Wings of Arian by Devri Walls Page A

through,” she shouted at him. “I can’t…” Clamping her mouth shut she dropped her head back onto her knees. Her tear streaked face was illuminated by the moonlight. Emane’s mouth was suddenly dry and his palms sweaty— Kiora really was beautiful. Swallowing hard, he looked away.
    He stood up and moved closer to her. “Kiora, you’re right. Sorry is not good enough. But I don’t know what else to do to make it better.” He tentatively reached over and placed his hand on her back. She tensed underneath his touch, but did not move away. He swallowed again closing his eyes. He wanted to pull her into his arms, it was foolish. “Kiora, I’m not very good at apologizing.”
    She turned her head up, “You don’t say.”
    Turning his head to the side he nearly smiled at her bluntness. Tentatively he reached out with a finger, brushing a tear off her check. Her beautiful green eyes widened before quickly turning her head away. He cursed himself for his stupidity and waited for her to jerk away from him again, but she didn’t.
    “I’m scared, Emane.”
    He knew he should move his hand, but instead he wrapped it around her shoulder pulling her closer. “What are you scared about?”
    “You saw what I did today,” she paused and then dryly added, “obviously.”
    “It was just an accident, Kiora.”
    She shook his arm off her shoulder, standing. “It was an accident? What if it would have been you, Emane, instead of Leo that was outside that tent? Would you be so apologetic if it would have been you I blasted into a tree?!” Kiora’s voice was getting louder. “I could have killed someone, Emane. I got lucky that it was a Guardian. How am I supposed to deal with the fact that if I think the wrong thing at the wrong time, I’m going to blow somebody up!” She broke down again covering her face with her hands.
    Emane stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. “I don’t,” he dropped his head, shuffling his feet in dirt. “I’m sorry, I wish..”
    She moaned. Stepping into him she shoved her face into his chest. Startled, he looked down at her before slowly wrapping his arms around her. Standing there in the dark he didn’t say anything, he just let her cry. Her sobs began to slow after a couple of minutes and she leaned back to wipe her eyes.
    “Kiora...” before he could finish his sentence she gasped and stumbled backwards.
    “It’s… happening… again…,” she said between gasps of air.
    “What’s happening?”
    Kiora’s eyes were blank and distant. “Kiora.” Emane grabbed her by the shoulders. “What’s happening?” Her legs gave out and she crumbled like a rag doll, her eyes rolling back in her head. Dropping with her, Emane put his arm under her head to prevent her from slamming into the ground.
    “ALERIC!” Emane screamed. “Aleric, Eleana, Arturo.... somebody help me!” Turning back to Kiora, he ran his hand over her hair. “It’s going to be alright Kiora.”
    Kiora didn’t hear any of it. She was already deep within her vision.
    ***
    She hadn’t had time to prepare herself for it when she felt herself falling again into the blackness. The first part was the worst, sucking blackness pulling her backward into her own mind.
    When the light returned she found herself in an unknown place, so much different than the lush green forests she was used to. She slowly turned around, surveying the dismal landscape. Everything around her was charred and black. It looked as if a fire had ripped through the trees breaking them off, leaving only their blackened stumps standing like little forlorn footmen guarding the lake before her.
    The small lake was inexplicably boiling with steam rising from its surface. The smell was overwhelming, reeking of sulfur and she crinkled her nose in response. This land was so desolate. The only color that caught her eye was a plume of purple smoke.
    It looked almost alive the way it slinked and slithered its way from the sky to the earth, sliding across