39. Spar With Me #2
I hover my hands over Ifrinn’s writhing form. Having his tentacles severed must hurt like hellfire melting the skin off his bones. They’ll eventually regrow, but for now the pain must be unbearable. The others watch anxiously as I pour manna into the wounds until he stills and passes out.
"You can bring him to our healer." Zenith frowns, watching me work.
"No need. I've healed him. He just needs rest. Bazrosh, why don't you and Alistair carry him to the tent and watch over him? Archer, Silas, and Rhazien come with me. We need to track down Aleiraah." I motion for them to hurry along. She could be hurt and she's already panicking.
"I saw her run off into the woods." Archer shifts from one foot to another, ready to sprint in that direction.
"Perhaps it's best if you don't go after her so soon." Zenith suggests cautiously and I whirl on him taking a menacing step into his personal space. To his credit, he stands his ground looking at me steadily.
"It's obvious she's triggered by the events from that night, angel.
All of you following her won't make her feel safe right now.
I'll track her and maybe you four can follow at a distance?
But remain out of view. It's for her own good.
Don't be rash, think clearly. Angels are known to be rational after all. " He lifts a brow.
And there's the rub. When it comes to my Azizam, I lose all logic.
My usual calm disappears. I'm like a storm-tossed sea.
I can't see anything beyond, my whole existence revolves around her.
I realized too late the manna, my halo, divine grace, heaven, everything's just background noise.
I thought they're vital to my subsistence, tethering me to reality.
But I couldn't be more wrong. Her pain from moments back speared through my soul.
She's my unshakable Aleiraah. Seeing her this afraid—it gutted me.
I realize I'm wasting precious time in evaluating my life choices as Zenith waits for my answer. Stepping back I motion for him to lead the way. He appears a bit surprised at first, but eventually leads us into the forest.
Aleiraah
The sound of tinkling bells breaks through the remnants of the fog clouding my mind. I kept hearing voices, but there's no one around. Slowly I open my eyes, my limbs feel like limp noodles. I manage to sit up on the third attempt and a tiny fluffy white bird perches on my raised knee.
The pretty bird has me smiling in quiet wonder as it tilts its downy head, watching me with intelligent black eyes. Her small body is fluffy and round. She chirps––the sound of tinkling bells, and swishes her slightly longer tail.
"You befriended a snow fairy." Zenith says, standing a few paces away. Startled at the sound of his voice, my head whips in his direction. The bird flies off, perching on a low tree branch nearby.
And it all comes rushing back. Rinn's severed tentacles dissolving in smoke, the look of alarm on everyone's face.
Fuck! Did I end up maiming Rinn? Is he ok? They must surely hate me now, if they hadn't before.
The air seems in short supply again as Zenith inches closer. I rub at my chest but the wheezing doesn't stop.
Just then the bird flaps her snowy wings and hovers in front of my face, chirping wildly. The sweet sound of tinkling bells snaps me out of my panic and I focus on her delicate features. She perches on my knee again until my breaths calm down.
I cup my hands and the snowfairy lands on my palms, releasing a delighted chirp. As I rub a finger on her downy head she settles deeper into my palm.
"How are you feeling, Aleiraah?" Zenith asks carefully, watching the interaction between me and the snowfairy.
"Better, now." I croak, distracted by the snowfairy. Such an apt name for the fluffy white bird.
He extends his hand and that's when I realize that I'm still sitting on the forest floor. I look at the unfamiliar surroundings then stand up, grabbing his hand.
"Sorry, it was a lot. I—" I begin to apologize, but Zenith interrupts reassuringly, "No need, Aleiraah.
And don't worry, Ifrinn would be fine. Azael healed him.
He's resting at the moment. But you'd better let the healer take a look at you.
" I start to shake my head but he pins me with a firm look, "For my peace of mind. Please."
I nod reluctantly and the charming little bird chirps. An immediate sense of peace washes over me at the sweet sound. She shakes her feathers out and skips to perch on my shoulder.
"It's rare for a snowfairy to be in these parts. And even rarer for them to interact this closely with supernaturals." Zenith comments, frowning.
"Why?"
"They're considered harbingers of great change." He says slowly as if puzzling out something in his mind.
"And immortals are generally averse to change." I remark, frowning.
"Shall I call you Snow?" I ask the bird perched on my left shoulder and she chirps twice rustling her feathers.
"Hmm." Zenith watches the delicate bird thoughtfully.
"Before you wonder, I collected Mooncleaver using moth-silk to trap it." Zenith comments dryly and pats my hand when he feels me stiffen. I wonder if I'll be able to use that weapon anytime soon given the carnage it left behind.
"Don't think about it now." He says soothingly looking at my face. "Everything will work out in due time." Zenith grabs my elbow as I wobble and leads me back toward the castle. My limbs hurt, but it's my heart that hurts more.
Rhazien
I was tracing through the forest in all directions looking for Aleiraah like a crazed vampire, when Archie howled. Azael had been flying overhead trying to spot her, but the forest canopy was proving unhelpful. Silas was following a different trail until Archie howled.
We gathered near him, his pale silver fur ruffled by the forest breeze. Zenith stood a little far ahead looking at something.
That's when I noticed Aleiraah lying curled up on the forest floor several feet away. Her leather breeches along with the shirt and corset top were torn in places. Like she'd stumbled through thorny bushes. Her face looked unnaturally pale, her red plait having come undone.
We moved as one, but the soft chime of a bell froze us in place. Zenith signaled to stop—he knows this forest better than us. Aleiraah woke, and in no time, the little bird and my Love were bonded.
Silas is visibly surprised, since this is Nephilim territory. We’re far from his pack lands, yet a snowfairy bird native to his home is here.
The relief at finding Aleiraah is overwhelming. I want to take her in my arms, make sure she's well. But I've not earned that right yet. Especially after witnessing her meltdown.
Zenith gestures for us to hide. We reluctantly do so and it seems like the right decision as Aleiraah again slips into a panic attack only to resurface, courtesy of the fluffy white ball of feather.
Today proved how deep her scars run. Every glare, every harsh word is just armor. Her way of keeping us from seeing how much she’s broken inside.
But no matter, I vow to bring the old Aleiraah back. Because right now, she might be a mess, but she's our mess.
Ifrinn
My whole body is a mass of agony. The tentacles are an extension of me. When that round steel sliced through them I felt the severance to my soul.
They might appear like smoke, but they're solid to the touch. With each sliced tentacle it felt like someone had taken a whip to my soul. Fiery lash upon lash detonating within my body.
But before this agony, came another pain etched with horror. When I saw the axe flying at my Flame because of my reflexes, my heart stopped beating for a moment. Thankfully I was able to get her out of the way in time.
My only regret is putting that mix of terror and disgust on her heart shaped face when I held her aloft with my tentacles. My poor Flame must have remembered that night.
"S..orry, Flame. I didn't...mean to touch you with my tentacles. I..I'll chop them all away...you never have to look at them again." I manage to mumble.
I feel something cool rush in my veins muting the fiery pain. Must be Azael, healing my worthless body. I want to open my eyes, see if she is okay, but my lids feel too heavy. With her name on my lips, darkness pulls me under.