Rainmaker

9

The shelter feels quieter after Kade leaves, the crackling fire and the distant sounds of the forest filling the silence. I sit by the fire, trying to focus on the warmth inside me, the flicker of magic that Lucas helped me control, but my mind keeps drifting to Kade. He didn't even look at me when he left, and that knot of guilt in my chest hasn't loosened since.

The door creaks open as the thought crosses my mind, and Kade steps back inside. His posture is still stiff, his expression unreadable, but I notice the rabbit he's holding in one hand, already skinned and cleaned. He catches my eye, and though his gaze is still guarded, there's something softer there.

"I found us dinner," he says gruffly, holding up the rabbit. "Figured we should eat."

"Yes, I am starving."

Kade walks over to the fire, dropping down beside me. "You ever dressed a rabbit before?"

I blink, taken off guard by the question. "Uh... no, can't say I have."

He gives a small, crooked smile, and I'm surprised to feel a flicker of warmth at the sight. "Alright then, guess it's time for a lesson."

He pulls out a knife and sets the rabbit down on a flat surface, motioning for me to come closer. I hurry over, watching as he starts to explain the process. "First, you want to ensure you've cleaned it properly. Then, you just cut here..." He demonstrates with careful precision, and I try to follow along, though my stomach flips a little at the sight.

I must make a face because Kade chuckles, the sound breaking through the awkward tension between us. "Not a fan of the messy part, huh?"

I wrinkle my nose, half-grinning despite myself. "I'm not squeamish, I swear. It's just... not what I expected to be doing tonight."

He laughs again, and it's like things between us ease a little for a moment. "Yeah, I guess rabbit dressing wasn't on the agenda."

As he works, he hands me the knife. "Your turn."

I take it hesitantly, glancing between him and the rabbit. "You sure you want me doing this?"

"Hey, you wanted to learn, right? This is all part of surviving out here." He leans back slightly, giving me space but watching closely as I make my first clumsy attempt at cutting the meat.

It's not graceful. It's downright embarrassing how awkward I am, but Kade stays patient, offering tips between chuckles. At one point, I make a particularly uncoordinated move, and the knife slips, barely grazing the surface.

"Careful there," Kade says, his voice teasing. "We're trying to eat the rabbit, not butcher it to pieces."

I can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of how much my life has changed in just a few weeks.

Eventually, we get the rabbit ready, and Kade sets it over the fire to cook. As we settle back, the warmth from the flames wrapping around us, I glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Thanks," I say softly, my voice hinting at something more than just gratitude for dinner. "For... you know everything."

As the rabbit cooks, the smell fills the shelter, and the tension from earlier seems to melt away. It's not completely gone—there's still so much between us that's unspoken—but we have this moment of peace for now. I feel lighter like maybe things between Kade and me can find their way back to normal—or, at least, something close to it.

The door creaks open as we dig into the meal, and Lucas steps inside. He glances between us, his usual smirk creeping across his face. "Smells good in here."

He walks over and joins us for dinner. I scout over, making room for him, my side brushing up against Kade. He stiffens for a moment but then relaxes.

I hand Luca his share, and we eat in silence.

The shelter is quiet after dinner, the fire still crackling softly as we settle in for the night. I can feel the weight of exhaustion pulling at me, but sleep doesn't come easily. The warmth from the flames lulls me into a state between waking and dreaming, my thoughts drifting between the tension with Kade and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

As my eyes start to close, something strange happens. The air around us shifts, becoming heavier. It's subtle at first, but then I feel it—a pulse, deep in the ground beneath us, like the beat of a heart.

I sit up, my breath catching in my throat. "Did you feel that?"

Kade looks up from his spot by the door, his brow furrowing. "Feel what?"

Lucas glances at me, his eyes narrowing. "There's something..."

Before I can respond, the ground beneath us trembles. It's slight, barely noticeable at first, but then it grows stronger, like something is waking up beneath the earth. The fire flickers and a gust of wind blows through the shelter, making the flames dance wildly.

I stand my heart in my throat. "What's happening?"

Kade is on his feet instantly, his hand on his blade as he moves to my side. "Stay close."

Lucas steps forward, his eyes scanning the room. "It's her," he says, his voice low but confident. "It's her power. Something is reacting to it."

Before I can ask what he means, the ground trembles again, more violently this time, and a crack splits the shelter's floor. A soft glow seeps up from the fissure, bathing the room in an eerie, golden light.

I stare down at the crack.  "What is that?"

Lucas crouches beside the fissure, his expression serious. "Elemental magic."

Kade takes a step closer, his voice sharp. "What do you mean?"

Lucas doesn't look up. "Emily's power—it's not just tied to the storm. It's connected to something deeper, something ancient. The elements are responding to her."

I take a shaky breath, the realization hitting me like a wave. My power has always felt unpredictable and wild, but now it feels like something else is calling to it—something older, something that has been dormant for a long time.

The glow intensifies, and the air around us hums with energy. I can feel the magic pulling at me, drawing me toward the crack in the ground, as if the earth is calling out to me.

"Emily, don't," Kade says, his voice laced with worry as I approach the fissure.

But I can't help it. The pull is too strong. I kneel beside the crack, my hand hovering over the glowing light. It feels warm and familiar, like the storm inside me, but more grounded and connected to the earth. The pulse of magic thrums through my veins, and for the first time, I feel... in control.

Lucas watches me closely, his voice quiet. "This is what you are, Emily. You're not just a Rainmaker. You're something more."

I close my eyes, focusing on the warmth of the magic and letting it flow through me. The ground shifts again, but this time, it feels less like an earthquake and more like a steady and strong heartbeat.

When I open my eyes, the glow has faded, but the crack in the ground remains. I can still feel the magic pulsing beneath the surface, waiting.

"What does this mean?" I ask.

Lucas stands, his expression unreadable. "It means the elements have chosen you. Whatever power you have, it's more than just the storm. It's connected to the very forces of nature."