Page 106 of In Violent Waves

Lyra felt a burning in her eyes and a tightness in her chest. They cared about her.

“I just didn’t know. And my power. Well, you should know something about it.”

Maelys cocked her head to the side. “Okay …”

“It will make me a monster. It will corrupt me, and I know, I know all magic does that, but there was a prophecy about mine.”

“I need to tell you something. And I need you to promise me you’ll listen.”

Lyra turned and looked at Maelys, really looked at her. She sucked her lower lip into her mouth, and her eyes narrowed with an unbearable intensity.

“I’m listening.”

“The fear of your power … it was fabricated. By your father and a sea witch.”

Lyra’s eyes slid closed as Maelys’ words wrapped around her and squeezed.

“Otto saw it all. So you don’t have to be afraid. If we can teach you to control it, you’ll be fine. You won’t lose?—”

“No.”

Maelys flinched at the command in Lyra’s voice. She hadn’t even used her power, and it still made Maelys flinch.

Which is why Lyra would never use it ever again. It wasn’t just the power that frightened Lyra, but what would happen when she used it.

She was a murderer.

Even if her father and the sea witch had fabricated the prophecy, it wouldn’t have mattered. There were countless stories of creatures abusing their power and becoming nightmares. Even just now, Maelys, who had been consoling her, flinched in fear at her loud tone.

“Lyra …” Maelys began. “Think of the good you could do. You could not only restore balance, but also think about what you could do when you returned home. A lot more?—”

“No,” Lyra said again, quieter this time. “No one should have that power. Especially not me.”

But Maelys’ words sank into her heart. When she returned home, would she have it in her to bring about change? She shoved that thought away.

She knew she wasn’t strong enough. And even if she became strong enough—she had to fulfill her bargain first.

Maelys stroked a thumb over Lyra’s knuckles. “I won’t press you again.”

Lyra’s breath caught in the back of her throat.

“I’m sorry,” Maelys muttered. “I don’t know what it’s like.”

Lyra’s chest felt light, her breath coming easier.

“Thank you.” She had expected no one to understand. Even her father had tried to carve the power out of her when she made it apparent she would never use it.

Her door banged open, and Wilder strode through.

“You’re awake.”

Lyra studied him. He seemed sobered at least, but his hair stuck up between the brambles of briars as if he had been tugging on it. His eyes lightened and then darkened under her gaze.

“I am.”

Maelys looked between them both but didn’t contribute.

“Oh, goodie, the door is already open—” Daisy came waltzing in, almost running into Wilder with a tray of food. She sidestepped him and closed her mouth.