34. SOPHIE
The thought of being thrown over Ash’s shoulder was looking more and more appealing as the days rolled by. Rushing back to Ash’s brown leather couch, Sophie pulled on the black jumpsuit he had kindly washed for her. Cal, with his tongue out, moved from paw to paw, waiting for her in the doorway. Ever the impatient pup.
The golden sunset light washed over the living room and Sophie’s skin as she moved quickly through the front door, Cal glued to her side. They waited a few beats in the cooling summer breeze before the sounds of giant flapping wings descended upon them. It was Ash on the back of Lumen, hovering just above the ground. The sight of a real arion still made Sophie’s insides jostle. To think the myths and legends she obsessed over in school were real. Better yet, she was living it! She was in the Godlands, living and breathing among other gods. This was all too messed up but in the best way possible.
With a firm grip, Ash pulled Sophie up onto Lumen, nestling her between his thighs.
Calypso whined. “Up you get, buddy.” Ash laughed as Cal made a face that said How dare you take my seat. Sophie laughed too as the hellhound leaned back and launched himself into Sophie’s lap. He landed with a quick lick of Sophie’s face as if to say Fine, I’ll forgive you.
Sophie held the hellhound firmly in her arms, feeling the consistent tap of his flaming tail against her thigh. Her back was flush against Ash’s torso. Leaning back, she looked up at him. “Where are we off to?” She smiled.
Ash leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for you, Starlight.”
Did he just— Is my chest tightening? Wait. WAIT.
Before she could say anything, Ash launched them all into the sky, winding up and up. The air brushed harshly against her skin as they careened past the waterfall on the Isle, and instead of plummeting down like they did before, they spiralled up. As they flowed through the orangey-pink sunset sky, Sophie stretched out a hand so she could rake her fingers through the clouds as they passed.
“Do you think you’ll ever get tired of this?” Sophie’s voice was all light, airy.
As she leaned back again, Ash sighed with content, pushing even closer with his thighs and chest. He looked down at her, his expression soft and simply said, “Never.”
“The Elysian Fields,” Ash informed.
They circled just above the Elysian Fields – an expanse of golden grass and trees upon a floating island. Through its centre, a lake of golden water flowed, spilling over the island’s edges. Sophie spotted small boats carrying transparent souls across the water. From their vantage point, they watched as boats docked momentarily, allowing the souls to corporealise and move onto the surrounding fields. Through its own volition, the unmanned boats moved across the water, flowing over the other end of the lake. The process continued effortlessly with the steadiness of a ticking clock.
“It’s where the souls of those who die come to rest, right?” Sophie asked as she watched as souls continue through the lake.
“Just the worthy ones,” Ash corrected. He banked left, carrying them away from the Elysian Fields.
“Oh, we’re not heading down there?”
“Nope.” Again, he popped that p.
There. Coming into view was a smaller floating island, only a few hundred metres wide. Overlooking the Elysian Fields, the smaller island had the same golden grass. In the centre, crested upon a small hill and in the shape of crescent moon, sat a cluster of golden trees. Ash guided Lumen down onto the small island, slowly spiralling downward. They landed softly, Lumen’s body jolting them a little. Lumen trotted to a halt as they landed on top of the hill, shaking his pure white wings, before stretching them high. With grace and years of practise, Ash slid off the side of Lumen. Sophie followed, hiking a leg over and sliding down one side of the arion with no grace whatsoever. She hung onto Lumen like a frazzled possum as her feet dangled in the air. Before she knew it, Ash’s strong hands braced her hips and gently guided her to the ground.
“Thanks,” Sophie murmured.
Cal interrupted the exchange with a loud, impatient bark. “Go on then.” Ash smiled, pointing down the hill. Cal obeyed his master’s command and bolted across the island in a serious case of zoomies.
Sophie let out a small laugh, watching him. She’d have to find a way to steal Calypso from Ash, that was for sure. Cal was too darned cute. Sophie looked around, taking in the golden grass, the way the soft breeze danced over it. It was quiet, the reverent kind. “Where are we?” Sophie felt like she needed to whisper.
“Officially, the Meadow of Mainn or the Meadow of Yearning . . .” Ash said, looking down the golden hill over to the Elysian Fields. “Unofficially, my secret sanctuary.” Ash turned to Sophie, grinning.
Sophie didn’t realise when it happened, but she was standing so close to Ash. The back of her arm grazing his chest. She took a half-measured step back.
Clean slate.
The sun had finally set, leaving a pink-and-orange glow in the sky. The sky around them was cloudless and the heat of the Godlands summer had cooled. Without a word, Ash started to move down the hill.
“Wait, where are you going?” Sophie called out.
“Come sit with me.” He looked back at her with a handsome smile, his hand reaching out to her.
Sophie eyed his hand suspiciously and walked past him, a smirk upon her face.
“Oh, above chivalry, are we?” Ash shook his head, a small laugh escaping those perfect lips.
Perfect lips? Just lips. Normal lips. Very normal lips.
“Something like that.” It was meant to sound snarky but instead it came out somewhere between a strangled cry and a squeak. It was the sound of her resolve quaking at the knees and it most certainly had nothing to do with the fact that Ash carried her in his hulking arms across the city, cocooned her in blankets and made her a damned nausea tonic. Or the way he had, since the very moment she arrived in the Godlands, been thoughtful. It was Ash the entire time. Cute, crocheted gifts. Food appearing at the most impeccable time. Snacks, placed swiftly in her hand before she even knew she wanted food. A fireplace that replenished magically. Words of encouragement when training felt a little too hard. Well, the term encouragement was a loose term but still, it was Ash the entire fucking time.
Sophie plopped herself onto the soft, golden grass, leaning back on her hands. Ash followed closely, leaving just enough space between them. Together, they watched as the boats carrying souls worked their way through the lake – up, over and off the floating island. Up, over, off. What a breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Elysian Fields.
After a few beats of silence, Sophie asked, “How did you happen upon this place? Your little sanctuary.” She dared look at Ash. He was leaning back on one hand, one knee propped up on the grass and his other elbow resting across it. His dark shirt showcased a sliver of his muscled chest, his white wings rested high above him and his dark hair blew on the softest of breezes. A dark angel upon golden grass. He was a piece of art that belonged in the damned Sistine Chapel.
That is so unfair. No one’s allowed to look that good.
“This place . . .” Ash struggled to find the right words. “It’s a bittersweet place. You can only step foot on the Elysian Fields if you are soul but, if you’re another being, you cannot. You’re forced to watch the souls of your loved ones arrive in the fields from afar. From here, in the Meadow of Yearning.”
“Hence the name.” Sophie paused. “So you can’t just see your loved one in Soul City?”
“Not every soul wants to leave the Elysian Fields. Perhaps they’re waiting for someone else to arrive and didn’t want to chance missing them. Perhaps they enjoy the peaceful afterlife there and can’t be swayed by the contemporary afterlife in Soul City.”
“So over time people just forgot about this place, and what, gave up waiting for their loved ones?”
“Precisely.” With a heavy sigh, Ash laid back onto the ground, his hands casually resting underneath his head.
“That’s sad,” Sophie said softly.
“Isn’t it . . .” Ash agreed.
Sophie looked at Ash. She really looked at him. And she scoffed. Just a little tiny one. On one hand, Ash was a fear-inducing, war-hammer wielding, take-shit-from-no-one godly being. And on the other hand, Ash was a sweet angel emo-boy who found solace in the bittersweetness of yearning. She wanted to scruff his hair and tease laughter from him, knowing underneath his steely exterior was a soft side. He made her feel warm, he made her feel . . . Sophie didn’t want to finish the thought. Instead, she opted for an age-old game that stoked the nostalgia in her. “Last one to the bottom of the hill is a rotten egg! No wings or it’s cheating!” Sophie cawed, a bright burst of laughter coming out.
She launched herself off the grass and pushed her legs. They felt strong. Stronger than they’d ever been.
“You—” Ash didn’t finish as he pushed himself off the grass, sprinting after Sophie.
She could feel the steady beat of his feet, pounding on the earth below. The air was crisp and the view ahead was unbelievable. She was here in the freaking Godlands and her heart was soaring. It finally felt like she belonged somewhere, and it was here. That much she knew.
Ash whisked passed her without any effort, his wings firmly tucked behind him. He turned back to smirk at Sophie as he passed her.
Oh, no you won’t.
Sophie sped up, not wanting to lose the race. Who said she was going to play nice? Sophie leapt up, using her mana to propel her into the air. She crashed into Ash’s back, taking a hold of his broad shoulders and dragged him down with her. With unrestrained laughter, they tumbled down the hill – a mess of limbs and linen. They came to a soft stop at the base of the hill. The moon turned brightly in the sky above them, casting a divine glow on Ash as Sophie landed firmly on top of him. She quickly rolled off him, lying just by his side in the curve of his outstretched wing, breathless.
“Beat you,” Ash breathed.
“Did not!” Sophie laughed between breaths.
“I hit the ground first. You just landed on top of me. It’s a clear win.”
They both watched the night sky above, not daring to look at one another as their breaths slowly stabilised.
The magnet inside her, the one that was drawn to Ash, pulled her onto her side. Ash remained looking up in the sky, a small content smile across his face. The moonlight glow caressed every angle of his face, and Sophie found herself envious. To touch every perfect angle, every nook, every bump? How lucky.
“Thank you,” Sophie said softly.
“For what?” Ash was looking at Sophie now. His burning gaze stirred the magnet inside her again.
“For sitting through that interrogation and for taking care of me from the moment you found me in Faery. I know it was all you.”
Ash turned on his back, contemplating, it looked like he was holding back. His words fighting to get out just behind his teeth.
“Listen, what Kaine and I shared was a momentary lapse in judgement made by the broken version of myself. It decimated me. I won’t lie. But a part of me is still trying to make sense of it. A tiny morsel of me is hanging onto the salvageable pieces I saw in him. Surely— Surely, I saw something in him. Something good. I had to have. I think that’s what the truth serum brought forward . . .”
Ash turned to face her again. His eyes, softening. “Sofreya, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. Ever. What I see is someone who sees the good in people. What I see is you and . . .” Ash trailed off.
The air between them frayed with electricity.
“And?” Sophie’s voice was soft and small, hanging on the air between them desperately. Did he feel the magnet too?
A moment passed.
“And you’re crushing my wing.” Ash smirked, holding back a laugh.
Sophie gasped and sat up, purposefully pushing herself against his wing as she did.
“You stupid,”—Sophie whacked him across the arm—“giant”—then she poked him in the stomach—“turtle-dove. I was being vulnerable and you ruined it.” Sophie went in for the kill, moving to poke him in the chest when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer so that her head rested upon his chest and her legs intertwined with his.
Her breath had escaped her entirely as she lay against his expanse of muscles. Sophie looked up, a question waiting to be asked on the tip of her tongue.
“I’m calling in the favour you owe me.” Ash didn’t look at her, instead he watched the night sky.
He tapped his chest. The sound running through her. She knew what he was asking. Sophie laid back down on his chest, her hand upon his beating heart. She had almost forgotten about it. The favour she owed him for letting her train with the Tienthan.
“And what would that be?” Sophie asked softly, joining Ash in watching the revelry of the night sky.
“Stay with me. Just for a little while.”