’m going to turn away until you tell me it’s safe.”

I look toward the sink and find Solana watching us. She’s spinning the link on her wrist, but when we make eye contact, she goes back to cleaning the wound on her leg.

Audra takes her deepest breath yet as she tells me she’s ready.

I still need a few more seconds.

“Is it that bad?” she asks when I suck in a breath.