Thayla #3
I lay the pen down beside the necklace, then pick up the small piece of ceramic. My thumb runs over the jagged edge and fractured lines. It was once a piece of something else, something finished, that belonged somewhere else.
Now it’s far, far away from where it started.
There’s no telling where all it’ll travel.
My power flows through my fingers and the vase-like shape rises naturally. I leave the center hollow, and the material on the lighter, but indestructible side. I don’t want their loss to feel heavier when they hold this.
I want it to be easier to carry.
The blue and ivory color the small piece already was spreads across the surface. I don’t change that about it. They swirl together in a beautiful blend.
Next, I create a lid that will fit carefully and seal enough to protect what’s inside but not so tight it feels unreachable.
My power recedes into my hands, and I turn the container around twice, admiring the swirls of colors. It’s like the clouds dancing in the sky.
“Very good, Thayla. It’s all beautiful,” V whispers.
“Thank you,” I breathe as I set it down gently.
My throat constricts painfully when I turn and face Mrs. and Mr. Armend. My fingers trail over the stone slabs separating us as I slowly make my way over to them.
I’m not sure who cleaned them up, but I appreciate it more than I can explain. Whether it was done in case Lambrit and Laney had decided to come see them one last time or not, I’m thankful the evidence of what they went through in their last moments has been washed away.
My exhales echo around the quiet room. It’s almost too quiet.
The tremor in my hands intensifies as I reach out to them. I can’t bring myself to only let my palms hover. Despite the fact I’d rather be detached in this moment, I can’t truly be.
These are people who meant the realm to people who mean the realm to me.
I place my hand in each of theirs and force the lump in my throat to go down. For now. I’ll call it back forward in a moment.
“I’ll take care of them.”
My voice cracks on my whisper, but my words feel too small for what I really mean.
“I’ll make sure they’re never alone. I’ll make sure they keep going even on days they don’t want to. I’ll stay. I’ll be here every step of the way. Beside them, behind them. Wherever they need me to be. I’ll be here.”
My power stirs in my throat. I swallow, commanding it to travel to my hands.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
On my exhale, my power wraps around their hands as I release them and fight back the tears threatening to slide out the corners of my eyes.
I’ve put it in my mind that my power of Obliteration could never be gentle. It devours, erases, leaves nothing behind.
Not this time.
It doesn’t lash out. Doesn’t rage or consume. It moves slowly, deliberately, like it understands. Like it’s listening to my fears and proving me wrong.
Their bodies don’t burst into a cloud of nothing. They soften as they fade into something weightless, something peaceful, until ash gathers where they once were.
A relieved, watery breath escapes me. Then I look at V.
“How do I—”
“Little goddess.”
I gasp, whipping my gaze to Kyzen, then behind him, where the others are standing.
“How did…how long…”
I don’t recall tugging my soul.
“Long enough to let you stand on your own, but never alone.”
He gives me a tender smile and holds his hand out. I bite my bottom lip as I stare at the tiny spoon.
“Thank you,” I mumble.
He runs his thumb under my eye for a brief second before stepping out of the way for Creed and Amick. They each hold their hand out as V places the necklace in Creed’s hand. The pen in Amick’s.
“Go ahead, my endling. Finish your creation.”
My shoulders relax involuntarily like he just lifted a weight I didn’t know I was holding.
I force the tremor in my hand to steady as I scoop a small amount of ashes into the spoon. Creed holds his palm flat, giving me the best angle to pour them into the empty center of Laney’s star.
As gently as I can, I close the glass up and seal it with my power of Creation. My spine tingles as I command a barrier around it that’ll keep the pendant and chain from breaking.
Amick’s eyes soften on me as I move in front of him next.
“I aspire every day to be more like you, Mysenta. You have an unfathomable amount of love in you.”
My heart thuds in my ribs and my soul wraps his up so tight, I accidentally steal his breath for a moment. At his nod, I fill the hollow in Lambrit’s pen, then seal the engraving of the open book. Once my barrier covers it, he passes it to me. Then Creed hands me the necklace.
“I still have to—”
“Let us take it from here, gorgeous,” Kyzen says as he steps back up with the vase clutched in his hands.
Creed and Amick step passed me, both laying a kiss on my forehead.
Riven doesn’t give me much of an option when his fingers curl around my wrist and he pulls me forward. He presses his chest to my back and rests his chin on my shoulder as we face the others.
As carefully and as considerate as they can, they move Mrs. and Mr. Armend’s ashes into the vase.
“Want to know something, little burden?” he whispers into my ear.
“What?” I ask just as quietly.
“You truly are an angel walking among us mere gods. This isn’t the first time you’ve taken something broken and shaped it into something beautiful. Worthy. You’ve done it four times before now.”
“Riven,” I mumble.
“When Lambrit got back and told us where you were going, for a moment, I was pissed. I thought to myself, I know good and damn well she isn’t trying to hide her power from us still.
That didn’t settle well in my belly. Then he went on and briefly told us what you two discussed. That’s when it clicked.”
“What clicked?”
“You thought you were protecting us. Protecting our sweet, tender hearts. You didn’t want us to witness something so devastating. You thought you were saving us from another touch of trauma. Didn’t you?”
I rest my head against his shoulder.
“You’ve all been through so much lately. And with this…you all have been beyond amazing. I didn’t want to place something else heavy on you.”
He hums.
“You may not realize it, but every day you make us better men. You shape the darkness in each of us a little more with every passing second. We will carry any and every burden you face because the weight of this realm can’t measure up to the love we have for you.
That extends to the people you love. You never have to face anything alone and you don’t have to protect our hearts from things like this. You are our heart.”
A reckless tear slips free, and its path down my face is stopped as he lays his lips in the way.
His Harmony sinks into my blood, and I settle into him. Basking in his—their—support. It’s silent in this moment, but so loud in my soul.
“The next time you don’t invite me to something like this, I’m going to chain you to me and swallow the key. Matter of fact, I’ll chain all five of us. Imagine how pissed that’ll make Amick.”
A watery snort escapes me.
“Okay, my little psycho. Next time I’ll invite you.”
He can chain me to him anytime he wants, but fuck.
Let there not be a next time like this.