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violets pov
We stepped into the room, the echo of our footsteps swallowed by the heavy silence. My eyes swept over the massive stone pillars, now covered in bright, chaotic drawings, each one telling a fractured story. But there was one that stopped me in my tracks: a crude, childlike depiction of Vander, holding Powder and me in his arms. It was a memory frozen in time, a painful reminder of everything we'd lost. I couldn't look away.
"Cait," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but hard enough to carry the weight of what I was about to say. My eyes didn't leave the drawing. "If you see an opening," I turned, my voice steady, "take the shot."
She grabbed my arm, pulling me back before I could take another step. "Vi," she said softly, her voice trembling just enough for me to notice.
I stopped, meeting her eyes. For a long moment, we just stood there, the air thick between us. Her gaze was filled with fear—fear for me, fear of what was about to happen. But she didn't try to stop me again. She understood.
I moved to the center of the room, my gauntlets heavy at my sides, looking around at the vibrant chaos Jinx had left on the pillars. My heart was a storm, grief and anger swirling together. I clenched my fists and shouted, "Jinx!"
My voice echoed, bouncing off the walls until it faded into silence. And then, there it was—the voice I both dreaded and longed to hear.
"Finally got the name right," she called, her tone laced with a mocking sweetness. The sound came from everywhere and nowhere, elusive.
I traded my gauntlets, scanning the room for any sign of her. She was close, I knew it.
"Guess there really isn't a crack in the earth where you won't find me," she continued, her voice floating like smoke.
"What is this place?" I demanded, still searching, hoping to catch even a glimpse.
"Don't you remember the old Janna bedtime stories Vander used to tell us?" she replied, her voice dripping with false nostalgia. "Miners trapped underground, air running thin... but then some wispy wind woman wafts to their rescue." She laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "Wild, the kind of crap people get up to when you choke them out."
I glanced at Caitlyn, who was poised and ready, her rifle steady, eyes sharp. "We used the Grey to clear the streets," I said, my voice tight. "To keep people safe."
"We," she sneered. "Never thought my sister would turn bluebelly."
"Never thought mine would orphan kids," I shot back, the words biting.
Jinx chuckled darkly. "Why not? I've done it to myself enough times. But plastering my face everywhere so someone else would do your dirty work? Poisoning our air?" She whistled low, the sound hollow. "You've really turned over a leaf, sister."
I drew in a breath, steeling myself. "I'm done blaming myself for your mistakes," I said, lowering my gauntlets. "Done pretending you're my sister. You're not. You ended her, Jinx. And I'm not going to let you stain her memory anymore."
