Vortex Visions (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles #1)

by Elise Kova

This was the oldest tree in the world—so the wrinkled men who sat around fires said—and they called it the Mother Tree. It was this tree that was said to have caught a falling star—a shard of the Mother’s light—in its branches. By the time the star finally reached the ground, it had absorbed life from the tree and became a woman. The same woman cut civilization from the boughs of the Mother Tree, forming all of Shaldan.

“You, Vi Solaris, are a Child of Yargen.”

“I am too Northern to be Southern. I am too Southern to be Northern. Eastern to be Western. Western to be Eastern. I belong nowhere, and to no one, and it’s all because of some stupid magic and the words of one person—whose name you don’t even know.”

Girl, I don't belong anywhere either. I get you.

“You belong nowhere, because you belong to the goddess herself.

“No child chooses the circumstances of their birth. Rich parents, poor parents, high and low. We are all handed the starting point. What you make of every step thereafter is what defines your life.” The woman’s eyes were as hard as the green stone they mirrored. “What do you choose, Vi Solaris?”

I’m very impressive for an uncultured swine,”

“Should you ever decide to go West, seek me out at my curiosity shop in the Crossroads. It has been passed down in my caravan for generations, the key to it said to have been gifted from Lady Fiera herself. You may find it enlightening, princess. The lines of fate are wound so tightly around you that they could strangle you if you’re not careful.”

But the North is wide, and full of people.

Definitely made me thing "the night is dark and full of terrors"...

“Just what is so amusing?” “I can see why you hate me so much. I haunt your dreams and then, when you finally meet me, I’m absolutely useless.”

Perhaps this was how Dia felt when she fell from the sky. Fearless. Not knowing what awaited her at the bottom but knowing it wouldn’t harm her. Knowing that wherever she landed, was where she was meant to be.

“I will always believe you,” he vowed softly.

“Me? A lady? No…”

“Home is a funny thing…” she said, finally. “I don’t really know where home is or what it will look like. I have dreams, ideas, but nothing concrete.”

“But I know the South won’t feel like home either, if I’m honest. I think it’ll be the closest thing—because my real family is there. I’ll finally live with them, come to truly know them, for better or worse. And if family isn’t home, then what is?”

South (Africa) is the closest thing to home for me too because that's where my family is!

“Your father is dead.” What? She hadn’t heard him right. Vi’s ears rang. There was a buzzing, like bees had begun to occupy them. She couldn’t hear anything correctly anymore. She certainly didn’t hear those four words said so plainly… so heartlessly… that her own heart fractured instantly, trying to break apart, to fill the void between each word with emotion. “What?” It was barely a word. More of a blurt of sound that was half a laugh of disbelief and half the start of tears. “We received word with the messengers.” He sniffled loudly. “Emperor Aldrik Solaris has perished at sea.”

FFS KOVA NO.