Blood dripped from his nose, running in rivulets along his upper lip. He wiped it clean against his shirtsleeve then turned aside and spat. “Keep up the storm long enough to chase the bandits away.”
I gritted my teeth. It was probably too late for playing dumb, but I tried anyway. “Why are you asking me?”
His big hand latched around my upper arm. He yanked me close and lowered his voice. “I know who you are, Lady Thunder.”
Dread seized me in a crushing fist. I struggled, trying to free myself, but Brahm’s grip was iron. Niffin and I hadn’t practiced escaping from this kind of hold yet, but I had other tricks to use against him—electrifying ones—if needed. “But I don’t know who you are,” I said.
“Gideon sent me to help you.”
I gasped. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
“The fewer people who know the truth about you and me, the better.”
“And I’m just supposed to believe you? Trust you? How do I know you aren’t Le Poing Fermé or one of Lord Daeg’s agents?”
Brahm bared his teeth as another ripple of lightning strobed across the sky. The rain had plastered his hair to his forehead, and stark shadows cut deep lines around his mouth and bent nose, turning his face into a sinister mask. “I would never work for a bastard like Daeg.”
“Still don’t trust you.”
“Sher-sah,” he replied. “Genevieve, Falak, Svieta.”
I froze, heart quaking at the mention of my dear friends. Each day since I’d left them, I prayed for their well-being. “H-How do you—”
“Gideon gave me their names, said it might be the only way to convince you I am who I say, and that he really did send me.”
Again, I jerked against his grip, and this time, he let me go. I quavered, not realizing how much energy the storms had drained from me. Braham reached to steady me, but I waved him off.
“We’ll talk about this later,” I said.
I drew down another lightning bolt, illuminating the dark shapes of angry farmers scattering down the tracks, retreating farther from the train. Was it too much to hope they might be giving up and heading home? The train guards held their place as if uncertain whether to let them go or give chase.
Dimly I was aware of exhaustion tugging at my bones and joints, weighing me down. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.” The rain diminished as my strength faded. A tremor quavered down my back and settled into my knees.
A body bumped against me, and an arm slid around my shoulders. Malita’s familiar scent of lilac soap filled my nose. Her warmth bled through my wet clothes.
“You shouldn’t be here.” I leaned into her despite myself. “I’m not sure the fight’s really over. It’s safer in the train.”
She snorted, dismissing my concerns. “We are safer together, no?”
Clinging to her, I reached deep and drew from my inmost reserves. The rain persisted. Thunder rumbled. Winds wailed. I held on until my body ached. My muscles trembled, melting into mush. One final burst of lightning bankrupted me, but its light confirmed the tracks had cleared, and only the train’s private guards remained.
“You!” A guardsman noted our motley group. “What are you doing here? Go back to the train.”
“The tracks...” Niffin said. “Are they damaged?”
“That’s none of your concern right now. Get back inside and await further instructions.”
None of us argued. Instead, Brahm lent his strength and steadied my shaky steps as we trundled to our car. We huddled together in the aisle, careful not to drip on our fellow passengers while Brahm’s companions rallied around us, shouting questions and demanding answers. He ignored them and tugged his flask from his pocket. After swallowing a sip, he passed the liquor to me, and I downed a huge, warming gulp.
Brahm whistled and sliced his hand through the air. His friends fell silent. “There was an attack on the tracks, an explosion, but the storm stopped it before it could get out of control. The guards are inspecting the rails and said they’d make an announcement in a little while. All we can do now is wait.”
“Thank the gods for that storm,” someone muttered.
Braham and Niffin must have heard the remark as well. They both glanced at me and grinned. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh, but when Niffin snickered, my dam broke, and a flood of laughter poured out. I sank to the floor, giggling, hiccupping, not caring that the other passengers were looking at me like I’d lost my mind. “Thank the gods, indeed.”
As the night stretched toward dawn, I found myself wishing I could temporarily trade my powers over the storms for the ability to generate a fire. Perhaps a Magician could cast a drying spell, but no one in our party possessed such abilities. A thick quiet had fallen over our train car, disturbed only by the occasional grunt, moan, or snore
Niffin and Malita snuggled close, arms drawn around each other. I sat near Brahm but kept a respectable distance. While I’d decided to believe he was Gideon’s agent, I didn’t know him well enough to seek or accept his comfort. So I gritted my teeth and leaned against the nearest wall, drifting in and out of sleep.
Most of our group had dozed off by the time the railway guards stormed into our car, boot steps pounding like hammers.
“Attention, everyone. Attention please.” A tall, broad-shouldered woman wearing a peaked cap and dark uniform stood at the front, bracing her hands on her hips. She scanned the room, assuring all eyes were open and focused on her before she continued. “The rails are too badly damaged to continue from this point. A train will have to be sent from Steinerland to collect you. We’ve dispatched riders to request assistance, but until then, we’ll require everyone to stay with the train.”
An older gentleman sitting close to the front shifted in his seat. “How long will that take?”
The guardswoman squinted at him, irritation curling her lip. “The riders will likely reach the next depot in an hour or so. They’ll send a message to Steinerland. If there are no complications or delays, the train will most likely arrive sometime late this evening.”
“We’ll be sitting ducks until then,” said another passenger, a young woman cuddling a sleepy little boy in her arms. “What if the bandits return before then?”
“They shouldn’t concern you.” The guardswoman’s lips thinned as she glanced at her companion, a young man standing as stiff as a fencepost, arms folded behind his back. His uniform likely made him feel bold, but I suspected Niffin or Brahm could take him down without breaking a sweat. “We’ll handle them.”
More questions and complaints tumbled over the guards, but I tuned out the other travelers and glanced at Brahm before focusing on Niffin and Malita. “Are we going to sit here and wait for that train?”
“What are our other options?” Niffin asked.
“Take the horses and go on our own. That woman was right to worry about the bandits returning. And if they do....” I lowered my voice, noting how Brahm’s companions had taken interest in our conversation. “I’ve got nothing left to fight them with.” My powers were drained, and my bones felt like limp strands of worn leather.
“We could be targets if we go on our own,” Niffin said. “We’re a small group with no guards and no rifles. No train walls to protect us.”
