I put the tray of food down and glance behind me, half expecting Zyntarr to be standing there watching me like he’d set this up as a surprise.
Picking up the gold, I place it on my open palm to get a better look. It’s not thick or chunky - more like an open bangle. The outer edge is decorated with little chips of lifestones that glow as I run my fingertip over them. There’s also a crude design etched onto it - little…daisies?
Something spikes in my chest. My fingers come up to cover my mouth as I inhale a sharp lungful of air.Daisies?Did… did he have this made to represent my Daisy? Little Daisy Fields? Like the daisies I’d drawn in the sand?
I pick up the flare now, almost pocketing it instantly so that I can take it to Rynn and avoid a big fall out over the missing piece of tech. But one of the sides of the little black cube has blinking lights on. I’m not sure what that means… or why Zyntarr would even have this?
When I press my finger over the flashing lights, the cube makes an electronic humming sound, and the small projected image of my Zyntarr pours out from the top like a ghostly jack-in-the-box.
The image of Zyntarr is talking. I can see his lips moving. But I can’t hear what he’s saying.
Vaguely remembering that there are certain hand movements I can make to command the flare to do various things, I wave my palm through the projection of my man. The little Zyntarr made of light rewinds and starts playing the recording again - still no sound. I try again, this time waving my hand up through the image, like I’m dragging the volume up with me.
It works this time.
“This is not a happy choice that I have made, my little Bea, but I-”
What? Wait!
Frantically, I rewind Zyntarr’s image again.
“Bea… if I am capturing my reflection correctly with this thing, you will hear my words. And, if you are watching now, you will have found me gone.” My heart starts thumping madly in my chest. “I have left you with your own daughter band, to honor your daughter back in your homelands. As you know, we Trixikka wear these daughter bands on our tails for our female younglings that we will never embrace. I only felt it fair that you should have this for your Day-Zee, also.”
I lift the band and brush the metal with my thumb. But… I still don’t understand. Why isn’t he here to tell me this?
“I wanted to give this band to you myself this day, but I was afraid that if I saw your face again, I would not have the strength to do what is needed,” the floating, holographic Zyntarr continues. “Bea, I cannot stay and watch as another male claims you as his mate-”
What is he talking about? I shake my head at the mini-Zyntarr.
“The Goddesses do not always speak to us in voices. Sometimes they take something away to make us see moreclearly,” he says, his hand coming up to rest on his bandaged chest.
“No,” I whisper back to the unhearing, unseeing Zyntarr.
“My heart-stars were not taken from me by chance, little Bea. They were taken so that I would finally see what I was too hopeful to accept, and you-…” Zyntarr sighs. “You guard your choosing with both hands and I do not blame you for it. It is your right….but it is also your answer.”
I feel my chest crack open at listening to his words - words I can’t argue, I can’t rebuke, I can’t answer.
“My beautiful little Bea,” he smiles, the scarring on his face making the smile uneven. “I cannot watch you always seek stars that I cannot give you.”
I let out a quiet sob, the vision of the Zyn hologram going blurry.
“Let your true mate come to cherish you now. I will not stand in his way, but I cannot witness it. If I stay, I will spend every moment thinking of new and painful ways to break him,” the projected Zyn manages another, half-smile. “So I will take part in our tribe’s exchange this day. I will stay with Zarriko, and pray to the Goddesses that you find those stars that light up brightly, so that you will know beyond doubt that it is what is right… Be… behappy, little Bea. That is all I wish for.”
The projection of Zyntarr disappears, and even though the life-stones still glow, it feels like I’ve been left in the dark.
My eyes scan the space before me like I can gain a better understanding of the situation from the emptiness of the hut.
Zyntarr… left?
Because of me.
Because he thought-
Because I wasn’t clear-
Because he thinks I’m still waiting for his heart-stars.
“No. No, no, no.” I grip the daughter band and the flare in my hand, and run out into the village. With my heart in my throat I disrupt the first group of Trixikka I come across. “Take this to Rynn,” I say, thrusting the flare into the chest of one of them. “Tell him I’ve gone to Zarriko’s village on the exchange.” The male frowns down at the little black cube in his big hand. “Quickly!” I command, turning to another male. “How strong are your wings today?” I ask him. The male puffs up his chest and extends his wings as if he’s trying to impress me. “Good,” I nod, reaching up to loop my arms around his neck so he can hoist me into his arms. “Because you’re taking me to my mate.”
