As soon as the sparks on the rods died, all four players dove down fast and disappeared into the blackness, presumably inside Mytris, and then electric lights began to snap on. She should have realized that the lightning school, of all places, would have the miracle of electric lights. Mina heard a buzzing around her, and then a bulb above them blinked to life. Soft amber light spilled across the station. A string of bulbs lit the stairs down from the dock and a river-like path toward a trio of black towers, which were now visible.

As they descended from the dock, Jyx was chattering. “All the best players will compete at the Ten-Year Festival. Bad luck for us with the timing—​the festival’s too soon for us to be good enough for it, and by the time it happens again, we won’t be stormy anymore.”

The Ten-Year Festival was, as its name said, held every ten years, to celebrate the founding (and saving) of Alorria. The next festival was in less than two months, and the new prime minister was said to be determined to make it the best ever. Everyone Mina knew had been talking about it for what seemed like forever. Sometimes Mina felt like she was the only one in the country who wasn’t sure how she felt about the festival. There would be crowds, and she didn’t like crowds. Maybe I’ll feel different now that I’m a storm guardian. Maybe I’ll be different. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, either. She didn’t want to become someone she wasn’t.

«You’re already who you’re supposed to be, exactly as you are.»

She realized Pixit was reading all her doubt and fear. She was broadcasting every bit of it. Maybe. I don’t know. As much as she liked Jyx, now that she’d met another lightning guardian, it seemed as if all her doubts had doubled. Yes, part of her was excited, but a lot of her was nervous.

Jyx skipped alongside Mina as they started down the path. “Ooh, maybe we can help harvest lightning for it, and maybe they’ll let us go and watch close-up! Imagine seeing the Ten-Year Festival from the sky!”

She wished she could be as sure of herself as Jyx.

«I’ll be your confidence, until you find your own.»

That was sweet. I’m not sure it works that way, but thanks.

Jyx was still skipping and still talking. “My parents won’t stop going on about when they were in the Ten-Year Festival, back when they were storm guardians—​they said it was incredible, and it’s such a shame I’m too young and inexperienced to really participate, even though I have Chauda.”