Page 136 of Moonlit Fate

34

ATTICUS

“Easy,” I said. “Focus on my voice.”

The wind howled around us, branches snapping like brittle bones. The ground beneath our feet trembled, mirroring the disquiet that came to me through our bond.

“Atticus… I can’t…” Her words were almost lost in the roar of the elements.

“Look at me!” I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look me in the eye. “You’re stronger than this.”

Her eyes, wild with fear and power, finally locked onto mine. “How do I stop it?”

“Watch out!” I shouted as a tree groaned, tearing from its roots and falling where we’d stood seconds ago.

“I don’t know how to stop this!” Aria yelled over the roar, her hands outstretched as if to hold back the onslaught.

“Stay with me. Breathe.” I grabbed her hand, the vibrations of her power pulsing against my skin.

Another bolt of lightning split a nearby tree, its bright flash illuminating the terror on her face. The river churned wildly, awaterspout reaching up to the gray sky, fish and frogs suspended alongside rocks and various plants in mid-air.

“Everything’s out of control,” she cried.

“Not everything,” I said, squeezing her hand tighter. “I’m still here, aren’t I? I’m with you.”

A gust whipped around us, almost tearing her away, but I held on, planting my feet firmly into the dry riverbed. Twigs and leaves battered my face, but I didn’t so much as flinch.

“Find a calm spot inside you,” I instructed, aware of the irony as debris whirled around us like a mad carousel. “Use it as an anchor.”

Nodding, she closed her eyes. The havoc around us seemed to hesitate, waiting for her command.

“What can you feel? What is real?” I urged her, trying to pull her back from the brink.

Her grip on my arms was so tight that her nails left half-moon indentations in my skin.

Through her tears, she choked out, “You. Your shirt.”

“Good, that’s good, Aria,” I said as that raw energy began to ebb. “What can you hear?” I couldn’t decide whether I was terrified or in awe of the intense power radiating from her.

“Your voice,” she said, and the wind died down in response.

“You can do it, Aria. What can you smell?” Her nose wrinkled as she inhaled, scenting the air.

“Stop!” Her voice cracked like thunder as her eyes snapped open. The wild energy retreated completely as quickly as it had exploded. The forest fell silent except for the sound of settling debris.

Heart hammering, I glanced around at the toppled trees and scattered river life gasping on the barren riverbed. “You stopped it. You did it.”

She swayed on her feet, her gaze locked on the wreckage. “What have I done?” Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, her hands digging into the dirt.

“It’s all right.” I crouched beside her, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through me. “This isn’t on you.”

“How can you say that? I destroyed everything.”

I placed my hand on her shoulder. “It’s just a bit of a mess. It doesn’t mean anything. You’re learning. That’s what matters.”

“Learning?” She looked around the decimated forest, tears streaming down her face. “At what cost?”

“Without control, power can be destructive,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my own past. “But fear isn’t the answer. Harnessing this strength inside you is.”

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