I’ve never seen her look so tired as she nods and says, “And I’m assuming you can’t come with us?”
“No, they’ll need me here.” He pulls me closer so he can whisper in my ear. “But I want you to go with them.”
“I’m staying with you.”
“You could keep them safe for me—and then I wouldn’t have to worry about you.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“I’ll go with them,” Solana offers. “I’ll do whatever you need.”
I don’t know which I hate more, how grateful Vane looks or how bad I feel for not being the one who made him look that way.
But Gus steps forward before Vane can agree. “If we’re taking on twenty-nine Living Storms, we’re going to need every soldier we can get. I know you want to protect your parents, Vane. Believe me, I understand. But I don’t think we can afford to spare anyone this time.”
“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Vane’s dad jumps in. “I’m getting good at outrunning storms. Haven’t gotten a speeding ticket yet!”
Vane looks torn as he turns to his mom, who’s twisting her hands so tightly her fingers are turning white “Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”
“I’m not worried about us, Vane.” She glances at me. “You’ll take care of him for me?”
The question feels like a calming breeze.
She could’ve made that request to anyone in the room. But she asked me.
“I’ve been protecting him for ten years,” I tell her. “Nothing’s going to happen.”
Vane tightens his hold on me.
Solana looks away.
“I guess I should go make some coffee for the drive, then,”Vane’s mom says quietly, taking one last look at her son before she rushes out of the room.
Vane’s dad forces a smile. “At least I like road trips. Maybe we’ll do the Grand Canyon this time.”
“No—go south,” Vane tells him. “Last we knew, Raiden was in Death Valley.”
His dad’s smile fades. “Okay. Well, then—Mexico it is. A margarita sounds pretty good right now, actually. Extra heavy on the tequila.”
Vane sighs. “Sorry this keeps happening.”
“Hey, we knew adopting a son was going to be an adventure. I didn’t expect wind warriors, but . . .” He runs a hand over his shiny head. “You’ll really be okay? That bruise . . .”
“I’ll be fine.”
Vane probably sounds less confident than his dad would like, but his dad leaves it at that, turning instead toward me.
Then away.
Then back again.
He finally steps forward, offering his hand. “I guess I should, um . . . offer my congratulations.”
“Ugh, you guys are so embarrassing,” Vane whines as my cheeks burn.
Part of me wishes I could bury my face against Vane’s chest and hide. But I force myself to lean forward and shake his dad’s hand. “Thank you.”
He nods, his eyes slightly glassy as he clears his throat again and says he’s going to go pack.
“I take it this means you told them?” Gus asks when he’s gone.
“Yeah, it sorta came up.” Vane glances at Solana, then away. “I’ll tell Os when this is over.”
“Tell me what?” Os asks, making everyone jump as he stalks into the room.
I’ve seen the captain of the Gales only once, standing outside my mother’s house as I swore my oath as a guardian. At the time he’d looked equal parts proud and nervous—the way they all did as they put their most important assignment in the hands of a thirteenyear-old.
Now the scar under his eye is twisted with anger as I try to scramble out of Vane’s lap.
Vane holds me in place, whispering, “He’s already seen.”
“What madness is this?” Os demands. “What are you—”
“Raiden’s coming,” Vane interrupts.
Os’s eyes widen and he turn toward the window, staring at the calm sky. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
He mutters a curse under his breath and pulls his hands through the loose hair around his braid. “So what are we facing?”
“Did Gus update you on everything that happened yesterday?” Vane asks him.
“Almost everything. He failed to mention that our deserting guardian had returned—I take it you weren’t able to track down the third Stormer?” he asks me.
“Really, that’s what you want to focus on?” Vane snaps before I can ask what that means. “Raiden’s coming to destroy us and you want to talk about Audra?”
“The biggest mistake any leader can make is keeping a traitor in his midst.”
Vane slides me to the side and stands. “You’re seriously calling her a traitor?”
I know I should stand too—say something in my defense—but my heart is pounding too hard and my head is spinning too fast and all I can do is stare at the floor and tuck my stupid bare legs underneath me.
Os stalks closer. “Did she or did she not abandon her duties as a guardian—break her oath—”
“Audra didn’t abandon anything,” Vane interrupts. “She took a few weeks to clear her head—and after everything she’s done for us and everything she’d been through, she deserved it.”