Chapter 24: Pressure

Tavin stared at Aleanna’s hand, easily within his reach. The glow from the enormous ring of fire seemed to consume everything as it towered above them, floating only a few feet behind her. He looked up and met her eyes; though hard to see against the backdrop of flame, they looked hard but there was also a strange welcomeness in them.

“Take my hand,” Aleanna said. It was a command. “Don’t be a slave to the Empire, let us train you instead.”

“I want to go with you, I want to get to know you better, but..." Tavin stumbled through his words. Aleanna reaffirmed her offered hand. “How could I? Baelon almost killed a man right in front of me! He almost killed Valina!”

Aleanna flinched, just barely, but remained steady.

“It’s not like that,” she said. “There’s more to this than you understand.”

“I can’t!” Tavin shouted. “What kind of monster could do that?”

“You’ll do more harm by joining them than joining us!” she shouted back. “You don’t know anything about the world!”