Try as I might my sour mood pushes on into the dead, it follows me like a shadow, clings to me and doesn't let go. I understand that the court is democratic, and the majority vote determines our choices. In this scenario, I did not win the majority. I just wish I had. Despite understanding that, I can't shake the fact that the idea upsets me.

"I thought I'd find you here." Ember called, jumping me back to reality. I stood about knee deep in the lake, my gray silk gown bunching in the water around me. As she came closer I didn't turn to greet her, instead I kept my gaze outward, looking towards the periwinkle mountains. From here I can see where they separate slightly, where the lake transitions into a stream which flows into an ocean.

The lake reflects the blush colored sky, the sparkling stars, the lavender clouds, everytime I look it never fails to take my breath away. "You know me well," I answered finally once she was close by my side.

"Are you ok?" Ember asked, her voice milked with kindness. Finally I looked at her, my best friend, who looked back at me sadly.

"That's a loaded question." I answered glumly, and she laughed, pulling off her boots and setting them on the ground with her sword. "If you mean about the party, I'm fine." Ember waded in beside me, resting a hand on my shoulder gently. If she cared that her black pants were wet, she didn't let on.

"I understand why it makes you uncomfortable, Astra. Honestly, it makes me feel a little odd too." Ember sighed, her blue eyes tired. "I don't know, I guess I just want to celebrate our progress. I want to honor everyone-" her voice caught.

Her red painted lips trembled for a moment, and a pale hand rested on her chest. My heart hurt to look at her like this, and I felt the selfishness of my pain leave. "We will toast to your parents, Ember." I promised, and she closed her eyes, breathing in slowly. Her hand slid down my arm to my hand, where she interlocked our pinkies.

"I can't sleep sometimes," Ember admitted quietly, telling her secrets to me and the lake. "I try, but all I can see is you being attacked, almost dying. Your scream, Astra...it keeps me up at night." I hadn't even imagined the pain of what she saw. Painful for me yes, but she watched me nearly die at the hands of her brother, then moments later her brother died. We brought him back, but that doesn't erase the trauma.

"I guess we're both a mess." I joked, resulting in a small smile from her. This close together I felt her long dark hair brush against my arm as the warm breeze came in over the water. With her strength, I often forget how short my friend is. Ember must barely be five feet, but her intensity and bravery made her bigger than I.

"You could say that again-" she started, but was cut off by an intense rumble that shook the world so fiercely that I tumbled into the water. Our hands ripped roughly apart as I tumbled, a wave of water going up my nose and into my mouth. Under the water I felt like I was being thrown around, the shaking causing intense pulling under the water, I kicked and flailed. Ember yanked me to my feet as I coughed up water, the ground still shaking.

"What the hell?" She yelled over the noise, pulling us from the water that waved and threatened to take us out. We both clung to each other, leaves from the tree's flying around us, trying to stay on our feet.

"Is it an earthquake?" I asked, trying to find the source of the intense shattering.

"No, there!" Ember shouted, pointing at the sky. I followed her gaze and found a small black hole appearing in the blush sky. It opened just slightly for a moment, until something fell out of it and began to plummet to the water, then the hole closed and the shaking halted.

"Is that...'' I peered into the distance trying to make it out. "Is that a person?" It's true, the body of a person quickly plummeted towards the water.

"How-" Ember exclaimed, but I pulled my body free of hers quickly and waded back to the water. With a roll of my shoulders, and a flick of my hands, I released my golden power and shot it across the water. I grit my teeth, pushing it further and further, soaring towards the body.

I've never sent my power this far, but I pushed it and stretched. For a moment, a breath of a second, my own body crumbling under Beckett's power flashed behind my eyes. I audibly gasped, my power twitching from the memory that came from Ember's eyes.

It had been a year since using my powers. The last time being reviving Beckett. Every time I've tried, I have been too afraid.

Not now, though. I push the memory away, and shove my power forward. It flowed like the northern lights, reaching, and then wrapping itself around the body. I felt the pressure of their weight once my energy was wrapped around them, their body hovering only slightly above the water.

"Pull him in!" Ember encouraged me, coming behind me and resting a hand on my shaking arm. The weight of him made my muscles burn as I reeled the tendrils back in, his fingers grazed the water as I pulled. Ember was right, he was indeed a male, I noticed that the closer he got. I noticed his hair first, white as snow, then his bronze skin, his body limp in my power.

Finally, when he was close enough, I let out a gasp and let my power go, it dropped from my aching hands and his body slipped into the water. Ember was there, grabbing under his arms and pulling him to the sandy shore. He was unconscious, his lips slightly parted, as Ember rested him down.

"Is he breathing?" I asked, rubbing my sore arms. Ember bent over his face, listening, then as an answer she pulled away and began to roughly push her fists into his chest. I didn't even know Ember knew CPR, but I'm glad one of us did. His dark clothes were torn, falling off his body, around his neck was a set of dog tags, his body shook as Ember pushed into him fiercely.

I heard the flap of wings before I saw Arden, but when I turned I saw his feet hitting the ground. "What was that?" He asked, rushing over to us, to check on us. But when he saw Ember on the ground with the guy he froze, his sunset orange wings stretching out further in response. They almost hit me as he went past to get a better look, each wing being about ten feet span, and topped with a claw.

"Arden, go get Lendon." I instructed, but it was like he hadn't heard me. He reached for Ember, to try to pull her away.

"Ember, where did he come from? Get away from him-" Arden said, his tone fearful.

"He fell out of the freaking sky, Arden!" Ember cried out, in between breaths, shaking off his hand.

"We don't know who he is!" Arden argued, trying again to pull her away, this time I grabbed him and forced him to face me.

"And we won't find out if you don't go get Lendon!" I yelled, shaking his shoulders slightly. He nodded, understanding, and with a final look at Ember and he ran and took off into the sky. I watched as he flew away, making his way back to the castle to get help.

"Who is this guy?" Ember asked breathlessly, still pushing hard on his chest. I shook my head, fear creeping its way into my chest.

"I don't know," I whispered. "I'm not even sure we want to find out. Where did he come from?" New hasn't always equaled good, and it's not everyday a person falls from the sky.

"Let's just hope he lives to tell us." Or that we won't regret saving his life. He gasped loudly as his body shot into an upright position, Ember and I both jumped away from him. Chest heaving he clutched at his dog tags, looking around wildly as if to take in his surroundings.

"Hey-" Ember murmured, reaching out a gentle hand. I want to tell her not to, that his motions remind me somewhat of a deranged animal, but it's no use; my mouth feels glued shut. He flinched from her touch, turning to look at me with wide accusing eyes, his eyes are such a light blue that they almost appear to be silver. His white hair fell in strands over his face, his eyes stared into me; as though they knew all my secrets. I cannot help but stare back.

"It's you-" he gasped, before his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell back into the sand in a heap. His voice, deep and intimidating, sent chills through my whole body. What was that supposed to mean? I wonder, as I step a bit further away from him. My heart racing, I pressed a hand to my chest to steady it.

"It's you? What about you?" Ember asked, her voice edged with anxiety. I met her stare, which was equally as confused as mine.

"I don't know," I whispered, looking back to his unconscious body. His chest moved slowly, careful breaths, almost as though he was just sleeping. "Who are you?" I murmured in his vicinity, though I know he will not respond. My curiosity sparked, replacing the imminent dread I'd been feeling for months. Who is he, and why does he know me?