I stared, slack-jawed and unblinking. Rissa looked like what she was, a goddess. Resplendent. Powerful. Utterly breathtaking.
Gazing upon the divine made flesh silenced me for a moment, beholding Rissa in her truest, most magnificent form.
Then I yelled, "Rissa, are you okay?"
She didn't respond, still hovering above the waves. The glow around her intensified, pulsing like a living thing. I couldn't tear my gaze away, even as panic clawed at my insides.
What if this sudden infusion of power was too much for her? What if it consumed her, leaving nothing behind but an empty shell? I couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
Oh no. I…cared for her.
I gripped the railing, my mind racing with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. But then, a realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. These were Rissa's powers. They were a part of her, not some foreign entity. She would be fine. She had to be.
As if in response to my thoughts, Rissa began to float toward the boat, her movements graceful and fluid. She landed on the deck with the elegance of a dancer, her eyes fluttering open as if waking from a deep slumber.
I stared at her, transfixed. Rissa had always been beautiful, but now there was something ethereal about her. The power that radiated from her was intoxicating, like a heady perfume that I couldn't get enough of.
But the power was an enhancement of the desire I felt for the woman. Her fierce intelligence, her biting wit, her unshakable loyalty, those drew me to her. This power was just icing on the cake, a delicious bonus.
I wanted to sidle up to her, to bask in the warmth of her power, to let it wash over me like a comforting blanket. It was a sensation I’d never experienced before, a craving that went beyond the physical.
"Rissa," I breathed, taking a step towards her. "You’re... incredible."
She looked at me, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. "You ain't seen nothing yet.”
Her lips curved into a regal smile and the breeze caught her hair, fanning it in a perfect cloud around her.
Clapping sounded behind me. I glanced back and saw Rey applauding furiously. He waved a napkin with a number 5 written on it.
Rissa flicked her fingers and the napkin shredded into tiny fragments.
I chuckled, shaking my head in amazement. Even during this overwhelming display of power, Rissa was still Rissa. Sharp-tongued, quick-witted, and utterly irresistible.
Rissa turned and fixed her gaze on Jeanette standing by Rey. Her face darkened, her skin beginning to glow with an otherworldly light. She pointed an accusatory finger at Jeanette.
"Formless one!" Rissa hissed.
I stared at Jeanette in shock. "What?"
My mind reeled. How could Jeanette, my sister and loyal friend for centuries, be one of the creatures we hunted?
Jeanette's delicate features contorted into a mask of fear and confusion. "I don't understand. What is she talking about?"
I shook my head, unable to process the revelation. Rissa's power was undeniable, her ability to sense the formless ones unquestionable. But Jeanette? It couldn't be.
"There must be some mistake," I said, my voice thin with shock. "Jeanette's not one of them."
Rissa's eyes narrowed, the glow of her skin intensifying. "You think I'd make a mistake about something like this? I can see it, Luce. The darkness inside her, the shapeless void that defines the formless ones."
I looked at Jeanette, searching her face for any hint of deception. But all I saw was the same soul I'd always known.
"Jeanette, tell me it's not true," I pleaded, my heart sinking.
She shook her head vehemently. “I swear, I have no idea what she's talking about. I'm not a formless one. I couldn't be!"
The air crackled with tension. The power emanating from Rissa clashed with the aura of fear surrounding Jeanette.
I stood between them, torn and confused. I wanted to believe Jeanette, to trust in the bond we'd forged over centuries. But Rissa's confidence left no room for uncertainty.
