Rainmaker

6

The wind has stopped. The rain has turned to nothing more than a drizzle, barely noticeable in the thick silence that hangs in the air. The storm is gone, but the wreckage it left behind is undeniable. Broken branches litter the ground; the earth is torn up and muddy, and the heavy weight of what I've done presses down on my chest, suffocating.

I take a shaky breath and force myself to stand, my legs trembling from the effort. The fire is out; the camp we made is a mess of overturned stones and scattered supplies. But none of that matters.

All I can see is the twisted form of the witch—the one I killed

Her body is half-hidden beneath the fallen tree, her hand stretched out at an awkward angle, fingers still curled as if she was reaching for something, someone. The sight of her, so still, so broken, sends a cold wave of nausea through me. My stomach twists painfully, and I have to close my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself.

But I can't look away forever.

She's dead. And it's because of me.

My breath catches as I finally reach her. I stop a few feet away, staring down at the fallen tree, at the crushed, lifeless form beneath it. The storm did this. I did this.

I didn't mean to.

But that doesn't change anything.

I didn't want this. The thought runs through my mind repeatedly, but it does nothing to ease the guilt curling like a snake around my chest. I didn't mean for this to happen.

But what does it matter? Whether I meant it or not, the result is the same.

She's dead.

Is this what I'm destined for? The thought slams into me, sharp and cold. Am I meant to be someone who destroys, who can't control the very thing that makes me who I am?

I feel a tear slip down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away with the back of my hand.

A soft sound behind me pulls me out of my thoughts, and I turn to see Kade standing a few paces away, watching me in silence. His face is serious, his eyes shadowed in the dim light of dawn. He says nothing at first, but there's something in his gaze—something that isn't judgment but understanding.

"Emily Are you alright?" he asks, his voice soft, cautious.

I shake my head, swallowing hard. "I killed her."

He doesn't deny it, doesn't try to sugarcoat it. He kneels beside me, his presence steady and solid in the chaos of my thoughts. We sit there in silence for a long moment, the rain continuing to fall around us, the wind barely a whisper now.

 "Power like yours is dangerous," he says, his tone gentle but firm. "That's the reality of it." 

I stare at the ground, unable to meet his eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Kade. What if I lose control again? What if next time it's worse?"

He reaches out, touching my arm, his touch warm and steady. "That's why you're not doing this alone. You have me. And we'll figure it out together."

I look up at him then, my heart pounding for a different reason this time. There's something in the way he says it, something that feels like more than just reassurance. His eyes are focused on mine, and the world feels a little less heavy for a brief moment.

I blink away the tears that threaten to fall again, my heart aching with uncertainty. "I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"You are," Kade says firmly, leaving no room for doubt. "I've seen it in you, even if you don't see it yourself yet."

Kade stands, offering me his hand. I hesitate, then take it, letting him pull me to my feet. His grip is firm, sending tingles through my body. "Let's get moving," he says quietly. "There's still a long road ahead."