Roake glanced up in alarm. From all directions, menacing black clouds rose along the horizon, lightning flashing violently in their darkness as they rolled across the sky straight for them.
"Ready yourselves, we may have to contain her power!" he barked to his companions in the Draycent tongue before turning to the devastated little person still beating him with her fists, her eyes wild with grief.
Already, light was rippling across her tiny body.
He had never before removed a child of her age from their family. The oldest, ever, had been almost five but had had no family left alive.
Usually, it was the parents or siblings who were stricken with grief when he had to take away their tainted child. And the child would be too young to understand, much less remember, the ordeal. If removed early enough, the rest of the family had a good chance of recovering from the strain, and no one would die. Still, most humans regarded the Collection with much superstition and fear, thus happy endings were few and far between.
However, when there were two tainted children in a family, one would inevitably perish, usually in their first couple years of life. It was truly a miracle Rain had survived for so long.
But that was no comfort for this child who had just lost her entire world.
"Rivynn," he called her name, trying to get her attention while his companions formed a circle around them, preparing to channel her light if he could not calm her.
"I don't want to talk to the stupid man!" She snarled at him. "I want to see Rain!"
"You can't," he said firmly as she struggled against his hold. "I am sorry. Rain is gone."
She shook her head, tears streaking down her face and her struggling weakened. "No... He's not..."
"He is."
"But you said he wouldn't be sick anymore if I left..." her voice choked.
"I'm sorry I tricked you," he said quietly, even though it had been, in a way, the truth. "But I did it for Rain - so he wouldn't have to see how much it hurt you for him to go."
She stopped fighting him, her body trembling as she fought to contain her grief.
But it was impossible to bear such pain alone, and she collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Above them, the clouds that had been churning threateningly, opened, releasing a downpour of cool summer rain, as if joining in her sorrow.
Roake didn't move until exhaustion, at last, overtook the child, and she could stay awake no longer.
"We cannot linger," he spoke to his companions. "This child is very powerful already. If she is not pledged soon, I fear the consequences."
They all nodded in agreement, and one of them scooped up the wet, frightened kitten.
"Share your strength with your horses. We will not be stopping until we reach Ullinn."
YOU ARE READING
Wings of Shadows ~ Book 1 ~ Beginnings ~
FantasíaRivynn couldn't understand why she and her brother, Rain, were kept chained away from everyone else. They were told it was to keep them safe from the shadows... But what if that was a lie? ~~~~~~ Rain hadn't told her... but the shadows were real...
