than a statement. “You are under my protection.” He slowly turned around to face me, a giant glowing tear now falling down his face. “You are like a daughter to me.”
I took his large hand in mine and said, “I will try to find a way.”
“What do you think I have spent all this time doing? Why do you think I sent you to Alister after I was put into the Inferno? To help guide you in the right direction. It’s impossible. Without Iliana’s guidance, you cannot break the bond.” The defeat in his voice sliced through me.
“We must have missed something. We will go back…tomorrow…maybe you missed something,” Fenn said fiercely, his grip holding tightly around the hem of my shirt.
Astral snorted. “Go ahead and try. Zordon has Iliana and Na’shir. If he convinces Na’shir to join him…well…”
My eyes dropped to my feet. “I don’t understand. If Iliana knows how we can undo this, then why hasn’t she told us? Why would she let us go through this?” I asked, feeling sick.
Astral leveled his gaze. “There are rules, Aurora. Rules that even The Fates cannot escape. Why do you think they sit back and let such things happen?”
“What do you mean?” Fenn asked.
“Every time they meddle, they lose a little of their power. They cannot interfere in the decisions of mortals. Every time Iliana helped Aurora, she grew weaker.”
But Saeth and Zordon? It took me a second to put it together. “Zordon isn’t a mortal. Saeth did what Gidius did not. He created an immortal, someone he could interfere with. Someone he could use to end the age of The Fates, leaving him as the only god. Zordon was intended to be a pawn…just like me…only he figured it out and took out his revenge on his father instead.”
Astral slouched over even further.
“Just give us a day. If we don’t find a solution, we’ll work on another plan. Okay?” Fenn used his most persuasive voice.
Astral nodded blindly, slumping off toward his room. He didn’t try to fight us or help us.
“This is getting worse by the second,” I said as soon as he was gone. “What do we need a day for when there really isn’t anything to plan? There is no way we can go to the Hall, not with Zordon in charge. The only answer lies with Iliana…and she can’t be summoned.”
“We have to stay positive, Rory. I’m sure Iliana will help. I know she will.”
“Aurora,” Kaede called from the door of the advisory room. Had he been listening that whole time? As we walked back down the hall to him, he stepped aside to let us through. “I may have a solution for you in the meantime…if you are up for it,” he said as we quietly found a seat near Zane and Lexi.
“At this point, I’m up for anything that will send us in the right direction.” I decided not to mention how lost I felt.
“In two days time, we are going ahead with the attack on Pyre Island. The only thing is,” he paused, “we need more allies. We need you to go to your grandparents at the Nymph Lyceum and ensure that the Nymphs will join us. The more we have in this battle, the better our chances, and I believe that if they see you, you will instill the same hope we now feel.”
He watched me closely, waiting for my reaction.
“Of course,” I agreed, wondering if he really meant what he said after everything I heard him say this morning.
“I have something to add,” Soothe said from his lazy perch against the wall. He leaned in and set his tea down, then flashed a fake grin in Kaede’s direction.
Kaede rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Enlighten me,” I said sarcastically.
His face turned serious. “While you are there, you will need to speak with their Seer.”
“Why?” I asked.
He shook his head and made a clicking noise with his tongue, advising me to go no further. I huffed.
“Then it is settled. You will leave at dusk,” Kaede informed, standing to signal the end of the meeting.
“At dusk,” I said with a nod, and then walked past him
I took his large hand in mine and said, “I will try to find a way.”
“What do you think I have spent all this time doing? Why do you think I sent you to Alister after I was put into the Inferno? To help guide you in the right direction. It’s impossible. Without Iliana’s guidance, you cannot break the bond.” The defeat in his voice sliced through me.
“We must have missed something. We will go back…tomorrow…maybe you missed something,” Fenn said fiercely, his grip holding tightly around the hem of my shirt.
Astral snorted. “Go ahead and try. Zordon has Iliana and Na’shir. If he convinces Na’shir to join him…well…”
My eyes dropped to my feet. “I don’t understand. If Iliana knows how we can undo this, then why hasn’t she told us? Why would she let us go through this?” I asked, feeling sick.
Astral leveled his gaze. “There are rules, Aurora. Rules that even The Fates cannot escape. Why do you think they sit back and let such things happen?”
“What do you mean?” Fenn asked.
“Every time they meddle, they lose a little of their power. They cannot interfere in the decisions of mortals. Every time Iliana helped Aurora, she grew weaker.”
But Saeth and Zordon? It took me a second to put it together. “Zordon isn’t a mortal. Saeth did what Gidius did not. He created an immortal, someone he could interfere with. Someone he could use to end the age of The Fates, leaving him as the only god. Zordon was intended to be a pawn…just like me…only he figured it out and took out his revenge on his father instead.”
Astral slouched over even further.
“Just give us a day. If we don’t find a solution, we’ll work on another plan. Okay?” Fenn used his most persuasive voice.
Astral nodded blindly, slumping off toward his room. He didn’t try to fight us or help us.
“This is getting worse by the second,” I said as soon as he was gone. “What do we need a day for when there really isn’t anything to plan? There is no way we can go to the Hall, not with Zordon in charge. The only answer lies with Iliana…and she can’t be summoned.”
“We have to stay positive, Rory. I’m sure Iliana will help. I know she will.”
“Aurora,” Kaede called from the door of the advisory room. Had he been listening that whole time? As we walked back down the hall to him, he stepped aside to let us through. “I may have a solution for you in the meantime…if you are up for it,” he said as we quietly found a seat near Zane and Lexi.
“At this point, I’m up for anything that will send us in the right direction.” I decided not to mention how lost I felt.
“In two days time, we are going ahead with the attack on Pyre Island. The only thing is,” he paused, “we need more allies. We need you to go to your grandparents at the Nymph Lyceum and ensure that the Nymphs will join us. The more we have in this battle, the better our chances, and I believe that if they see you, you will instill the same hope we now feel.”
He watched me closely, waiting for my reaction.
“Of course,” I agreed, wondering if he really meant what he said after everything I heard him say this morning.
“I have something to add,” Soothe said from his lazy perch against the wall. He leaned in and set his tea down, then flashed a fake grin in Kaede’s direction.
Kaede rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Enlighten me,” I said sarcastically.
His face turned serious. “While you are there, you will need to speak with their Seer.”
“Why?” I asked.
He shook his head and made a clicking noise with his tongue, advising me to go no further. I huffed.
“Then it is settled. You will leave at dusk,” Kaede informed, standing to signal the end of the meeting.
“At dusk,” I said with a nod, and then walked past him
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