Page 51 of When Storms Ruin

Isaac raised his hands to the sky and tried to contain the storm I had created, but his face soon crumpled from the strain. I lifted my palms to the sky, my hands feeling as if they were on fire from the amount of energy pulsing within them.

I had to get control of this storm, or it would kill us both.

I pushed to my feet, my palms still facing the sky as I tried to pull the energy back. I needed to be stronger than this storm; I had no other choice. I had no control of this storm—it had taken on a mind of its own. Had I fed too much of my magic into it? Was this the risk?

The storm struck out once more, and this time it hit its mark. I fell to the ground with a cry, clutching my shoulder with my hand. It felt as if a hole of pure energy had burned through my skin, all the way to the bone.

“Diana!” Isaac called out, rushing to my side.

I shook my head at him, speaking through gritted teeth. “We need to get control of this storm.”

There was no way we could heal my shoulder in this melee, the rain still violently pouring down around us, the thunder still booming directly overhead. Lightning struck all around us on the training field.

“My hand. Take my hand, Diana.”

I did as he asked, blood pouring down my arm the moment I removed my own hand from the wound. I joined my hand with his, and with every ounce of energy left in my body, I pulled on the storm.

I pulled and pulled and pulled until I couldn’t bring any more magic in. Until I was full to the brim with the restless energy, my fingertips numb. My vision flickered, darkness descending despite the clouds beginning to dissipate. I was blacking out—from the pain or the magic I wasn’t sure.

The last thing I saw before descending into total darkness was the expression of alarm on Isaac’s face.

It was a look I wouldn’t soon forget.

“Did you know?” Nik seethed.

My eyes were closed, my body hurteverywhere. Where was I?

“Did. You. Know.” Nik spoke each word through clenched teeth.

“Do you think I would have asked her to do that if I had known?” Isaac’s voice sounded terrified. “It’s not as if there are a lot of Stormshades left to turn to. This magic isn’t an exact science, and everyone who knew how to wield it isdead.”

I tried to open my eyes, to speak, but my limbs were too heavy. I was fighting sleep. Had they given me some type of sedative tonic?

“You’re telling me you havenever, in all your years of using storm magic, had a storm turn on you?” Nik’s tone wasglacially cold.

“Never, but I am notnearlyas strong as she is. I could never have created a storm of that magnitude in the first place.” I could hear Isaac run his hand along the scruff on his face, letting out a strangled cry. “I’m sorry.”

“Where is your book of shadows?” Nik asked.

“I never found it,” Isaac answered quietly.

“You’re telling me the only thing we have to rely on is the Kotova grimoire andyou. There are no other resources for storm magic?” Nik spat.

“Not that I am aware of.”

“God dammit, Isaac. I never would have brought her here if I had known this could happen.”

“It’s not as if you had a choice. She is the rightful queen, Nikolai.”

“She won’t be if she ends updeadfrom one of her own Goddamn storms!” Nik replied angrily.

I peeled my eyes open just enough to see Nik running a hand through his mess of blond hair, his eyes red and bloodshot.

“I knew storms could have a mind of their own, but I didn’t know storms could turn. There hasn’t been a Stormshade as powerful as Diana since The War of Siraleth. There is only so much magic one person can wield,” Isaac said, sitting on the bed next to mine, his hands on his knees.

I was in an infirmary of some sort, and they hadn’t yet realized I was awake. I was lying on a white bed in a room filled with them, the fluorescent lights overhead causing my head to throb.

“And that’s it, then? She has too much magic for one person to wield? What the hell is she supposed to do with that? She can’t risk her life every time she generates a storm.” Nik shook his head furiously.

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