They left Abrax only a few hours after Malcolm’s team had returned. With a fresh set of soldiers and a truck full of bombs, the journey was not an easy one. They had left in such a hurry Emryn doubted they were actually ready to confront O’Connor. Everyone always talked about how much of a formidable foe he was and if he lived up to his reputation, this trip was too unplanned.

Emryn watched the horizon from her seat inside the transport. The slight bumps in the path made the vehicle bounce every second. The more time she spent on the road, the more anxious she got. She had never been good at controlling her nerves. The sinking feeling in her gut wouldn’t go away. Looking around, she noticed the others felt the same way. This was going to end terribly.

Simone and Alex were in the front, driving the machine, while Malcolm and Zaiden sat opposite to her, giving her full view of their solemn expressions. She couldn’t tell who looked worse. No one had brought up what happened right before they left.

Zaiden kept his arms close to his core and hardly ever looked up. Arguing with his father had unnerved him more than anyone had initially realized. He drifted in and out of conversations like a ghost.

Malcolm wasn’t much better but Emryn couldn’t pinpoint what was causing his void expression. Part of her wanted his glaring back. It was weird to see him without a sour look painting his face.

Every few minutes, Malcolm’s eyes would dart to the open end of the truck, searching for something. He looked like he’d flinch if anything moved even slightly out of place.

Emryn tried not to let their unease rub off on her. She reminded herself that if something bad happened, she would be strong enough to protect them. All of them.

Shifting her focus away from the men in front of her, Emryn noticed a familiar smell. She had only come across it once before, but it wasn’t easily forgotten.

Rain.

A storm was headed their way. Last time it rained they were under a crumbling roof. Destroyed but still able to shield them from the falling water. Would they be able to drive through a storm?

It was already getting dark out but Zaiden had been clear they wouldn't be making any stops. They had a time crunch.

The rain started off slow but grew heavy as time went on. The clouds overhead were lighting up with lightning and thunder boomed in the distance, causing Emryn’s heart to spike. Malcolm had tried to close the door flap but the howling winds kept blowing it open.

“We need to stop!” Malcolm shouted over the storm. “It’s becoming too hard to see. If we keep going we’re gonna get lost!”

Zaiden clenched his jaw. “We can’t stop now! We’re so close, Malcolm!” The rain water started pouring in from outside the truck, soaking all three of them. Emryn blocked her face with her arm as more water came in.

“Exactly!” Malcolm yelled. “We’re already so close. We can spare an hour or two until the storm passes.”

The cold air and wet clothes made Emryn freeze in her skin. She wanted Zaiden to listen if only so she could get out of the rain.

“O’Connor is probably stopped somewhere waiting out the storm,” Emryn chimed in. “We won't lose them.” Emryn pleaded with her eyes. The cold was at the top of the list of things she couldn’t stand. “Zaiden please,” she breathed.

Zaiden’s eyes were glossed over as he regarded her. His expression softened before he gently nodded. “One hour.”

Malcolm radioed to the other vehicles and soon they all were struggling to make camp. The heavy rain and fierce winds made setting up tents impossible. Not seeing any other solution, Emryn used her ability to create a cave in the slight incline of a hill. It wasn’t much but it would have to do. Her arms started aching again but she pushed the pain down.

Everyone flooded in, some glancing briefly at her. Her power still frightened them, even when she used it to help.

“You should create a dam so water doesn’t flood the area when we sleep,” Zaiden spoke from beside her. Mud was piling up around the large entrance and water was flowing down the hill and into the cave. He was right, the place would flood within the hour if she didn’t block it off. Emryn nodded her head in silent agreement expecting Zaiden to walk off and join the rest of the group but he didn’t. Emryn held her arms around herself and looked to him warily.

“Is there anything else?” she asked, trying to contain her nerves. She wasn’t the biggest fan of rainstorms. They were loud and overwhelming, and Zaiden was only adding on to her nerves.

Zaiden watched the pouring rain with a far off look. Emryn could see the gears turning in his mind. At his sides, his hands were fumbling with his jacket sleeves. Emryn hated how nervous and unsure of himself he was acting lately. Zaiden was supposed to be the one everyone looked to when things went wrong. He was their rock. But right now that rock was crumbling.

“Zaiden.” Their eyes met and she saw something change the second he turned to look at her. He was calmer. More relaxed.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice barely carrying over the thunderous storm and howling winds.

“For what?” Emryn wondered aloud.

Zaiden’s eyes scanned their surroundings quickly before staying on her. He let loose a tight breath. “Can I show you something?” He asked, ignoring her question and holding a hand out towards her. Without hesitation, Emryn interlocked her hand with his and he led her out of the cave. She made sure to create a short wall to block more water from entering before they left. But right now, as Zaiden held her, he had all her attention.

She followed as he led her to a more open area. A jungle of trees surrounded them like a barrier. The flashes of lightning were their only source of light. Emryn was sure Zaiden could feel everytime she flinched from the sound. Every time she did, he squeezed her hand, reassuring her that he was with her.

Once at the center of the small open field, Zaiden spun around so the two were facing each other. Emryn felt her cheeks warm from their close proximity.

“The last time you encountered rain I could tell you weren't able to appreciate it for what it could be. You were too scared of it.” Emryn wanted to argue with him, not liking the idea of someone knowing she was weak. But all thoughts of dispute disappeared once his hand cradled the side of her face. “I wanted to show you that it wasn’t something you should fear.”

So many thoughts were racing through her head, she wasn’t sure she heard him right. “How?” she questioned.

Instead of answering with words, Zaiden’s hand trailed down from her cheek to her hand. He gently unclenched her fist. Movements so effortlessly warm and in control. Slowly, he raised her hand up, hand on her wrist, so that it was in between them.

“Emryn,” he breathed. “You have the power to stop the rain, and if you can stop it, there’s no reason to fear it.” His thumb rubbed circles into her skin. The chills that ran down her spin could have been from either the rain or his touch. When he looked at her, it was like he only saw her. She was hyper aware of everywhere their skin touched. While one hand still held her wrist, the other was lacing his fingers with hers.

Emryn slowly released her power and the gold and blue light wrapped around them like fog. Finally regaining focus, Emryn stopped the droplets of water from hitting them. The small bits of rain looked like they were frozen midair. The bright colors reflecting through the raindrops reminded her of the stars she saw on her first day of freedom. A soft smile made its way onto her mouth. She had never thought her ability could create something so beautiful. A dull ache resonated within her body but the pain was just small enough to be ignored.

A warmth engulfed her as she felt Zaiden rest his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, relishing the moment. The fingers wrapped around her wrist disappeared. Zaiden held her head close, thumb going up and down the side of her jaw.

“Can I kiss you?” Zaiden’s voice was quiet and a little rough as he spoke. Emryn had to ignore the way her heart pounded inside her chest. She didn’t have it in her to formulate words. It took everything to nod her head yes. There was nothing she wanted more in this moment.

The next thing she felt was the soft touch of Zaiden’s lips on hers. Slow and so paper-light, as if waiting for her to pull away or take back her agreement. Grabbing hold of the back of his head, Emryn pulled him slightly closer. She needed him closer. Needed him to know she wasn’t going to back away. She wanted to feel what it was like to have someone. Now when Zaiden kissed her it was more sure and passionate. He needed her just as much as she needed him.

Emryn had never kissed anyone before, but the way Zaiden’s lips coaxed hers, she didn’t think about being naive and inexperienced. She only thought of him. The way he held her like glass. The way he always made her feel safe. And the way her heart would spike whenever he was around. She only thought about him.

His arm went around her waist and pulled her body to his. As his grip tightened, she felt like she had a home. Her hand threaded through his wet hair and he continued to kiss her. When she heard the thunder from the storm, she didn’t care. The storm didn’t scare her. Not while Zaiden held her in his arms. Their wet and cold clothes didn’t take away from the warmth Emryn felt. She could have melted from the way Zaiden was holding her.

When he eventually pulled away, he still stayed close. His brown eyes looked bright as he smiled at her. Emryn swore her heart fluttered.

Zaiden leaned down again to rest his forehead against hers, just like how they were before he had kissed her. “We should head back,” he whispered. “You're going to need to get some rest.” Emryn nodded, still unable to properly formulate words, and followed Zaiden back to camp.

The rain hadn’t let up, and neither had Emryn’s heartbeat. She didn’t want to think too hard about what this meant for her and Zaiden. There were more important things to deal with. As they struggled to make their way between the trees, Emryn had to do most of the maneuvering. With her advanced sight it was easier for her to guide them back.

They had almost made it to the cave when Emryn spotted Malcolm crouched by a tree. For a moment she panicked, thinking that maybe he was hurt, but a quick assessment of his movements told her he was fine. But that only begged the question, what was Malcolm doing?

“I’ll meet you there,” she called to Zaiden, whose expression rapidly morphed into concern. “I’ll be fine. I just want to check on something.”

Zaiden looked like he wanted to argue but held back his disagreement and nodded. “Don’t take too long.”

Once Zaiden was out of sight Emryn headed for Maloclm. He hadn’t heard her approach over the sounds of the storm. Emryn wanted to see what was in front of him. Wanted to know what would have caused him to head out in this weather. As she got closer, she noticed that whatever it was, it was moving. Once at his side, Malcolm finally saw her and he all but flinched at her seemingly sudden appearance.

“Don’t do that,” he reprimanded, holding a hand to his chest. “You could have given me a heart attack.”

“You’re fine,” she said, not paying the glare he shot her much mind. All she cared about was the large creature seated in front of the general. The trees provided a bit of shelter from the rain so Emryn could better make out what was in front of her. Its white and black feathers were soaked and its coal colored eyes watched her. There was something off about its appearance. It was too big and the horns on its head didn’t look natural.

“What is that?” And what is it doing on your lap, she wanted to add.

“A bird,” Malcolm scoffed, ice in his tone. He was awfully annoyed. But then again, when wasn’t he?

“I’ve seen birds before,” she started, “and they don’t look like that.”

“That’s offly rude of you to say, Emryn. You shouldn’t go around judging people based on their appearance.” She couldn’t tell if he was teasing her or scrutinizing her.

“You know what I mean,” she grumbled. “What’s wrong with it?”

Malcolm didn’t answer at first, petting the thing’s feathers instead. Surprisingly, the bird didn’t cower away. It welcomed Malcolm’s touch.

“How are you doing that?” Emryn wondered.

Malcolm looked over his shoulder and into her eyes, contemplating something. “I have a way with animals. Unlike people, they seem to like me.” That could have been a joke but since it was Malcolm, Emryn decided he was sulking.

“People like you,” she reassured. Malcolm gave her a quizzical look and turned back towards the bird. Emryn had seen people comfort each other, mainly Alex and Simone, but she was really bad at it herself. He was clearly still bothered. Not knowing what else to do, Emryn walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He went tense under her. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do, but he didn’t tell her to stop or move away—he continued as if nothing was happening.

“Is that your way of saying you don’t hate me?” Malcolm asked after relaxing into her embrace. His hands were combing through the bird's feathers, slower this time.

Hate? No, she didn’t hate him. Annoyed by his presence? Sometimes. But only because she thought he would try to kill her.

“I don’t hate you,” she whispered. It was the other way around. Malcolm was the one that didn’t like her.

“Well that’s good to know,” he hummed. “Least now I know I’m not on your hit list.”

Emryn glared. She didn’t have a hit list. There were just a few people she wouldn’t mind dying. If anything, Maloclm was the one with a hit list.

“If there was anyone here who hated someone it’d be you,” she argued, removing her arms from his shoulders. “You’ve wanted me gone since I got here.”

“I don’t hate you,” he scoffed.

“Well I don’t hate you either,” she bellowed. Their eyes met in some form of understanding. They may not be good at being friends with each other but there wasn’t hate between them.

“Okay,” he stated, turning back to the bird again.

“Okay,” she mocked, crossing her arms. That was all he had to say to her? After months of dodging each other in the halls and exchanging glares, this was all he had to say for himself?

“Do you have to act like a child?” Malcolm criticized.

“I’m not a child,” Emryn seethed. Malcolm always had a way of getting under her skin. This could have been a civilized conversation but he just had to insult her.

“I’m not saying you’re a child, I’m saying you act like one.” Emryn hit his back, making him fall forward for half a second before he caught himself.

“Well I’m sorry I wasn’t raised right–if you can even call it that. I didn’t have parents to tell me what not to do. I wasn’t around a lot of people, okay? I can’t read social cues that well. I couldn’t even read that well. So I’m sorry if I sometimes act weird or if I don’t fit into your idea of how a person my age should be!” She needed to stop. If she kept rambling she would start crying. She had kept everything bottled up for too long. Malcolm wasn’t someone she wanted to cry in front of again. She’d show him she wasn’t a child.

The general stopped moving. He didn’t turn to look at her, giving her a bit of time to compose herself. Emryn calmed her breathing. She didn’t want to see the face he must be making. Revealing her faults wasn’t something she had meant to do. Not wanting to be around him anymore, Emryn turned to walk away.

“I’m sorry,” Malcolm whispered, stopping her in her tracks. His eyes met her miss-matched ones. Rain was dripping through his blonde hair and down his face. “I shouldn't have said that,” he continued. “You’re not a child. I know that.” His voice carried over the rain. “I was in no place to judge you, for anything. Especially not when I was in a similar boat.”

Emryn kneaded her brows. “What do you mean?”

“I was like you. Almost seven years ago, I came to Abrax. Lost and alone, I was an outsider, just like you. I had to make my place there, so I became a soldier and climbed the ranks. I know that finding where you fit in isn’t as easy as it sounds, and I should have helped you instead of making things worse. So, I’m sorry. When it comes to the people I care about, I don’t think rationally and I get protective.” Malcolm paused. He closed his eyes briefly and then looked at her again. “But now you’re included in that and I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Emryn froze. Not only was Malcolm apologizing, he admitted he cared about her. She felt lighter as she looked at him, really looked at him. It was a lot to take in. There were already a million questions going through her mind. Where was he before? How and why had he gone to Abrax? Did he have a family or was he orphaned like her?

Thunder cracked in the sky, making her jump.

She’d have to ask these questions another time. Malcolm was looking at her, waiting for a response. She could tell he felt guilty but what he said hadn’t been what led to her explosion, just what set it off. It wasn’t fair to make him feel guilty about it.

The bird crowded next to Malcolm’s feet but he only spared it a glance before looking at Emryn again.

“It’s fine. I don’t blame you for anything. I’m sorry I went off on you.” Malcolm blinked a few times. What she said was unexpected.

“I’m still sorry.”

“And it’s still fine,” Emryn added. It could have been the light but she swore the corners of his mouth lifted. “We should head back. We have less than an hour before we’re on the road again.”

Malcolm finally looked at the bird that was chirping next to him. “You go ahead,” he voiced. “I just need to take care of this guy and then I’ll head back.”Emryn nodded and left Malcolm with the strange creature.

As she made it back to the cave and took a spot next to Simone, her mind went over the events of the night. When she thought about the kiss her and Zaiden had shared, her fingers gently brushed her lips. She smiled to herself. Then she recalled her conversation with Malcolm. They had finally made some progress. She no longer dreaded the thought of being alone with him. All of the events of the night had been odd but much needed. When she eventually fell asleep, it could have been the best sleep she had ever gotten.