Since she can’t lie, and all that.
Because she’s afaerie.
?
Castor
Fire reminds me of Pollux.
Not because he’s the one who tears up and destroys anything he touches. Not because he’s violent, or all-consuming, or particularly fond of the chaos he no doubt witnesses in the dream plane.
Just because, once, his heart was breaking, and instead of going to ourshining friend Cael…he came to me.Firewas all I could think of to help burn his pain away. So fire is what we started. And the crackle is what I listened to while he cried nearme, his claws biting his flesh as deep breaths raked through his chest.
In those days, I was not the best at comfort.
In those days, I could hardly understand why Pollux cared that most people he met ran screaming from him. Fear was fun. Chaos was delightful. It was all one big game of pawns and power. Andfear, I thought, was a dreadfully covetous ability to have.
Certainly more fun thandeath.
Even filled with selfish thoughts and pitifully unable to understand where my friend was coming from, I knew the fact Polly had gone tomein his time of need meant something. Something great. I treasure those moments of his pain. I treasure that he was willing to give them to me over everyone else in the world…
And, well—apparently—the me of the past actuallyisn’tthe worst in the world when it comes to comforting ineptitude.
“Xios, if you don’t stop laughing, I may very well throw myself into this pathetic fire.” Which would, one should note, do nothing but provide appropriate dramatics. One of the “perks” of being a basilisk is a body similar to stone. My flesh neither burns nor grows particularly warm without help.
Sucking in a breath, Alexios coughs, covering an audible laugh, and—clearly smiling—says, “What makes you think I’m laughing?”
“I can feel the vibrations of your body even when you subdue the noise,” I mutter.
Heat pours from the controlled flames sitting in one of Zahra’s backyard fire pits amid the medieval town she has constructed to facilitate our Live Action Role Play days.
It is actually depressing how minuscule and restrained the poor licking flames are.
I was hoping for something bigger. Like a pallet bonfire.
Or abuilding.
I’m certain the bookstore downtown would go up quite swiftly…
I’d love to set that place ablaze for numerous reasons. Primarily, I’m interested in how Willow and Alana would consider me after such a heinous crime. Would they forgive me for such a wicked act? Would it matter?
After all,Alice“works” there.
I’d be dead before I could so much as witness their reactions.
Heck, I’d be dead before I could so much as light the match.
Putting effort into composing himself, Alexios clears his throat. “So. You forgot to tell Dani you two were soulmates, huh?”
A shudder works its way up my back, so I cross my arms in my sleeves and hope to hold in the warmth before me. “I thought I had told her, but my mind has been a jumble of nonsense ever since I got within a foot of her. She’s mysoulmate, Xios.Mine. She’s here. With me. And I…I can hardly believe this is happening.Yet I forgot to tell her the most important part.”
“A real shame.”
I am going to stab him. “You arenothelping.”
“You woke me up in the middle of the night to vent about being embarrassed. You will excuse me if I’m not being overly altruistic.”
I huff. “Right. Of course. You were cuddling with your pretty star nymph. Why would I matter? When, pray tell, did you even take her humanity and make her fully fae?”
