Page 102 of The Incendiary

“Mavic,” Mina reprimanded him quietly. “Just⁠—”

“No!” he objected, wildly shaking his head. “The queen died in Brinnea the night of the Solstice!”

“Yes,” I interjected. “I did. And then I… came back.”

They stared at me like I’d sprouted wings. I wished I had. Flying away at the slightest inconvenience would make things easier. Cowardly, but easier.

“You need to let us go.” Mavic spared a glance at his sister. “At least Mina.”

“No!” Mina objected.

“I will not hurt you!” I insisted. “Please believe me.”

But the distrust on their faces made it clear they didn’t believe me at all.

“Molochai has dark, evil magic,” Mavic began. “Only Simeon knows the extent of it. How do we know you’re not some sort of shape-shifter or witch or⁠—”

“Your sister should have had her baby by now,” I rushed out. “Does it have red hair like hers or black like its father?” They still didn’t look convinced. Black hair was common enough, and Marin’s red hair was an easy guess given the two of them. “What about eyes? Hazel, like Caz?”

Mina glanced nervously at her brother. She seemed more willing to believe me than he did.

“Caz proposed to Marin on the final day of their Commencement,” I hurried out, wracking my brain for something only a close friend of the others would know. “They were the same year, and they’d been best friends since they were three years old.” I began to list off things that Caz had told me about his wife on our journey from Warrich to Tovick around many campfires. “He’d been in love with her for years, but she wanted to stay friends. It didn’t deter him. He just waited, and she came around.” The more I spoke, the wider their eyes became. “They got married weeks after their Commencement, on the Summer Solstice, under an arch made of agates at the eastern end of the Caves. They were already inseparable and didn’t see the point in prolonging the inevitable.”

They stared at each other, exchanging the unspoken the way they always did. It sometimes made me jealous that I didn’t have someone who knew me like that. Someone here, anyway.

“Yes.” I recaptured their attention. “I know them. Caz told me all of this. I sent him back to the Caves with the others after the accident that cost him his leg. He knows I’m alive, as do Finn and Gemma.” My eyes burned with apology. “And none of them should have been in Tovick that day.”

Mavic’s jaw ticked in anger. I realized that I hadn’t noticed how menacing he had the potential to be. At least six feet tall, he could be a threat if the situation warranted it. Especially if his sister was in danger.

“If it’s really you,” Mina said, hurt darkening her features, “then why are you lying to us?”

I shrugged helplessly. “I want to prove myself like everyone else here, I just really, really want to finish Commencement. This isn’t forever. I’m going to reveal it soon. But I did go to Molochai’s camp. I did face him, and he did kill me, but Viridian’s healing power saved my life.”

Steadying my hand, I lifted my shirt to reveal the jagged scar up the center of my torso. Mina covered her mouth and stifled a whimper. Compassion cast a warm glow across them both.

“I learned some things that night,” I went on, voice shaking. “Some heavy things. But I’m still learning to control my magic.”

Mavic glanced at the ice still encasing the doorknob. “You have the power of the Selvaren?”

“Nevelin’s ice, Sussurro’s wind,” Mina said quietly, looking between the door, me, and her brother. “And Autumna’s camouflage.”

“That’s only three,” muttered Mavic.

“I’m still working on a few,” I explained. “And I’m not that good at controlling the others.”

Mavic frowned at the ice-covered doorknob, likely thinking of how badly I could have hurt them. Was Simeon right in claiming I was a danger to those around me?

“I’m sorry. That was reckless. I⁠—”

“Seems pretty controlled to me.” Mavic’s steps made the floor creak as he approached the door. His fingers brushed over the ice, and he shuddered. “Damn, that’s cold.”

I looked back at Mina. She stared at me like a wounded baby animal. Terrified and betrayed.

“I’m not doing this out of malice. I never wanted to hurt either of you,” I promised, pleading with my eyes. “I know you might think this is selfish. Perhaps it is, but I need to earn my place here, so please keep this quiet. I’m not asking as your queen, but as your friend. With that said,” I added, “if you choose to walk out that door and tell everyone who I really am, I won’t stop you.”

The twins stared at each other for a while, until I saw them both nod. When Mavic spoke, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“When you take the throne, I want an official title and… special privileges.” Mavic’s eyes darted to the side in thought. “Details to be determined later.”