Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)(88)

Kairos raised an eyebrow as he stepped onto the stairs.

I saw color in Galen’s cheeks. “Oh, hells,” Galen said, turning away. “Do whatever you want.”

Zeph chuckled.

Kairos climbed up and handed me the skin. “It’s some kind of juice they make from flowers,” he told me.

“Thank you,” I said as he sat beside me, letting his legs hang off the edge. “Why don’t you all come up here?” I called. “The sun will rise any minute.”

Zeph and Theron seemed to take this as an order from me and immediately started trotting up the staircase. Galen crossed his arms and drew a long breath, making his chest rise under his arms. He looked up at me, and even at such a distance, meeting his eyes hit me hard.

I wondered if he would come with me if I joined the Resistance.

He let out the breath and climbed the stairs.

Zeph and Theron crested the outcrop, and Zeph sprawled out on the rock beside me, while Theron stood behind us. Galen was slow climbing the stairs, and I turned to see where he was. He was stopped, a few stairs below the top, and he was looking at all of us, at the rock, at the sky. His throat worked, and his eyes skittered around again as he took another step.

Was he scared of heights? Surely calling attention to it wouldn’t soothe his pride. I met his gaze, questioning, and his throat bobbed again, but he came to the top of the stairs, and stood beside Theron. Galen clasped his hands behind his back, and we all waited in silence as the blue blushed to pink, then to a bright orange, then the whole sky burned with the raging color and light that matched my traitorous heart, and the true, full beauty of Trizala was revealed.





Control

The vestai’s wife took us on a tour of the city that lasted most of the day. With little sleep and after the exertions of the day and night before, my strength wasn’t what it should have been. It worked to my advantage, though, when I was allowed to rest and their people came to greet me, bringing me babies and children to kiss like it was a blessing.

I kept my purple hood off. Everyone asked me the questions with or without it, and after the first time or two of issuing the lie, Galen answered for me, telling curious folk that the Resistance had staged a rebellious act and soldiers had had to put it down while I was caught in the middle of it. I was grateful. The words turned to ash on my tongue.

That afternoon, I ate a little and promptly vomited it back up. Thoroughly exhausted, I went to lie down in my chamber, not expecting to sleep.

My baby seemed to have other ideas, however, and I woke to Galen gently shaking my shoulder. The big windows showed nothing but darkness, and I yawned.

“I missed the sunset,” I said.

His eyebrows pulled together. “You fell asleep,” he told me.

Sitting up in the bed, I saw he had a plate of food in one hand. “What’s that?”

“The vestai’s wife made these,” he said, pointing to pale, hard-looking squares. “They’re baked ground grains. She said they were the only thing she could eat when she was in her first few months with her sons.”

I took one, biting into the crisp edge. It didn’t have much flavor at all, and I could see why they would be easy to stomach. I nodded, taking another bite.

“We shouldn’t have ridden like that yesterday,” he said. “That was irresponsible of me.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I needed that far more than I needed not to.”

“Still.”

I finished the first and took another crisp square.

“Why didn’t you leave?” he asked me, not looking at me. “This morning, when I thought you were gone—I was a little relieved,” he admitted, his voice soft.

“Relieved?” I repeated. My heart lurched in my chest, thinking of my bold thoughts this morning.

He was looking at the stone walls. “That you weren’t going back to him.”

I shook my head. “There are too many people at risk,” I told him. “I have to go back.” For now. Until I can figure out how to leave him safely.

He glanced at me, then away, opening his mouth.

“Are you afraid of heights?” I asked quickly, spitting out crumbs to try to speak before he could.

He looked at me, offended and confused. “What? No.”

“You can tell me if you are. This morning, on the rock, you looked …” Scared. “Uneasy.”

His head whipped away from me. “I’m not afraid of heights,” he snapped, going closer to the window.

“What was it, then?” I asked. “It’s all right if you are.”

“Three hells, Shalia, I’m not afraid of heights,” he growled. “I think I’m a little afraid of you.”

My eyes blinked wide at this.

He looked at me, leaning against the window ledge and crossing his arms. “You just—you don’t realize what you do. Zeph and Theron—they’re hardened killers, but they’re puppies for you. And Kairos loves you. You just—you make people love you, Shalia. And I’m not talking about—about other sorts of love. It just looked—it felt—it looked like a family. Like a family is supposed to feel.”

I pushed the food away, putting my legs off the side of the bed slowly, like he was an animal and might spook. Things tumbled through my mind, about his sister, his brother, his father. “Family frightens you,” I said softly.