Page 66 of Spirit Storm

Right now, I’m just going to be thankful.

"Okay, rude," Asher announces from somewhere behind me. "I’m feeling very left out of the love here."

Violet holds an arm out without letting go of the rest of us, and Asher wraps around the outside of all three of us. Then, he makes an exaggerated emotional noise that earns him a laugh from Lily.

Which I think was the point.

Mica appears at my elbow. "This is all very sweet, but I'm leaving. Come see me at the forge before you leave."

I nod, and she jogs off toward the forge building without ceremony.

When we break it up, Briar is standing off to the side with her officials. She’s speaking to them in low, clipped tones, and I catch words like matriarch, concessions, and damage control.

Asher catches my eye over Lily's shoulder and tilts his head toward Briar. “I think we caused a stir.”

“What else is new?”

I honestly don’t care. If we’ve upset the balance, so be it. We did what needed to be done to rescue my sister, and I’m not sorry.

I point toward where the roof of the Summoning Hall is barely visible above the trees. “Ash, please take my sisters to Dr. Thorne. He’ll put Violet into the Destiny Sphere, and it’ll track what’s happening with her affinity and what’s changed.”

“Got it. Are you good here?”

Briar seems to be finished speaking with her people and is ready to deal with me.

“I’m good. Violet’s stability is priority one. Take care of her, and we’ll meet up in a bit.”

“Okay. Good luck.”

Lily takes one look at Briar and makes a face. “It’s been nice knowing you, sis.”

I chuckle and wait until they’ve portaled out before I turn and address Briar. Chin high and back straight, I face the music.

The pink streak in her dark hair has come partially loose from wherever it was pinned, and her midnight robes are damp at the hem from the wet ground.

It's the most undone I've ever seen her, and she still manages to look like she's the most composed person on the mountain.

“You’ve caused me a great deal of turmoil, Miss Hallowind.”

“An unintentional by-product of rescuing my sister, I assure you. Bringing Violet back here was my only goal.”

"And how is your sister?" Briar asks.

"Better. I’ve sent her to Dr. Thorne." I pull my hands into my sleeves against the evening chill. "You should know that she burned through the conduit she was given. I calmed her down and, with the help of two more, was able to convince the guardian matriarch to let her go. But one wasn’t strong enough.”

"I’ll let them know. The truth is, the conduit is a relatively new innovation, and not originally designed for her." Something shifts behind her eyes. "We developed it when you first arrived at Arcana.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You came to us with years of built-up power, no safe channel for release… We were concerned. You left before we got a chance to test it, but the design seems to have transferred well enough."

I let that sink in for a second. Somewhere in the background of Briar's preparations for me, she developed that small silver conduit.

Without it, maybe Violet wouldn’t have regained control. Maybe the guardian matriarch wouldn’t have agreed to let her go.

Mom always said, ‘The Goddess works in mysterious ways.’ Well, if my struggles somehow saved my sister and help the others, I’m good with that.

"I hope it helps them," I say. "And, on that note, I wanted you to know I brought the Concordance mirror with me when I arrived earlier. It's hanging in the front room of the little stone castle on the edge of the treeline.”