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transparent; in others, it was an angry, bright pink. His beard grew unevenly because of the scarring, and he didn’t seem to be able to close his mouth all the way.
    An awful wheezing noise escaped his lips each time he exhaled. Looking at him, I realized I didn’t hate him. I had expected to. He’d lied to me for a long time, concealed key information, and then hunted me across the United Territories. He’d tried to rape Gabby, even after I’d told him she was important to me, that I would kill him if he hurt her at all.
    I’d carried so much anger toward my brother, for so long.
    But now, in a dungeon cell that smelled like the last visitors had used it as a latrine, I only felt sorry for him. I’d seen what his life was like before—I’d coveted his position, his apartment, his power.
    Comparing it to the man and living conditions I saw before me now only made my stomach sick, my heart heavy.
    I let my hatred leave. It took the anger with it, and I leaned forward. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I should’ve done a lot of things differently. Maybe if I had, you wouldn’t—”
    He growled, a low, dangerous sound that froze my words in my throat. He finally drew his eyes to mine, and I found loathing and pain within.
    “You don’t get to apologize,” he said, the words warped coming from his nearly ruined mouth. “I don’t want your pity.”
    I didn’t know what else to say. I’d been foolish to think he’d accept anything from me, least of all my kindness. Still, he’d accepted my visitation request. I brushed my hair away from my eyes, and Felix followed the motion of my hand.
    He eyed my robes. “So you’re an Airmaster now.”
    “Yes,” I said. “I was an Airmaster in Gregorio too.”
    He scoffed, and it sounded like a cough. “You were pathetic in Gregorio.”
    I didn’t need the rest of the half-hour. I’d come to feel and say what I needed to. I stood, scraping the chair across the stone floor. “I’m sorry,” I said again, ignoring the angry grinding in my brother’s throat. “I’d like to come see you again, but not if you’re going to insult me.”
    “I will say whatever I want to say,” he yelled. “You’re weak, and delusion—” His voice cut off as I silenced him with a stream of air. His eyes widened when I turned and showed him how I held my hand up, controlling the air pressing against his still-injured windpipe.
    “I am an Airmaster,” I said. “A very good one. And I don’t care if you approve or not. This is who I am, and you can either accept it or not.” My chest heaved. I had never spoken to my brother like this.
    “I’m sorry,” I said for a third time, honestly feeling nothing but sympathy for Felix. “I hope you’ll let me visit again soon.”
    I took the stairs two at a time to escape the dungeon as quickly as possible. When I burst out of the law enforcement building, the fall sunshine greeted me like an old friend. I sucked at the air before I started laughing.

 
    I didn’t wait for Gabby to get up from the couch. “I did it,” I said, too excited to sit. I paced in front of her balcony door. “He was mad; he wouldn’t let me apologize, but I said it anyway. Three times!” I laughed again. “He hates me, I think, but I couldn’t feel any of that toward him. All I felt was sadness. You should see him.” I finally glanced at Gabby, who had reseated herself on the couch. She wore a sexy smile that made me want to kiss her.
    “What?” I asked.
    She waved at me. “I’ve just never seen you like this.”
    I took a deep breath, enjoying the adrenaline rush that came from releasing the pent-up fear, anger, and hatred I’d been harboring against my brother. I felt so free —much like I had when I’d given up the guilt over Hanai’s death.
    “I’m going to request another visit in a few weeks. See what he does.”
    Gabby’s smiled faded. “How did he look?”
    Tornadoes. I hadn’t considered how Gabby might feel because of Felix’s