15
Time passed as I paced around the cradle. Longer than I liked. The colors on Ilylle’s walls ebbed and flowed like the tide, mimicking the passage of light outdoors, day into night and back again.
Had she ever been in this long before? How could she stand it? Was she all right? I didn’t need to sleep to have nightmares, every time I blinked I imagined opening up the lid of her cradle to find her drained to dust inside.
My poor Airelle – her pride was another way she and Ilylle were alike. How could she have let herself be tormented for so long? Why hadn’t she killed herself when she’d had the chance?
Everyone with magic was able to point it inward – it was one of the burdens of the power, always knowing how easy it was to burn yourself away with it. I knew Airelle wasn’t afraid of pa
