Nikhail had seen photographs of the golden landmark in the past, but it was far more impressive in person. The three enormous arches that gave Golden City its name seemed to reach for the sky, stretching across the metropolis in a welcoming manner. They were larger than life, bigger than anything in Barren Ridge. He’d always thought the desert town had been decently sized, but now he was beginning to realize he’d been wrong.
The capital city was massive, and he couldn’t look away from it even if he tried. Pulling out the black-and-silver flip phone that he’d worked overtime to afford, Nikhail snapped a grainy picture and sent it in his family’s group chat.Made it,the caption read.
His phone started vibrating almost instantly as replies flooded in.
Mama
Be safe and have the best time, my son. I’m so proud of you.
Laurie
You’re so lucky that you get to explore the world.
Nikhail snorted at the reply. Laurie had spent the past month vacillating between being angry at him for leaving and begging him to bring her with him. Even if the military had allowed for younger sisters to visit during boot camp—they didn’t—Laurie was only sixteen. She had two years of school left.
When he pointed that out, Laurie had pouted before declaring that she’d drop out and join him. Mama had quickly jumped onthat, explaining in no uncertain terms that the Southern Region would sooner be covered in twenty feet of snow before any of her children dropped out of school.
After the ensuing fight—because Mama and Laurie couldn’t go a single day without bickering—Nikhail had hugged his sister and whispered in her curly black hair that she could visit once he was out of basic training.
Laney
Love you, Nikky. Kick their asses.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Nikhail’s fingers flew over the keys.
I love you all so much, and I’ll call as soon as I’m able.
He closed his phone as an ache started in his chest. This was the furthest he’d ever been from his mother and sisters, and he would miss them immensely. The apartment they shared was cramped, and it often felt like they were living on top of each other, but they were his family. It would take time to get used to being on his own.
I’m doing this for them, he reminded himself.
Sliding his phone into his pocket, Nikhail turned his attention back to his new friend. Arlo was chatting away, pointing out landmarks as the train headed for the center of Golden City. They were a wealth of knowledge, and Nikhail happily let Arlo teach him about their new home.
The closer the train got to the base, the more a deep sense of rightness settled in Nikhail’s soul. This would change the trajectory of his life; he could feel it in his bones.
“Thirty minutes to Golden City!”
The train conductor’s voice pulled Nikhail out of his sleep. He blinked and rubbed a hand over his eyes, shaking off the remnants of his memory.
He’d been right that day. Nearly twenty years had passed since his first train ride into Golden City, and he could confidently say that joining the military had altered the course of his life for the better.
Propping his chin on his fist, he stared out the window as the capital came into view. A few snowflakes descended from the sky, a reminder that winter was setting in. Millions of stars shone, but none were as brilliant as the golden arches that gavethe city its name. It was just as beautiful now as it had been when he was eighteen.
Those first few years of military life had been intense, to say the least. Even on the hardest days, though, Nikhail had never regretted his decision to join the military. Not when it gave him the opportunity to provide for the ones he loved.
Besides, without the military, he never would’ve gained so much control over his air magic. He wouldn’t be able to whisper to the wind with such skill, nor would he have met so many of the amazing people he was privileged to call his friends. His path never would’ve crossed with Ryker’s several years later, and he certainly never would’ve met River.
At the thought of the alluring water fae, Nikhail sucked in a breath. Gods above, so many of his thoughts revolved around River. It had been this way since they met, but ever since her storm, it had gotten worse.
Nikhail used to try and force himself to stop thinking about River, but eventually, he’d learned that asking himself to do that was akin to asking his lungs not to breathe and his magic to stop commanding the air.
It would never happen.
His fingers found the box in his pocket, and he traced the smooth black velvet. He was tired of ignoring River, tired of pushing away that part of himself that had been drawn to her since the day they met.
That day was permanently etched into his memory.
CHAPTER 12