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"Pretty sure they felt pain when they wereup the winds he called, ready to hurtle therab his arm to stop hio free

I take a breath, trying to figure out what to think, what to feel

The summer sun presses down on us, but my mother shivers as another draft sinks into her skin

"I couldn’t live that way anyht I pleaded with your father to give up the assignment But he was like you Loyal to the Gales beyond all reason Put his oath above everything Above ers curl into claws and I want to lunge for her "Your solution got everyone killed!"

"No darling, that was you"

The words knockcarefully," she insists "I offered Raiden a deal--the Westons in exchange for e hidden in a flurry and waited I felt the moment he received it, and the winds toldout our location--then I’d warn everyone right before they caught up and we’d run I wanted to convince your father that we’d always hear theuard down And I was careful I found ways to tip Raiden off that couldn’t be traced back to me I knew your father wouldn’t understand"

"Because you’re a traitor!"

It’s like she doesn’t even hear me Her mind’s so into the void between us "I did everything I could to keep , so he’d be too weak to fight I used you to give us away because I knew your father would forgive you And I thought it would ht you were to blahter--let her take the blame--"

"She was to blame!" My mother’s hard eyes focus on me "When the Stormer came, I’d almost convinced your father to flee--almost convinced hih to save them But then you ran back into the storht Your father went to rescue you, but the storht my way to the Stormer to demand he release you both and he told ht," Vane spits "In fact, I think I was there when that happened I saw you fighting Right before he beat you and flung you out of the storm like trash"

"He did not beat me"

"Really? That’s not what it looked like fro a few times and pissed him off--but he still launched you out of his way"

"Because you distracted ine"

The chill in my mother’s voice turns ain, and for the first ti into her

I’m afraid to kno far it spread

"Vane?" I ask, barely able to form the word "Tellthe memory "I saw the Stor, but then she flicked her wrist and knocked him over with the wind somehow Then he made himself an indestructible shell of winds, so she flicked her arot pissed and launched her away so he could go help his friend"

Spots dance behind my eyes and I don’t want to hear any more But I have to know "Why did you think there was another Storuy cry out somewhere in the distance after she flicked her ar I could drop to the ground and never get up again Anything to not have to tell Vane the truth

"There was only one Storme not to say it But she can’t hide her secret any that day--hoo trees could accidentally impale Vane’s parents after they’d been captured The Stor happen to Raiden’s precious cargo

But with a flick of her wrist hs anywhere she pleased

"You killed the Westons, didn’t you?" I whisper

Vane sucks in a breath

My mother doesn’t even flinch before she responds "I betrayed Raiden the same way he betrayedand pounding as I fight them, block them--refuse to accept them But truth always finds a way to sink in

I search ret--or even ift

But she looksblank

And her voice is unashamed when she adds, "They never would have survived Raiden’s interrogation They were as good as dead anyway"

"That’s only because you helped theet captured!" Vane screams

"They didn’t deserve my protection," she snaps back "They eak--and weak by choice I was done worrying about theet my family out of there And that’s what I tried to do But my husband wouldn’t leave you He sacrificed hies for Vane

I yank hi her skin as I do

My hs as she stares at the bloody trails I’ve left on her bare arhs

The cold, empty sound shatters the last of the illusions she’s wrapped around herself, showing me who she really is--or has become

A murderer

She must see the realization onout the knots of her braid and letting her hair fall free "I guess thisyou"

"Protecting nore--"

"Not you, Audra--you’ve already gotten ift But I have been protecting hi I grip his arm to stop him as he advances toward her

"Why did you protect hi the support of the Gales Besides, Vane has what Raiden wants So I erased his memories in case he saw too much and hid hiht--and voted against you being a guardian so you’d push hi Waited for his Westerly breakthrough And now it’s finally happened I can finally take rowls, reaching for the wind

"Oh, I think you will," she tells hih to you"

My ed piece of wind my skull by inches

It takes me about two seconds to process the fact that my mother just tried to kill me Then I shove Vane out of the way and launch a crusher

The thick funnel slae Butfree