Page 94 of In Between Darkness

I hold my breath again. Nala looks puzzled. I don’t blame her; it’s a lot to take in.

“But your light — I’ve seen it.” She looks at me as if I were the one with damage to my skull.

“You mean this.” I summon my light in my left palm for her to inspect, and she nods her head slowly. “Oriah told me to lie and say that I met Heira, because I have her Gift.” Closing my palm, I extinguish the flames and gear myself up to expose the Gift that will make or break us.

“But I have other Gifts, too.” Opening my right palm, I unleash the darkness, presenting a shadow in all its blackened wonder.

Nala gasps and staggers to her feet. She leans close, and her jaw drops in awe.

“What?! How!?” She takes my wrist and studies it further. “The energies…darker…that’s Moon power.”

She drops my wrist and takes a few steps back from me, her feet crunching on the chalky rocks.

“I know…that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” I step gingerly towards her, not trying to spook her further. “I’m half Moon.”

Her eyes stare back at me in shock, and silence overwhelms us. A minute passes, and I stumble uncomfortably in my stance. “Please say something…Anything. I just need to know you’re not mad at me.”

“Mad at you?” She pauses, leaving me in a state of the unknown for a moment longer. “How could I be mad at you? You saved my life.”

She smiles and walks in closer to me, taking hold of my shoulders. I sigh a shaky breath, and steam seeps out of my lips.

“Actually, I take that back. I am mad at you.” She shakes my arms, and my body tenses again. “I am mad that you didn’t tell me sooner. You’ve been going through this all by yourself.”

A tear slowly rolls down my cheek, and she pulls me into the warmest hug I have ever experienced.

“I’m your best friend, Asha. You can tell me anything.”

I feel her arms wrap around me, and the weight of the world lifts simultaneously from my shoulders. The vice that has been closing on my lungs has finally released me from its metal grip, and I can breathe easy again.

“You don’t know how relieved I am to hear you say that,” I enthuse through my smile, squeezing her tighter. She is not repulsed by my power; she does not view me as an abomination. Her eyes dance across mine with adoration. I almost feel stupid for not telling her sooner. Her soft hands press against my cold cheeks, cupping my face.

“No more secrets,” Nala declares, and I nod in response. She pulls me into another hug and sighs deeply.

“Agreed. I’ll tell you everything as soon as we get back on solid ground.”

A nervous chuckle escapes my lips, looking at our surroundings, these valleys are unforgiving. Nala smiles in agreement. Her clothes are dirty, and my blood-stained jumper is heavier than it was an hour ago, the rain has seeped into its material, making it feel like chain-mail rather than cotton, and my light grey leggings are now a dark shade of charcoal, clinging onto my legs like they are a lifeline. I think we could both appreciate a long shower or bath right about now.

“Kareem,” Nala calls out.

The wind gusts with the movement of his wings as he gracefully settles down on the cliff’s edge. She makes her way over to him, boots squelching with each step.

“Mind taking it a little slower this time?” She speaks through a warm smile while rubbing the space above his nose, three clicks escape his mouth, and his body lowers, ready for her to hoist herself onto him.

“Wait, Nala,” I impose. “There is one thing I’d like to show you,” I continue, causing her to release the handful of Kareem’s fur she was going to use as leverage. “Fancy taking a shortcut?” I ask, conjuring the portal in my hand. She treads carefully in shock, staring at the pulsating void in my palm. I can tell she is wary because she is skulking like a cat, cautious of its surroundings.

“What in the Gods’ names is that?” she asks, still keeping her distance.

“It’s a portal,” I reply whilst propelling it onto the wall of rock behind us. “A perk of being a Star,” I confess, still attentive to her reaction, her stare is intense as she ponders the surface of the portal, reaching her hand a centimetre away as if too scared to touch it.

“No freaking way!” she whispers, examining the portal closely. She mentally builds up courage and elongates her finger into its puddle. It ripples, and she pulls her finger back with speed.

“It won’t bite.” I giggle at her reaction. “It’s our dorm room,” I explain, and I see her shoulders relax.

“I can see our beds through the portal…how is that possible?” she asks in disbelief.

“I have no clue…” I confess. “I still don’t know how to use my powers properly.”

I find myself looking down at where the lilac flowers bring life to the bleak rock.