Estera watched his back disappear into the office as she remained standing there, completely forgotten about while the others returned to their work. What she witnessed on the cameras before they fritzed, was madness. She still didn't understand why they were risking their lives to collect lightning, but whatever the reason, it had to be important, so she needed to find out why. If she was going to make something of herself, then she couldn't fade into the horizon. Magnus was in a position of power, and if there was one thing she learned from her mother, it was that partnerships could elevate one's status. She needed him.

Except there was one problem, and it was Mira.

It was obvious they cared for one another, which had the potential to drive a wedge in her plans. Even if she didn't know what exactly those plans looked like yet.

With her mind made up, she knocked on the office door and entered without being invited. Her presence startled him as he spun around and brought a hand to his chest with a notable sigh of relief.

"So... you guys catch lighting?"

"We do." He leaned against his desk. "By the way, I'm sorry for leaving you hanging out there. Would you like to sit?"

"It's ok." She waved her hand. "You've had an intense afternoon."

"You probably think I'm crazy."

"No. Brave is the word I was thinking of."

"Brave? No, I was foolish today."

Estera tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "You should stop doing that."

"Making foolish decisions? Yes, I know."

"No. I mean, brushing off the seriousness of what happened out there. It's ok to admit that it shook you to your core."

"But, it didn't."

Smiling, she stepped closer. "Magnus, you don't have to pretend with me. I understand putting on a brave face for the others because you've known them all of your life, but I'm not them. I'm a stranger, which gives you the luxury of being completely candid with me if you want. You could even reinvent yourself, and I'd have no clue."

"Is that what you're doing? Reinventing yourself."

"In a way," she replied calmly but was internally kicking herself. She'd said too much. "Here, I don't have to be the scared, fisherman's daughter anymore. I can be strong. Maybe even brave like you."

"Does that mean you're staying?"

Estera stepped a little closer and peered up at him through her lashes. Even with a bruised face, she was confident. "Do you want me to stay?"

"We could always use another skilled worker."

"I see." Her abdomen tightened, and she brushed the hair out of her face, disappointment. "What kind of work?"

"Well, we need all the help we can get with managing our farm."

"What about the wall?"

"Unfortunately, that job is off-limits."

"Why?"

"It's dangerous, which is why we have men take on the task since we depend on the women to keep this place running."

"But Zemora works the wall."

"That's because no one can tell her, no." He smiled.

"And what if I won't let you tell me no, either?"

Taking a chance, she ran her fingers up his arm while staring directly into his coffee eyes, and his Adam's Apple bobbed with a hard swallow. When she pressed her hand to his chest, she could feel the rapid purr of his heart. Behind them, the door pushed open, and Rafi's deep voice followed with his head buried in the tablet in his hands.

"Boss, I gotta show you some-" He froze when Estera jumped away from Magnus, and the wide-eyed look on his face was all the victory she needed. Men could never keep juicy gossip to themselves. They were worse than women, and from Rafi's point of view, it probably looked like something more was going on. Assumptions would help move the chess pieces in her plan. "Um... I'll come back later."

"No, it's alright," Magnus cleared his throat and stepped forward. "What were you going to show me?"

"Just that-" He glanced back and forth between her and Magnus before focusing on the tablet again. "Judging by the test readings Zemora sent me this morning, all of the towers were fine. That is until seconds before the storm hit. Which begs the question about our cameras suddenly burning out."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

Rafi's eyes shifted to Estera and then back to Magnus. "Creo que seria mejor si hablamos en privado."

"She understands Spanish," Magnus chuckled. "But you're right. We should discuss sensitive matters privately. You don't mind, do you, Estera?"

"Not at all. I'll wait for you outside."

"Actually..." He looked at his pocket watch. "You should head to the Great Hall. You still haven't eaten anything, and I did promise to aid you back to health."

"Meet you there?"

"I'll come find you." He held the office door open.

Once she was on the other side, she felt a bit defeated as she folded her arms. How could she eavesdrop with everyone in the Weather Room watching her movements? Mira glanced up from one of the computer screens, and she had no other choice but to make her way over to say goodbye.

"I'm heading out."

"Well, it was nice meeting you." Mira smiled. "Will I see you tonight at the celebration?"

"I believe so."

"Good," Mira replied and turned back to the computer screen.

Estera held her breath as her fists curled at her side. Being dismissed not once, but twice, in five minutes, made her wish she had a sword to wipe the smile off Mira's pretty face. However, as irritated as she felt losing out on an opportunity to spy, not all was lost. If their celebrations were anything like the ones they had in the south, then people were bound to become drunk throughout the night. Drunk people didn't have filters, so she was looking forward to finding out as many secrets as possible. Little by little, she would figure out her purpose.

∆∆∆

After lunch, Magnus walked her back to the infirmary to have new dressings wrapped around her arm. He'd been quiet throughout their meal, but even quieter as the nurse tended to her wounds. The late afternoon sun emphasized the concern etched in his tawny forehead as the golden rays cast light across the small sterile room. Something was bothering him, and it was most likely about whatever Rafi said in private. She needed to find out why, but to do that, she still had to convince him that he could trust her.

"Thanks for helping me find my way around this place," she said, pretending to struggle as she slid from the examination table. He rushed forward, his hands going to her waist to guide her down, and her body brushed against him, prompting their eyes to flash to one another. She flashed a coy smile she could barely stomach. "What would I do without you?"

"I'm sure you'd do just fine." He stepped back.

"Are you kidding me? You're a breath of fresh air compared to where I'm from. You have a way of making me feel safe."

"This is coming from a woman who tried stabbing me the moment we met," he chuckled.

"I was scared and wounded. Can you really blame me?" She shrugged, grinning. "Plus, you looked like some sort of swamp creature I was told scary stories about as a child."

"You were told stories about swamp creatures?"

"I was even told stories about the north."

"Like what?"

"Oh, like how you northerners cut people into tiny bits to make broth from our bones."

"You know that's not true, right?"

"Of course. Although..." She stared at him, a smile in her eyes. "I'm still unsure about the witchcraft I heard about."

"Witchcraft?" he laughed softly.

"I mean, your people collect lighting. And for an outsider like me, it all feels very..." She stepped closer and gazed up at him. "Supernatural."

"It's not. Just smart engineering. Come on, I'll show you." He nodded towards the door.

∆∆∆

They cut across town to the eastern side of the stone wall and entered through a side door. Compared to the outside, inside the wall felt humid, with rusty iron sconces letting off tiny waves of heat as they flickered shadows across the masonry. Magnus picked up a spare lantern from the floor, followed by the hiss of a match being struck. The lit wick illuminated their faces, giving his jawline a sharper edge while enhancing the smooth roundness of Estera's cheekbones. He led her down the corridor where a steady drip, drip, guided their path.

The passageway opened its mouth to reveal floor-to-ceiling glass columns every few feet, and trapped inside them was lightning—their electric branches irrigating the space in a dance of light.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Magnus smiled with a nod towards one of the columns. "Touch it."

"Why?" She stepped back.

"Are you scared?"

A scoff ejected her throat, along with an eye-roll at his silly assumption. Warriors feared nothing. She stepped forward and pressed her hand on the glass while smirking at him, but the warm sensation jerked her attention away from him. Extensions of electricity struck at her hand like small fists, and when she traced her fingers against the smooth surface, they followed her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"What do you do with this? Why do you trap it?"

"We cast evil spells," he replied, but when he saw Estera wasn't amused, he cleared his throat. "After we capture lightning, we usually send it into the main collection chamber below ground, but we've caught so much lightning this week, especially today, that we're a bit backed up. We rarely leave lightning sitting here like this, but we're working on moving some of it into the Big Rigs we drive to trading posts. So, it's taking longer than usual."

"And then what do you do with it?"

"We use it to power this place." He motioned his arms out. "And we sell it at trading posts."

Estera's mind drifted as she thought about her old community. They had street posts that turned on at night, as well as stadium lights for evening fights in the arena. She'd never given any thought about how they functioned before, or what kept them powered. As she circled the glass cylinder, marveling at the lightning flickering inside it, she asked, "Who buys it?"

"Whoever needs it." He shrugged. "Before the war, my grandfather was trying to build pipelines across the territories to create a power grid so we could pump lightning to everyone, but the war happened, and the project was axed. Plus, he passed away in battle."

A silent gasp halted Estera's breathing for a moment as she digested the meaning of his words. If the pipelines still existed, then it meant there was a way one could enter and exit the fortress without being seen. It was a weak spot, and a secret passage would come in handy if she ever needed to call on old allies from the south. Something told her she might because the north had a tremendous amount of power in their clutches, yet instead of keeping it for themselves, they traded it. It didn't make sense. If her mother were in charge of the north, she would've assembled an army to take over and control the entire region. It felt like wasted potential.

Maybe that was Estera's purpose? Perhaps she could help the north become a force to be reckoned with?

"You've gone quiet," Magnus said.

"It's nothing." She shook her head and tried thinking of an excuse. "It's just... ever since my arrival, everything feels brand new, and to be honest, I feel out of place. It's not something I'm used to."

"I'm sorry. We should be doing better at making you feel welcome."

"I'm an outsider, so I get it. It's ok."

"But it's not ok."

From across the way, she could see a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth, and when their eyes met, he stared at her with an expression she couldn't quite figure out. Was it longing? Sadness? Disappointment in his people? Was he even thinking at all? She was used to men in her community being a little more upfront about their desires, but Magnus wasn't a southerner, and he seemed to be holding up a wall as much she was. She circled back to him, not wanting to lose momentum on the intimacy of their eye contact.

As she closed the gap, his gaze never wavered from her, and he remained absolutely still as she placed her hand on his cheek. "Now, you're the one who's quiet."

Looking away, he wrapped his hand around hers and brought it down.

"We should get going. The celebration will start soon, and I don't want you to miss a second of it."

"Why's that?"

"Because once you see how much fun we have, you'll never want to leave." He smiled.

As they wandered back outside, the sky was now a sherbet swirl of oranges from the sun initiating its descent. While making their way to the Great Hall, paper lanterns bobbed along the edges of rooftops, as the wind sifted through the buildings. Every few feet, Estera stole glances at Magnus. He walked calmly with hands in his pockets and a focus on what was ahead, instead of what was around him. It was a serenity she didn't possess. Her back was always tense, her eyes always alert — a warrior ready to defend herself.

Maybe his sense of peace was due to being untouchable in the north? She was once untouchable, so maybe she was going about things with him completely wrong? Maybe seduction was too juvenile. He was older than her, and she needed to think like him instead. With a sigh, she decided that if her tricks still didn't work on him after drinking booze all night, then she'd have to come up with a new plan in the morning.

After all, she was the daughter of Catalina Montenegro, a legendary warrior who fought in the Great War of the Territories. So, she'd figure out a way to carve her path, and now that she understood just how powerful the north could become, she was determined to either rise with Magnus, or stake her claim, and make the north hers.

And she wouldn't stop until she got it.