Chapter 34 · Untitled Chapter

The older me didn't blink. Just stood there in the sand like he'd been waiting his whole life for this exact moment.

"You're not real," I said, but my voice cracked halfway through.

He smiled. Not the kind that makes you feel better. The kind that says he knows something you don't, and you're not going to like it when you find out. "I'm the parts you threw away, Kai. Every time you used the sand. Every memory you burned to stay alive."

The core pulsed in my hand. Hot. Getting hotter. I could feel it trying to crawl up my arm, into my chest, and I knew if I let it get that far I wouldn't be me anymore. I'd be whatever Steelhook wanted. Whatever the storms needed.

"Give it back," the older me said. He took a step closer. Sand curled around his feet like it loved him. "Give me back, and I'll show you what happened. All of it. Mom. The shelter. Why the storms started."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" He tilted his head. "You don't even remember her face anymore, do you? Not really. You think you do, but it's just shapes now.