The Silver Siren (Iron Butterfly, #3)(82)

My hand reached forth and I tried to catch one, but it danced away. I watched as my burning stars morphed into reality—lightning bugs. I couldn’t move but continued to lie there on the river bank in a small inlet away from the rushing river. My very breath, each and every one, felt like a glorious miracle. And I savored them—because I was alive.

When the coldness wore off and feeling returned to each of my toes, I pulled myself into a sitting position, then a kneeling one. Minutes later I stood and stared at my reflection in the water from the moon lit sky.

I was unrecognizable. My eyes were still silver, but my hair had lost its luscious darkness and was now a silvery white which only made my complexion seem paler. My skin no longer had the spattering of a few freckles. It seemed to glimmer and glow with power.

Which I hoped would wear off.

My hands seemed to be constantly buzzing. I reached forward and touched the water. Without any effort at all—with only the thought of cold—the water crackled and froze into a solid sheet of ice. My body hummed in response, eager and pleased with itself. Curious as to what else I could do, I reached toward a small plant and touched it. I was able to make it grow three feet in a few seconds. With a change in thought, I made the plant wither and die, crumbling to the ground. I now had both extremes of the gifts, healing and death. The power was both intoxicating and infuriating. I wanted to scream out my frustration to the only person listening—the woman in the moon, but I knew she probably wouldn’t hear my pleas. This was too much power for one girl, and it scared me.

Surrounded by tall trees and dense thickets, I found it impossible to know where to go other than to follow the large orange glow in the sky, which had to be Sinnendor’s castle. One of my boots was gone, lost in the aqueduct. I quickly unlaced and rid myself of the other so I could run toward the castle.

And toward the enemy.

I was quickly out of breath and out of energy, but I continued on and tried not to think of everyone I was losing. I tried not to think of Joss and Kael. The only way to save both of them was to kill Cirrus and Queen Lilyana. They were my mark, they were my focus.

I almost walked right into the enemy camp before I heard or saw anyone. I ducked behind a bush as a small patrol of guards wearing the emblem of the Septori walked past me. I was right at the edge.

I was close to Raven.

Silently, I crept forward until I saw an outcropping of tents. It appeared that after the battle had begun, the Raven retired to her quarters to rest. It must’ve been grueling work controlling an army of Denai. It was easy to spot the largest of the tents—the one that was heavily guarded. Patiently, I waited and watched as someone moved past a lantern inside, a sign that it was indeed occupied.

Reaching down to the ground, I focused my power and sent a bolt of fire directly from the tips of my fingers across the dry and brittle grass to envelope the edges of the tent in flames. Within seconds, the red fabric caught and smoke billowed upward. Cursing and yelling came from within, and Cirrus rushed out followed by Queen Lilyana. Adept Cirrus didn’t waste any time as he quickly smothered the fire by creating a large bubble around it and removing all of the oxygen.

My hand went to my throat and I could imagine that same feeling wrapped around my throat. Cirrus had been the Denai in the wagon, the one who attacked me. Queen Lilyana looked around the camp nervously. More of the Septori rushed to their aid, and everyone began to search the camp for an intruder. I didn’t try to hide my presence anymore. Besides, it only took Cirrus a few more seconds to follow the burned trail of grass to me.

I walked into the middle of camp and head held high, my hands glowing with power.

Cirrus was awestruck by my presence and blinked a few times against the darkness. Then he recognized me.

“See Lily. She came back.” He flashed her a charming smile and held his hands wide open to me in a welcoming gesture. “Our creation came back.”

“I’m not your creation.” I seethed, feeling the fury begin to take over. I walked closer to them, into the ring of light created by the torches. So he could see what I’d truly become.

“She’s beautiful,” Lilyana gasped. “She’s become far more than we ever dreamed. Power and beauty. The Denai will be stronger than ever before. Come Thalia, and we can take it all away. I can make you human.” She beckoned me toward her.

“I have not come to give you anything. You’ve taken enough from me. I’ve come to make you stop.”

Queen Lilyana’s pretty brows furrowed, creating a pinched and ugly look. “You said, if given the choice, you would give it all up just to be normal. I can make that happen.” She held her petite hand out to me, inviting me to take it. Cirrus stood off to the side, his hands clasped in front of him. He nodded his head in encouragement.

“That was before I knew who you really were. Do the rest of the adepts know that you’ve been lying to them? Does Calandry know that you are behind all of the missing Denai? And what do you think they will do when they find out?”

Her face registered a moment of shock, and I knew that the other adepts couldn’t know. Then her face took on a haughty expression. “They won’t find out, you idiot child. Because I’m their queen. All Calandry wants is peace. All the Denai wanted was peace, but they were dying out. They weren’t interested in war. I did what I had to do. The answer to their curse lay within the blood of their enemies. I’m doing them a favor. Ridding Calandry of their hated neighbors and providing the cure for the dying out breed. They will grow in power and be safe, and we will be twice as rich and powerful, because I will peacefully rule both countries.”