The Land Of Shadows by Michelle Horst

that day. Knowing why makes the guilt gnaw at my soul.
    The air suddenly grows cold and a shiver runs over my arms. A raindrop hits my face and I scowl up at the heavens. My eyes almost bulge out of my head when I look up at a dark and threatening sky. There’s no sign of my stars and moon from just a second a second ago. What’s wrong with the weather?
    It can’t be! He won’t use his talents. “Storm-” The whisper hardly has time to form on my lips as it starts to rain heavily. It comes down hard and I scramble to climb down the tree. The drops come down hard and fast. My footing on the tree trunk slips and with a shriek I fall.
    The fall is unexpected and I need to draw on my moon to stop my fall. I try to get as much energy from the moon before I hit the ground. I’ll need all I can get from the moon to heal myself, because this fall is going to hurt.
    My body slams into a branch on the way down and then a wind comes up from beneath me, slowing my fall. The winds around me are a dizzying experience. The second I touch the wet ground, I stagger back on wobbly legs. I shake my head to clear the dizziness.
    When I look up it’s in time to see Storm reaching out to me. I jerk away and completely lose my balance, landing hard on my backside. I glare up at Storm. Wrath builds up inside me. Long gone is the needy girl from earlier this evening.
    Storm crouches down in front of me. His eyes are on my arm and I follow his gaze to where the branch has torn a piece of my sleeve away, leaving a nasty cut behind.
    He reaches for the cut and I scramble backwards. “Touch me and die!” I quickly rise to my feet. I look and feel like a drenched mouse that has just gone a few rounds with a cat. “I am glad to see you at least still know what a talent is.” I spit the words at him. I immediately regret my outburst. It’s my fault he doesn’t use his talents. I have no right to throw that in his face.
    I wipe the water from my face in an attempt to gather myself. I’ve been doing so well the past seven years to hide my growing talent, and today everything has conspired against me to destroy all my hard work.
    “What happened back in the clearing, Luna?” Storm takes a step toward me but I hold my ground. I might be in trouble, but I won’t back down. “You took my energy. How did you do that?”
    My heart starts to beat nervously. I don’t know what to answer him. My eyes dart everywhere but Storm’s piercing gaze.
    Taking another step closer, Storm is within touching distance of me. “Why did you hide your talent from me? I am your trainer.” I can hear the accusation in his voice.
    At a loss for words I shake my head and turn to walk away. There is no way for me to explain myself.
    I hear his footsteps come up behind me and my shoulders drop. Why can’t he just let me be? I swing around, just in time to see his hand inches from taking hold of my shoulder. My wet hair slaps his hand instead, and silver drops splash against his fingers. I watch with a sinking horror as some spray into the air like fireflies taking flight. My eyes are fixed on Storm. Amazement lights up his face as he looks from the spray to the silver drops on his palm and fingers.
    “It is not-” I begin to try and put together a lame excuse, as Storm’s face grows serious. My eyes dart nervously from his face to the watery silver streak in his palm.
    “I did not use electricity on you,” he whispers deep in thought. Storm will never forgive himself if he hurt someone with one of his talents. I feel awful for letting him think for one second that he may have hurt me. I can see the cut on my arm bothers him, but his talent of electricity can easily kill. His eyes flit over my whole person to make sure I’m alright and then words of worry rush from his lips. “Are you all right? I did not hurt you?”
    My face softens at the panic in his voice. He looks horrified.
    With a small reassuring smile I whisper the words that I know will bring a flood