“Twenty-nine Living Storms,” Vane says, and the quiver in his voice mirrors the one in my stomach.
“What are they?” Solana asks quietly.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” Gus fidgets with the sleeves of his uniform before he looks at me. “When he turned Feng into . . . how long did it take?”
The moment was such a blur it’s hard to say for certain. But I know it wasn’t long. “Only a handful of minutes.”
Vane straightens. “So he could already be on his way?”
Gus leans out the window, turning his face to the stuffy breezes sweeping through the soft dawn light. “I feel no warning yet.”
“But we all know how quickly the winds can shift,” I remind him.
“What does that mean?” Vane’s mom asks, and we all fall silent. She turns to Vane. “Do we need to leave again?”
“Probably,” he admits.
I’ve never seen her look so tired as she nods and says, “And I’m assuming you can’t come with us?”
“No, they’ll need me here.” He pulls me closer so he can whisper in my ear. “But I want you to go with them.”
“I’m staying with you.”
“You could keep them safe for me—and then I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“I’ll go with them,” Solana offers. “I’ll do whatever you need.”
I don’t know which I hate more, how grateful Vane looks or how bad I feel for not being the one who made him look that way.
But Gus steps forward before Vane can agree. “If we’re taking on twenty-nine Living Storms, we’re going to need every soldier we can get. I know you want to protect your parents, Vane. Believe me, I understand. But I don’t think we can afford to spare anyone this time.”
“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Vane’s dad jumps in. “I’m getting good at outrunning storms. Haven’t gotten a speeding ticket yet!”
Vane looks torn as he turns to his mom, who’s twisting her hands so tightly her fingers are turning white. “Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”
“I’m not worried about us, Vane.” She glances at me. “You’ll take care of him for me?”
The question feels like a calming breeze.
She could’ve made that request to anyone in the room. But she asked me.
“I’ve been protecting him for ten years,” I tell her. “Nothing’s going to happen.”
Vane tightens his hold on me.
Solana looks away.
“I guess I should go make some coffee for the drive, then,” Vane’s mom says quietly, taking one last look at her son before she rushes out of the room.
Vane’s dad forces a smile. “At least I like road trips. Maybe we’ll do the Grand Canyon this time.”
“No—go south,” Vane tells him. “Last we knew, Raiden was in Death Valley.”
His dad’s smile fades. “Okay. Well, then—Mexico it is. A margarita sounds pretty good right now, actually. Extra heavy on the tequila.”
Vane sighs. “Sorry this keeps happening.”
“Hey, we knew adopting a son was going to be an adventure. I didn’t expect wind warriors, but . . .” He runs a hand over his shiny head. “You’ll really be okay? That bruise . . .”
“I’ll be fine.”
Vane probably sounds less confident than his dad would like, but his dad leaves it at that, turning instead toward me.
Then away.
Then back again.
He finally steps forward, offering his hand. “I guess I should, um . . . offer my congratulations.”
“Ugh, you guys are so embarrassing,” Vane whines as my cheeks burn.
Part of me wishes I could bury my face against Vane’s chest and hide. But I force myself to lean forward and shake his dad’s hand. “Thank you.”
He nods, his eyes slightly glassy as he clears his throat again and says he’s going to go pack.
“I take it this means you told them?” Gus asks when he’s gone.
“Yeah, it sorta came up.” Vane glances at Solana, then away. “I’ll tell Os when this is over.”
“Tell me what?” Os asks, making everyone jump as he stalks into the room.
I’ve seen the captain of the Gales only once, standing outside my mother’s house as I swore my oath as a guardian. At the time he’d looked equal parts proud and nervous—the way they all did as they put their most important assignment in the hands of a thirteen-year-old.
Now the scar under his eye is twisted with anger as I try to scramble out of Vane’s lap.
Vane holds me in place, whispering, “He’s already seen.”
“What madness is this?” Os demands. “What are you—”
“Raiden’s coming,” Vane interrupts.
Os’s eyes widen and he turns toward the window, staring at the calm sky. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
He mutters a curse under his breath and pulls his hands through the loose hair around his braid. “So what are we facing?”
“Did Gus update you on everything that happened yesterday?” Vane asks him.
“Almost everything. He failed to mention that our deserting guardian had returned—I take it you weren’t able to track down the third Stormer?” he asks me.
“Really, that’s what you want to focus on?” Vane snaps before I can ask what that means. “Raiden’s coming to destroy us and you want to talk about Audra?”
“The biggest mistake any leader can make is keeping a traitor in his midst.”
Vane slides me to the side and stands. “You’re seriously calling her a traitor?”
I know I should stand too—say something in my defense—but my heart is pounding too hard and my head is spinning too fast and all I can do is stare at the floor and tuck my stupid bare legs underneath me.
Os stalks closer. “Did she or did she not abandon her duties as a guardian—break her oath—”
“Audra didn’t abandon anything,” Vane interrupts. “She took a few weeks to clear her head—and after everything she’s done for us and everything she’d been through, she deserved it.”
“Yes, well, the families of the guardians who lost their lives while caring for her responsibilities might disagree.”
He turns to Gus, but Gus shakes his head. “My father was honored to serve his king.”
I can tell that Gus means every word. Still, the weight of his father’s loss feels like a stone in my heart.
“His king,” Os repeats, turning back to me. “And am I safe in assuming that this is who you intend to make your queen?”
“Well, we haven’t really talked that far into the future—”
“But you have bonded?” Os interrupts.
I wish we could wait until Vane’s not shirtless and I’m not pantsless with unbraided hair and it’s not so incredibly humiliating. But it’s already too late.
“Yeah,” Vane says, reaching for my hand. “We have.”
Os groans, muttering something about foolish teenagers.
I pull myself to my feet, trying to look more confident than I feel as Os takes in the full effect of my ridiculous outfit.
He rolls his eyes and turns to Vane. “So this is the kind of king you’re going to be? One who blatantly disregards our wishes and does whatever you please?”
“When it comes to my personal life, yeah.”
“You don’t have a personal life—that’s what being king means! Your life is about serving others, not yourself. Otherwise you’re no different from Raiden.”
“Uh, I don’t murder innocent people, so I’m pretty sure that gives me a big one-up on him. And how does who I date have anything to do with ‘serving others’?”
“Because your people are searching for safety and stability and you’ve bonded yourself to the daughter of a murderer!”
I’m too numb to feel Vane’s warmth as he drapes his arm around me. But I notice he doesn’t say anything.
There’s nothing to say.
r /> Os turns and starts pacing. He’s crossed the room three times before he says, “We arranged for you to marry the daughter of our fallen king and queen—two heroes who not only were known for their strength and kindness but who sacrificed themselves so the royal line could have a chance to live on. That future is something our people have been waiting for, hoping for. Fighting for the day they’d see the royal symbol once again adorn the gates of Brezengarde with a member of the Southwell family on the throne. And now you want me to tell them that instead, they need to embrace a queen who stole the king from his betrothed when she was supposed to be guarding him—who then abandoned her post, only to return weeks later and ruin everything we’d been planning for years? And the only notable claim she has for her pedigree is that her mother is one of the most infamous criminals our world has known—second only to Raiden?”
He pauses and I realize this is where I’m supposed to argue, prove that I’m worthy of Vane and all the responsibility that comes with him.
But every word that Os has said is true.
“You’re right,” Vane says quietly.
They’re two small words, but they hurt more than anything Os has said. I turn to look at Vane, but he’s looking at Solana and it feels like something inside me withers as he says, “Solana should be queen.”
I close my eyes, choking back my tears and reminding myself that I knew this could—should—happen all along.
But as I’m waiting for Os to bind me and drag me away, Vane pulls me closer and says, “I just shouldn’t be king. I wish I could fall in love with the princess and make everyone’s life easier. But I love Audra. So if I have to choose between being with her or being king, I will happily hand back the throne.”
I open my eyes, seeing nothing but the beautiful smile on the beautiful boy I will never deserve but want so much it makes me ache.
Os laughs—a sharp sound that spears my few seconds of happiness. “You think it’s that easy?”
“It can be if you want it to be,” Vane tells him.
Os shakes his head and goes back to pacing. “Our world is broken, Vane—and when we’re finally free of Raiden and struggling to rise from the dust, we’re going to need strength to bring our people back together. We need our new leader to be the warrior who harnessed the power of four and destroyed the villain. Not the pretty girl who stood on the sidelines during the battle.”
“Hey, I’m going to fight right along with you,” Solana argues.
“No, you’ll be defending yourself and storing winds for the rest of us to use—which is a very useful tool,” Os tells her. “But it’s not the same as being the hero.”
Solana’s eyes narrow, and I can understand her fury. I know what it feels like to be underestimated.
But I also agree with Os.
Solana’s a trophy, meant to be paraded around and admired.
Not respected and loyally obeyed.
Not that I deserve respect or loyalty either.
“Raiden stirred the seeds of rebellion among our people,” Os adds quietly. “Even when he’s gone, there will be some dissenters who remain. So we need a ruler who is as feared as he is respected. Someone so powerful that no one would dare try to steal the throne again.” He turns back to Vane, sizing him up with his stare. “I’m still not convinced that you can be that warrior. But you’re the best chance we have. The throne will fall to you.”
“Well then, I guess I don’t need this,” Solana mumbles as she unclasps her gold cuff and sets it on the floor, backing away from it like it carries a disease.
“Not necessarily,” Os tells her, bending down and retrieving the link. “This matter is far from settled.”
“Uh—yeah it is,” Vane corrects.
“Trust me when I tell you it isn’t.” Os walks over to Solana and clamps the bracelet back on her wrist.
Her left wrist this time, like their commitment is already sealed.
Solana frowns. “But . . . they’re bonded.”
“Yes,” Os says, looking straight at me. “And bonds can be broken.”
CHAPTER 31
VANE
I know I’m new to this Windwalker stuff—but one of the few things I was pretty sure I had figured out was that bonds are permanent.
I thought that was why Audra spent so much time ruining my dates and turning me into a huge joke at school—and why it took so freaking long to convince her to finally kiss me.
And yet, Audra doesn’t seem nearly as surprised by this revelation as I am. If anything she looks . . . worried.
“Is that true?” I whisper, giving her the cue to tell me it’s a mistake.
The fact that she won’t look at me says it all.
I sink to the edge of my bed, my head spinning too much to stay standing. “You told me bonds couldn’t be broken!”
“I thought they couldn’t,” she admits. “But Aston said—”
“Wait, you saw Aston?” Os interrupts. “He’s alive?”
She nods.
Os gazes into space for a second—then reels on Gus. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I guess I forgot. A lot happened yesterday.”
“Yes . . . I suppose it did.” Os sighs and turns back to Audra. “When did you see him?”
“About two days ago.”
Os steps closer, grabbing Audra’s wrist. “Can you take me there?”
She pulls her hand free and sits next to me on the bed. I can’t help noticing how high my shirt creeps up her thigh, but the mood is kind of killed when she whispers, “He’s not the Gale you remember, Os. Raiden tortured and twisted him into someone incredibly unstable—and incredibly powerful. He conquered me without ever having to step out of the shadows of his cave, and if he hadn’t chosen to let me go, I would still be his captive.”
“But he did let you go, didn’t he?” Os asks.
“He did,” she admits. “And I’m still not sure why.”
She stares at a faint blister on her wrist, and I don’t think I want to know how she got it. If he hurt her I’ll—
“We need to find him,” Os says.
Audra shakes her head. “He told me he would kill anyone who comes near his hideout—and believe me, he’s capable.”
“All the more reason why we need to get him back on our side.”
“Okay, can we back up a second?” I interrupt. “We can deal with psycho cave boy after you explain what the crap you mean about bonds being broken.”
“Actually, we should be planning for Raiden’s attack,” Os corrects.
He’s right—we should. But he can’t just drop that kind of bombshell and not explain. “We’ll plan in a minute.”
“I thought it was pretty self-explanatory,” Os says after glaring at me for a few seconds. “Bonds can be broken. Simple as that.”
“But . . . how?” Gus asks, and I’m glad to see that he and Solana look as confused as me.
Meanwhile, Audra’s staring sadly at the floor. . . .
“What do you know?” I whisper.
She steals a glance at Os before she turns to me. “Aston told me that anything can be broken if you’re willing to harness the power of pain.”
My mouth goes dry. “Pain?”
“I’m sure the process is rather unpleasant, yes,” Os agrees.
“Well then, fun as that sounds, I’ll pass.”
A sad smile peeks from the corners of Os’s mouth. “I never said it would be your choice, Vane. We let you believe we were canceling your betrothal because we thought it would make you less resistant to Solana, and that once you got to know her you’d change your mind. But just because that didn’t work doesn’t mean we’re changing our plans. You may be king, but your opinion isn’t the only one that matters—not when it comes to what’s best for our people. And it’s better for everyone if you’re with Solana.”
“So . . . what? You’re going to chain me up and torture my bond out of me?” I feel dizzy just saying it—and he can bet I’ll go all power of four on him if
he tries.
Os looks away. “If you leave us no other choice.”
“Whoa,” Gus breathes.
“Is there a problem, Guardian Gusty?” Os asks.
Gus swallows, looking like he wishes he hadn’t said that out loud. “That just sounds . . . kind of cruel, sir.”
“Cruel?”
“Yeah. Torturing two of our own because they fell in love sounds more like something Raiden would do.”
“The pain only lasts a few minutes.”
I snort. “Right—because that makes it better.”
Os ignores me. “Have you ever broken a bone, Gus?”
Gus nods. “My left ankle, when I was first learning to windwalk.”
“Ah, yes, I remember. That was quite a fall. And tell me this, did it hurt when they set the bone?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And yet, it made your ankle heal properly, didn’t it? Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to walk now, right?”
“Yes, but”—Gus shifts his weight—“that’s not the same as what you’re saying.”
“But it is, Gus. Sometimes pain is necessary to fix a problem that cannot otherwise be corrected. It’s unpleasant and unfortunate, but then it’s over and everything is set right.”
“Do you hear yourself?” I shout. “I bet that’s the kind of crap Raiden spews out to his Stormers to try to justify the evil things he does.”
Os stalks toward me. “Raiden cares only for his own selfish needs. I am thinking about the good of our people. Trying to bring together the shattered pieces of our world.”
“And who put you in charge?”
“Nobody.” He steps back, clutching his blue guardian pendant. “This matter will be brought to the full force of the Gales, and they will decide. I’ll simply be one vote. However, they’re a very reasonable group of soldiers. I have no doubt they’ll decide what will benefit everyone.”
“Everyone except me and Audra.’ ”
“With time you’ll see that isn’t the case. You two were not meant to be.”
“Can I say something?” Solana asks, her voice shaking as much as her legs as she steps forward. “I don’t want to bond with someone who’s being forced to do it. If Vane loved me”—she clears her throat—“or if there were a way to keep my family’s heritage without us having to be together, well . . . that would be different. But if Vane really needs to be the king and I’m not who he wants to be with, then . . . I guess that’s how it has to be.”