Ever So Lightly- Book 1

28

The sound of a branch breaking behind her pulled Zephyr from her own mind. With a start she turned, standing abruptly as she did. Her racing heartbeat slowed a bit when she beheld Kade exiting the trees. He came to stand next to her, close enough to be heard over the crashing water.

"It's beautiful," he said, his voice strong over the noise. Zephyr only nodded, taking in serious look that masked his cutting features. Kade was handsome, but in a way that put her on edge. There was something lurking beneath his outer appearance, something that made her wary. He turned to face her, his body so close to her's that Zephyr involuntarily took a step backwards.

"I'm glad I found you alone," he began, his voice laced with caution. Zephyr felt her nerves begin to bristle. What was this all about? "I've come to care about you. You're a nice girl, naive, but good-hearted. You're one of the only people in this group who willingly helped me when I needed it."

Zephyr chose to ignore the veiled insult that hid somewhere in that statement. "What's going on, Kade?"

"I feel like I owe you something, and I've nothing to give you but honestly." Kade paused, running a hand over his face and beginning to pace in a circle around where she stood. Zephyr shivered, unsure of whether the cause was the steadily dropping temperature heralded by the darkening sky or her own unease. A light snowfall had begun moments earlier, and she watched as a single flake fluttered toward the rapids and suddenly flurried over the edge.

"How truthful have your friends been with you, Zephyr?" Kade continued to pace around her. Zephyr turned to follow his movements, unable to turn her back to him as her pulse began to race.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice held a hint of unsteadiness.

"Has it not bothered you? Why would so many people drop everything to help a girl they barely know?"

"They're good people, Kade. Jasper and Bennet couldn't support what the queen's men were doing." Why wasn't Saria back yet?

"What about the caravan? What about Frederick and his rebels? Why are you so important to them?"

Zephyr was about to respond with a laugh at his absurd claim of her importance, when a part of what he'd said gave her pause. She took another step back from him before realizing it placed her closer to the falls.

"How do you know I was with the caravan?"

Kade paused his pacing. The storm was almost directly above now, it's rumbling growing louder as the snow began to fall heavier.

"Zephyr, since the moment I saw you I knew you were special. I knew not to underestimate you. The queen could use someone like you. You could become so powerful, I could help you. But only if you let me."

"What is this?" Zephyr's voice shook in earnest now, its pitch rising as her fears shone through. "I don't understand."

"That's because no one has told you!" Kade's voice grew louder as he spoke over the sounds of the crashing rapids that now bled into a dangerous melody with the storm raging above.

"You're a Starling, Zephyr."

Her entire body when still. The song of the storm all but disappeared as Zephyr took in his words. No. No. She was Zephyr Elvy. That's all she had ever been. Except that she knew that it wasn't. She refused to believe what he was saying. She felt her features begin to morph into a quiet rage that mirrored her surroundings. Her eyes focus back on Kade, and with a gasp she took another step away from where he stood between her and the trees.

Kade was disappearing. Tendrils of nothingness wove their way over his body, beginning at his extremities and rapidly engulfing his entire form. Zephyr would have thought it lovely to behold if the icy grip of terror hadn't held her firmly. In moments he no longer stood before her. Zephyr's breath came out in rapid, cloudy bursts as she frantically searched for some sign that he was still there. His voice finally rose clearly, somewhere off to her right.