Page 59 of A Touch of Stars and Stones (Kirrian #1)

thirty-four

. . .

Aten

P errin had mended Ever’s cheek, as well as everyone else who was still hurting after yesterday.

As if doling out a punishment for a slight, Rowan had us on basic fitness training all morning.

It sucked. My mind was shot, only focused on Ever and what she was thinking after last night.

As my power returned with Aslendrix, so did the urge to test for what Ever was feeling.

But I kept my magic locked up, at least until later.

We were all bone weary by the time we met in the dining hall, later than usual.

Micah, Calix, Crimson, and Capella all join our table, where Ever is sitting opposite me, her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes low, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Her nerves pulse around her like the beat of her heart.

“Are you going to keep us here all night, Ten?” Crimson complains.

The hall is empty except for our table.

I look at Ever, and after what we did earlier this morning, give her a little nudge. “Hey, ready?”

Her eyes shoot to mine, telling me it worked. “What are you playing at?” she chides me.

“Glad to see that still works. Want to start?”

“This is your plan.” Her eyes cast off to look around the table.

“Are you sure? You want them to know about my theory?”

“Yes. Nobody’s in the dark. That’s my one rule.” Okay, she’s still mad.

“The Orders are keeping information from us. Specifically, about Ever,” I jump in.

“Right. And that’s important to us because?” Crimson rolls her eyes, telling everyone she doesn’t want to be here.

“Because they knew she was a Fifth from the moment she got here. They are preventing her from training properly and using us as tests, which is fucking dangerous. But there’s something else they’re afraid of.

Something that will jeopardise the peace in Kirrasia.

” Re-living the argument and feeling everything again has me focusing on the other questions I have.

“So, not only are we going to find out what they’re hiding and why, but we’re keeping everyone except those around this table?—”

“And Kyra,” Ever’s quick to add.

“Right. We keep everyone except us and Kyra in the dark as to what we’re doing.”

“And what exactly is that, Ten?” Capella asks.

“Taking training into our own hands, preparing for the trials, and researching. Finding out what the zuns is going on that’s got my father worried about one girl and why he doesn’t want her investigating what power she might have, or… who her parents might be.”

Silence drops over everyone at my final words.

“You don’t know them?” Capella asks Ever, a strand of sympathy ringing in her words.

“No.” Ever shakes her head, ruffling the curls around her face.

“And you’re sure the Orders don’t want her asking questions?”

“My father warned me that Ever would be dangerous. To start with, he dismissed it as her being from outside Kirrasia. A spy, maybe. But he doesn’t want her to learn.

Anything. Even threatened me to ensure I knew that our peace was at stake and that I’d do well to remember that if Ever starts figuring things out. ”

“Your Dad doesn’t speak for the whole Chamber, Ten,” Crimson says.

“No. And that’s why we all have to gather information. Research. Start asking our own questions. I’m seeing Kamari again tomorrow.” Although I wish there were another way. “Capella, Micah, will you meet with Darien and Portia? See how they react to questions about Ever.”

“Don’t you think this is all a bit over the top?” Capella asks.

“Maybe. But wouldn’t you want to know if your father was keeping a secret?” I fire back.

“It might not be that simple. We’re only trainees. The Orders, the Maker, they’re in charge,” Capella persists. “They make decisions for the best of all of us.”

“Then don’t help. Just keep your mouth shut about what we’re doing,” I snap at her.

“There’s no need to be a jerk about it, Ten. I said I’d help. I just don’t buy this conspiracy secret crap. You’re way off.”

“Is he?” Micah comes to my defence. “They haven’t exactly trained her.

During our first weeks here, we were shown how to use our power.

Most of us had an instinct already, but we had lessons, and training was informative on how to fully utilise our power.

How to strengthen it. Yet, there’s been nothing like that for Ever, and they’ve kept her from us under the guise of protection.

I don’t think it’s such a leap to think there’s something bigger going on.

” Ever gives him a grateful smile, and the relief on her face is clear.

“I’ll do what I can,” Micah states. “I think we all should.”

“Please.” Ever stares at her fingers, worrying them together on the table, and I have to resist the urge to pull them into my hands.

“I know I don’t know you well, but I have had no idea about most things since I arrived here.

And if there’s even a chance that someone might know about my parents, then I’m not going to pass that up.

They’ve sent away the only family I’ve ever known.

Micah, Kyra, and Calix,” she pauses before looking at me, “and Ten are the only ones who’ve helped, who I think of as friends now.

You can believe what you like, but just ask yourself, what would you do? What would you want?”

“Jeez, let’s not cry about it,” Crimson scoffs.

“Is that your way of saying you’re in?” Calix nudges his sister’s arm.

“You’re doing all the work. You’re already besties, anyway. I’m only here for payback. She needs some lessons with a blade.”

“Great. That can only go well,” Calix mocks, and I keep my eyes from narrowing in warning at Crimson. We do need her on our side.

“So, we act like we’re keeping her in the dark while working against the Custodians and Order’s attempts to keep us all blindsided.

Kyra’s visits will need to be limited, or we’ll need a cover if you want her to visit as much as she has.

” I pause. “And we all need to practice and start combining powers so we’re prepared when we get to it in class. ”

“Can’t wait,” Crimson’s sarcastic tone is front and centre again.

“Thank you.” Ever seems to ignore Crimson. “I mean it. All of you.”

Micah, Calix, and Crimson all stand, disbanding the gathering now that we’ve updated everyone, and the others follow.

“Crim. Wait,” I call out, stopping her from leaving with the others. My eyes want to find Ever, but I can speak to her later. I need to set this right first.

“Ahh, you want to speak to me now.” She crosses her arms over her chest, and it immediately puts me on the defensive.

“What’s going on with you?”

“Seriously? That’s your question?” She looks shocked.

“Nobody forced you to help.” Yes, having her onside would be better, but she needs to behave.

“No, but my best friends have suddenly abandoned me for her. This new shiny princess with magical fucking powers. What’s so great about her, huh, Ten? Because you can’t even touch her without dropping to your knees. And I seem to remember that’s not a position you enjoy being in.”

Her blue eyes burn into mine, but they contradict the waves of sadness she’s sending my way, chilling me to the bone.

She’s hurt.

“We haven’t abandoned you.”

“Nice try. You’ve not been yourself since she stepped foot into training.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh, right. My mistake. You haven’t been yourself since your Transference.

Maybe, instead of thinking just about you, you give Cal and me a thought.

” She steps back a pace, and I take in her words.

“That day changed everything for us , too.” Her voice wobbles, and guilt kicks me in the gut.

She’s right, and I see the vulnerability that she never lets others see, too busy being the best Warrior she can be.

“We had plans, Ten.” She reaches forward for my hand, no second thought, no worry.

Our powers meshed before the Transference and posed no danger beyond adding to my own abilities.

Everything that Ever’s didn’t.

“Years, we’d planned for what we’d be when we grew up.

And now, it’s all changed, and I get that it was hard, and your dad’s a royal bastard, but you’ve forgotten us.

Me.” She clenches her hand into a fist. “And now your new little plaything’s come along, and you won’t even look at me.

” The sorrow in her voice hardens, and the venom I know is in those teeth begins to drip.

“So, I’m doing this for you. For Calix. And to show you both that I’m the bigger person.

And maybe you’ll remember that we were your friends long before she showed up. ”

I should let her leave after saying her piece. This has been under the surface for weeks, but I can’t let her go without making sure she understands me completely.

“There isn’t going to be anything more than friendship between us, Crim. Not now. Too much has changed for me.”

“Oh? Really.” Lines crinkle around her eyes as her body goes still.

“Please, Crim. I want us to be friends. You’re important to me, it’s just…” I don’t love you like that.

She doesn’t say anything before she shakes her head, dropping her head before a funny bubble of hysteria breaks from her throat.

“Remember, it’s you who threw our chance away.

” She raises her head, and her golden hair frames her face as she glares at me, making sure her words sink in, before she storms off.

The pull to knock on Ever’s door as I head back to my room is torture to ignore, tugging me towards her, but I don’t know what to say, and after the showdown with Crimson, it feels wrong to rush back to Ever.

It’s there, on the edge of my mind, to reach out with my power to see if I can get a sense from her, or if I can push my voice into her mind from this distance. But I shoot all those ideas down.

Not tonight, at least.

We’ve been through a tough day. Several tough days. She needs space.

Tomorrow will be better.

I wake early, my regular meeting with Kamari set before class, like the other mornings I’ve visited.