❝ Pain was my fuel, until the fire began bleeding from my veins. ❞
The girl without a name.
The black-haired fiend devoid of fear.
The sharp-tongued scoundrel always ready with a trick up her sleeve.
Thief and street rat Azura knows how to hustle a...
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◢✥◣ PREVIOUSLY... ◥✥◤
Azura had to train with Lilja as Suri was absent, overcome by her illness and resting in their room. After training, Azura cornered Ari and forced him to tell her about the things he'd alluded to earlier. He told her he doesn't believe that Tacree being so thoroughly destroyed after they declined the rebellion's alliance was a coincidence, especially by the Empire when they had been dormant for years. He suspects one of the leaders of the rebellion is working with the Empire, but he has no proof.
༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛
I jog towards Lilja after my conversation with Ari, having missed joining her at dinner. The thoughts that trail after me like a clinging shadow demand my attention. Questions claw and needle into me but I ignore them all for now, knowing there'll be no answers to my burning curiosities.
Lilja's long, chestnut locks draw me to her amongst the other students that mill about in the corridors, moving to their rooms.
"Lilja," I call out as the girl charges ahead, heedless of the students around us. I move to her side and peer at her face. "Sorry I missed dinner."
Lilja glances at me with her lips pressed into a thin line, and the gauntness within her eyes makes my pulse jump.
"Are you alright?"
"I..." Lilja's words falter and her hand darts out, gripping the railing that overlooks the floor below us. Lilja's eyes glisten with the light that flickers from the sconces over my shoulder, reflecting the tears that shine within them.
"Tell me what happened," I demand, taking a step towards her.
"It was Palmira," she says, her lower lip trembling as her fingers tighten on the oak. "She asked me where Suri was and I told her she was still sick in our room." Lilja's gaze meets mine and something cracks a little inside me to see the usually stoic girl so undone and distraught. "She told me that if Suri doesn't make it to training tomorrow then she..." Lilja squeezes her eyes shut, tears wetting her cheeks. "Then she's going to kick Suri out of the Order."
"Gods," I breathe, pressing a hand to my stomach as I feel a heavy knot form there. "Vera wasn't kidding."
"I don't know what to do." Lilja leans against the balustrade with slumped shoulders and shaking knees. "I don't know how to change Palmira's mind."
My teeth grind together as my eyes scour the brick, glass, and wood around us, trying to find the answers in the structure. But as usual, they don't come. "Let's go check on Suri," I say, knowing nothing else to do right now.
Lilja nods, her gaze lowered to the floor. The only thing that could possibly defeat such a fierce girl would be if her sister is taken away from her. I can't let that happen, damn whoever tries, even if that person is Palmira.
