“Everything in Aeritis has some essence in it. The Goddess has a hand in all our realm,” Savine said. As he walked, he gathered flowers. Avery’s mind slipped back to the last time he’d gathered flowers for her— how she’d crushed those flowers when she couldn’t return to Earth.
“Is the Goddess a sentient being?” Avery asked. She also began gathering flowers in her hands as they continued to walk toward a row of trees that must follow a river.
“Of course she is. There are many who have seen her, and you are here because of her.”
Avery flinched at this. She still didn’t believe in some divine goddess controlling her fate here. But if she was real, Avery fucking hated her for ruining her life.
The only sound was Avery’s footsteps on the ground. For such a large man, Savine was silent as he walked. The slight breeze off the river ahead chilled Avery, and she wished she had her sweater.
“Are you cold?” Savine asked. Before she could reply, he pulled his own shirt off, removing his sword in the process, and handed the shirt to her. His chest and abs were more impressive than she’d thought. The slight pattern under his skin swished in a relaxed beat. Avery had the strangest urge to trace her fingers across his muscles, following the dips and grooves that his essence took.
These gestures. These small kindnesses. What did they mean? Did he have some sort of agenda, or was Savine genuinely trying to be her friend?
“Thank you,” Avery said as she slipped the shirt over her head. It threatened to swallow her up, falling above her knees.
“It looks like my shirt could eat you up,” Savine joked. He plucked a small, white flower that Avery recognized from the bouquet. With a tenderness that made Avery’s heart tighten, Savine tucked the flower behind her ear. As he pulled his hand back, he traced the shell of Avery’s ear with his finger, making her skin tingle.
“Sego lily,” Avery whispered.
Savine looked at her with curiosity.
“The flower. It’s called a sego lily on Earth,” Avery said.
“It reminds me of you, little flower,” Savine said. His eyes were almost unreadable, as if the flower or this moment brought him to a different time entirely. The gaze vanished in an instant as he said, “The river is down here. I often come here to speak to the trees. Go and explore.”
Savine walked to a cottonwood. The leaves showed the faintest hints of yellow amongst the tired, faded green of late summer. Even from a distance, Avery could see the tree stirring to life unnaturally as Savine murmured to it.
Avery walked down to the edge of the river. She took off her shoes and pulled up her pants. The cold, rushing water flowed over her feet, making them ache from the chill. Avery picked up a rock from the riverbed. The smooth stone had an intricate tapestry of purples and blues. Unlike the rocks along the lakeshores of Montana, the rich color lasted, even after it dried. She slid the rock into her pocket.
For the first time all day, her mind was blissfully calm. She didn’t know how Savine sensed she needed to be outside to find comfort, but she could hug him for convincing her to go to the river with him.
Avery stood in the river until her feet were numb. Finally, she stepped out of the crisp water and sat under the shade of a cottonwood tree. The sun sank low behind her. A distant mountain range ahead was washed in the alpenglow's light.
“Avery? Can I join you?” Savine asked.
“Sure,” she said. Savine sat down next to her, close enough for Avery to feel the warmth from him. His bare torso was a work of art. A geographic map of peaks and valleys.
“Do you want another truth?” Savine asked.
Avery gave him a small smile. “If you’re offering one, why not?”
Savine’s face showed some unreadable emotion. “I-I need to be alone a lot. It’s the only way I can clear my head. I carry a lot of responsibility for my people, and in order to make it through each day, I need this time alone. Plus, being around people who don’t carry the same obligations gets… exhausting.”
“Is it a secret if it’s obvious that you’re an introvert?” Avery teased.
“What is an introvert? Another one of your strange words, I suppose,” Savine said. His eyes looked tired, despite the grin on his face.
Avery leaned in closer to Savine. Enough to make her skin prickle from his closeness. “An introvert is someone who needs time away from others to be recharged.”
“Then yes, I am an introvert,” Savine said with a shrug. “I have another secret waiting for you back at the encampment. Should we go back?”
Savine stood up, offering her a hand before he gave her the full bouquet of flowers.
She took them hesitantly. “Why are you doing this?” she asked, squinting at him.
“Doing what?” Savine replied. He was so close to her that the chill in the surrounding air vanished.
“Being nice to me. You don’t like me.”
