Let the Storm Break

CHAPTER 31 VANE

I know I’m new to this Windwalker stuff—but one of the few things I was pretty sure I had figured out was that bonds are permanent.

I thought that was why Audra spent so much time ruining my dates and turning me into a huge joke at school—and why it took so freaking long to convince her to finally kiss me.

And yet, Audra doesn’t seem nearly as surprised by this revelation as I am. If anything she looks . . . worried.

“Is that true?” I whisper, giving her the cue to tell me it’s a mistake.

The fact that she won’t look at me says it all.

I sink to the edge of my bed, my head spinning too much to stay standing. “You told me bonds couldn’t be broken!”

“I thought they couldn’t,” she admits. “But Aston said—”

“Wait, you saw Aston?” Os interrupts. “He’s alive?”

She nods.

Os gazes into space for a second—then reels on Gus. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I guess I forgot. A lot happened yesterday.”

“Yes . . . I suppose it did.” Os sighs and turns back to Audra. “When did you see him?”

“About two days ago.”

Os steps closer, grabbing Audra’s wrist. “Can you take me there?”

She pulls her hand free and sits next to me on the bed. I can’t help noticing how high my shirt creeps up her thigh, but the mood is kind of killed when she whispers, “He’s not the Gale you remember, Os. Raiden tortured and twisted him into someone incredibly unstable—and incredibly powerful. He conquered me without ever having to step out of the shadows of his cave, and if he hadn’t chosen to let me go, I would still be his captive.”

“But he did let you go, didn’t he?” Os asks.

“He did,” she admits. “And I’m still not sure why.”

She stares at a faint blister on her wrist, and I don’t think I want to know how she got it. If he hurt her I’ll—

“We need to find him,” Os says.

Audra shakes her head. “He told me he would kill anyone who comes near his hideout—and believe me, he’s capable.”

“All the more reason why we need to get him back on our side.”

“Okay, can we back up a second?” I interrupt. “We can deal with psycho cave boy after you explain what the crap you mean about bonds being broken.”

“Actually, we should be planning for Raiden’s attack,” Os corrects.

He’s right—we should. But he can’t just drop that kind of bombshell and not explain. “We’ll plan in a minute.”

“I thought it was pretty self-explanatory,” Os says after glaring at me for a few seconds. “Bonds can be broken. Simple as that.”

“But . . . how?” Gus asks, and I’m glad to see that he and Solana look as confused as me.

Meanwhile, Audra’s staring sadly at the floor. . . .

“What do you know?” I whisper.

She steals a glance at Os before she turns to me. “Aston told me that anything can be broken if you’re willing to harness the power of pain.”

My mouth goes dry. “Pain?”

“I’m sure the process is rather unpleasant, yes,” Os agrees.

“Well then, fun as that sounds, I’ll pass.”

A sad smile peeks from the corners of Os’s mouth. “I never said it would be your choice, Vane. We let you believe we were canceling your betrothal because we thought it would make you less resistant to Solana, and that once you got to know her you’d change your mind. But just because that didn’t work doesn’t mean we’re changing our plans. You may be king, but your opinion isn’t the only one that matters—not when it comes to what’s best for our people. And it’s better for everyone if you’re with Solana.”

“So . . . what? You’re going to chain me up and torture my bond out of me?” I feel dizzy just saying it—and he can bet I’ll go all power of four on him if he tries.

Os looks away. “If you leave us no other choice.”

“Whoa,” Gus breathes.

“Is there a problem, Guardian Gusty?” Os asks.

Gus swallows, looking like he wishes he hadn’t said that out loud. “That just sounds . . . kind of cruel, sir.”

“Cruel?”

“Yeah. Torturing two of our own because they fell in love sounds more like something Raiden would do.”

“The pain only lasts a few minutes.”

I snort. “Right—because that makes it better.”

Os ignores me. “Have you ever broken a bone, Gus?”

Gus nods. “My left ankle, when I was first learning to windwalk.”

“Ah, yes, I remember. That was quite a fall. And tell me this, did it hurt when they set the bone?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And yet, it made your ankle heal properly, didn’t it? Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to walk now, right?”

“Yes, but”—Gus shifts his weight—“that’s not the same as what you’re saying.”

“But it is, Gus. Sometimes pain is necessary to fix a problem that cannot otherwise be corrected. It’s unpleasant and unfortunate, but then it’s over and everything is set right.”

“Do you hear yourself?” I shout. “I bet that’s the kind of crap Raiden spews out to his Stormers to try to justify the evil things he does.”

Os stalks toward me. “Raiden cares only for his own selfish needs. I am thinking about the good of our people. Trying to bring together the shattered pieces of our world.”

“And who put you in charge?”

“Nobody.” He steps back, clutching his blue guardian pendant. “This matter will be brought to the full force of the Gales, and they will decide. I’ll simply be one vote. However, they’re a very reasonable group of soldiers. I have no doubt they’ll decide what will benefit everyone.”

“Everyone except me and Audra.’ ”

“With time you’ll see that isn’t the case. You two were not meant to be.”

“Can I say something?” Solana asks, her voice shaking as much as her legs as she steps forward. “I don’t want to bond with someone who’s being forced to do it. If Vane loved me”—she clears her throat—“or if there were a way to keep my family’s heritage without us having to be together, well . . . that would be different. But if Vane really needs to be the king and I’m not who he wants to be with, then . . . I guess that’s how it has to be.”

Her eyes dart to mine, so sad and broken that a part of me can’t help wishing I could love her.

But I just can’t feel that way. Not when I know what real love feels like.

“Another young person thinking they have a choice in all this,” Os says through a sigh. “Though I notice you’re being awfully quiet, Audra. Feeling guilty now that you’re seeing the consequences of your selfish actions?”

“Actually, I’m trying to figure out how you know about the power of pain. Aston gave me the impression it was one of Raiden’s tricks, and not something the Gales knew anything about.”

Os steps closer, pointing to the scar under his eye. “It’s no secret that I know Raiden better than others. Back when we were friends, he used to share some of his theories with me—it was partly how I knew to distance myself from him. And when he started attacking us with shattered winds, I knew it meant he’d proven at least one of his theories correct.”

“And now you want to use it—knowing it’s one of his tricks?” Audra asks, standing up to face him. “Don’t you realize how it will affect you?”

“Affect me?”

She steps closer. “Aston told me the power corrupts anyone who uses it. It becomes an addiction you can’t cure, can’t fight, can’t satisfy except to break and destroy more—and after seeing how he behaved, I believe him.”

“Sounds like someone with a guilty conscience trying to blame his wickedness on another.”

“Or perhaps you’re just tempted by a greater power than you understand.”

“Watch yourself,” Os says, his scar twisting with his scowl so it looks more like an X. “Given your recent crimes, you would do well to be as polite and obedient as possible.”

“Why?” I ask, stepping between them. “You already threatened to break our bond—what’s next? Lock us underground in your Maelstrom?”

The word makes Os freeze, and for a second his mouth just hangs there, begging for a fly to zip in.

I’m just as stunned when I realize the mess I’ve walked into.

I turn to Audra, feeling my heart sink when I see the horror in her eyes.

“Do you mean the Maelstrom in Death Valley?” she asks me.

“No,” I say, trying to choose my answer carefully. “Os built one in Desert Center.”

I don’t mention who he’s keeping there, hoping she won’t guess. But her whole body starts shaking.

“You built a Maelstrom?” she asks Os, leaning on me to stay standing.

“I had no choice!”

“Wait, when you say Maelstrom . . . ,” Gus starts, but his voice trails off when I nod. “Whoa.”

“Yeah.” I pull Audra closer, silently begging everyone to drop this. Now is not the time to give Audra anything else to worry about.

But Audra isn’t letting it go.

“How could you?” she yells at Os. “How could you do that to the wind? To innocent people?”

“Who said anything about innocent?” he snaps. “The only person trapped in my Maelstrom is a violent murderer who used her gift to nearly escape—twice—from our regular prison.”

Audra sucks in a breath, and I tighten my arms around her, wanting to hold her steady as she puts the pieces together.

She pulls away from me, stumbling to my window and staring blankly outside.

I should’ve found a way to tell her before this.

She should’ve heard it from me.

But even now, I have no idea how to say it.

“What prisoner is he talking about?” Solana asks when no one says anything.

I open my mouth, trying to force out the words. But I can see in Audra’s eyes that she already knows.

She reaches out her hand, letting a small mockingbird land on her finger as she whispers, “My mother.”