Hundreds of years ago, Earth fell apart, leaving only the utmost privileged to start anew on the already-inhabited planet Selino. But internal conflict may drive this second world to crumble as well... unless eight teenagers can find the magical, my...
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Cybele had many regrets. She was still struggling to determine whether this was one of them.
This, of course,being an impossible expedition surrounded by an exhausted, hungry, sopping wet group of patrias who had varying levels of desire to kill her. The only thing that allowed Cybele to briefly ignore this unsettling thought was the fact that she was similarly exhausted, hungry, and sopping wet.
The anguis — Jared, Cybele remembered; she'd taken care to memorize everyone's names — seemed to be the only remotely energetic one left, which both alarmed and impressed her. It was only reminders of the ever-dwindling supply of rat jerky that seemed to dampen his spirits.
Curiously enough, he also seemed to be the only one who didn't actively detest Cybele's own presence, even more than Aidyn — she knew he was only keeping her just close enough to monitor. But Jared kept sending her earnestly inquisitive glances, as though he desperately wanted to talk to her but was worried of losing favor with the others. Which stung more than she wanted to admit, even if she certainly didn't blame him.
She didn't blame any of them.
Which was why she plodded on step after step without complaint, source close in her pocket as her limp curls of soaked hair dripped and her head pounded. She'd gone through so much for this, the idea of the sources, the foolish hope that she might help rally against her own kind, and yet it was still nowhere near enough. What little she'd suffered in her life was hardly suffering considering what the patrias endured every day.
Worth it, she knew. It was all worth it. Abandoning the shelter of her father's reputation. Risking her life to stay with Aidyn's friends. Leaving Will Fen behind.
She almost, almost managed to convince herself of that last one.
Biting the inside of her cheek, she reached a hand into her pocket, brushing the rana source. Even now a shiver jumped through her body at the contact, a reminder of the power it held. A reminder of how it had affected Will, when she'd been in its proximity.
Will. Pulse throbbing, Cybele shakily forced herself to pull away from the source. It felt nonsensically like the only thing she had left of her. The girl she'd so carelessly, foolishly abandoned — and so soon after the kiss, no less.
The kiss. Cybele's throat tightened. She remembered it in full detail, how it felt, the scent of Will's hair, Will's startled expression. She wanted to say she'd had no choice: Cynth would have known; it was the only way to save Will's life. But just like her younger self, trying futilely to believe that she was a human, she hated the species, she hated them, she knew deep in her bones that it was a lie. Yes, it had saved Will, but it hadn't been necessary. There were countless other solutions she could have fallen back on, and instead her mind had gone directly to —
"Cybele?"
The familiarity of the voice, cautiously suspicious but not entirely unkind, jolted Cybele from her own mind. Hoping furiously that her faint blush wasn't visible, she looked up to see Aidyn watching her with narrowed eyes. His close gaze shifted from her hand to the pocket that held the source, as if he knew her fingers had been on it only moments before, and she stifled a wince. Here she was, a human idiotically insisting on her own innocence, tainting a patria source with her touch.
