Truths in a Rift (The Traveling Rifts Trilogy: Book Two)

Dearest

Aris wandered aimlessly through the city of the Krälyin. She hugged her stomach most of the time, her shoulders slumped. Never in her life had she felt so confused. She yearned to go to the basement and find all her answers. Fear rose like a wave in her, though, and she could barely even think about it. She was terrified of what Sajen was doing in that moment, and when he and his men would show up. But on top of all this, she felt worthless.

The girl plopped down on a natural pier overlooking the ocean and felt the tiniest of breezes lift her short hair. Hair that, scarcely a moment before, was in Raven's caress. She couldn't get his words out of her mind, the same ones saying, "I wish you had died instead..." It was on repeat, going over and over.

The water's surface suddenly broke and Aris gasped, pushing herself back a few paces. Lyra appeared, silver tattoos glinting off the harsh sun. She took a look at Aris, then thrust her quiver in her face.

"Give this to the others. I've been on water errands all day."

Aris hesitated a moment, then relented. She reached forward and softly grasped the quiver's strap. She felt its reassuring, firm leather and felt a little comforted. Lyra regarded her suspiciously for a second, then rolled her eyes.

"You have a problem, dragon keeper."

Aris gazed up, barely feeling the sting of the mer's words compared to Raven's. "Excuse me?"

Lyra grabbed the sides of the natural pier and pulled herself up, so her torso was completely visible. Water streamed down from her blue hair. The underwater flowers that used to intertwine themselves in it all seemed dead.

"You have a problem," Lyra repeated, pronouncing every word as if Aris was hard of hearing. "You feel sorry for yourself all too often. You waste precious time wallowing in self-pity while the rest of us try to stay alive. You did it in the sanctuary, and now you're doing it here. You have been apparently searching this abandoned city for a full day, and yet I find you here like a lost puppy."

Anger built inside Aris and her eyes flashed. "I have been searching! A-and in the sanctuary, I had a good reason for... for..."

"Throwing a fit?" Lyra finished with a raised eyebrow.

Aris thought back to why she had been so angry. It was because she thought her book was empty. It was because that stupid dragon she was apparently "converged" with hadn't spoken to her. She had been so busy since then that she had barely even thought about it.

But that didn't give Lyra a right to accuse her like that.

"I helped save the small dragons," Aris spat, fingers gripping her quiver tightly. Her eyes drilled holes into it. "Because of me, they're safely in this rift with-"she looked up to see Lyra had gone back in the water-"...us."

The water was as calm as could be. Aris snarled and stood, clipping her quiver in place. With a roll of her shoulders, she started off in the direction of the house. She walked with angry strides, hands fists. The girl could barely feel the sun's rays on her bare shoulders, nor the way her sprained wrist cried out. Barely a thought graced her mind. It was as if all her emotions had been turned off until only a shell was left. One determined to not let Lyra get in her way again. Or Raven.

When Aris made it to the house, she saw Taleryn sitting out in the sun again. He noticed her and began standing up.

"Aris-"

"Not now, Taleryn," she responded shortly, going inside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. Klovic lay in a corner, sides bandaged. The small dragons flew around, playing like kittens. Hacker seemed transfixed with the unlit Glow Sticks, Faril crouching next to him. And finally Kodi walked around Chrissy, as if restless, but unwilling to leave his friend.