I’m soaring.
Not metaphorically. Physically. At least, that’s what it feels like.
I’m not in my own body.
Instead, I’m miles above the ground, looking down on buildings and rooftops with veins of streets snaking between them, everything small and doll-like, and feeling the rush of air as I sweep through it all.
A sense of freedom I didn’t know existed fills me.
The rain is pouring, rain that falls from odd-coloured clouds, but I do not care. The water slides off my wings without impact.
Without warning, my vision swoops down, and I plummet towards one of the buildings. For a split second, I think I’m going to collide with the roof, but I slow just in time, and the rush of air lessens as I draw to a complete stop.
I’m on a windowsill, I realise, peering in through the glass.
It takes me a moment to realise what I’m looking at. Or rather, who.
Me, in Benny’s arms. As I watch, he places me on a sofa.
‘Rose!’ Benny shouts my name in pure panic as he jostles my shoulders, gently at first, and then harder. When he moves to shake me for a third time, the motion ripples through my body and I open my eyes to find his face inches from mine.
The weight is instant,as if my body is made of lead, when only moments ago it was feather-light. And the pressure in my chest – the one that has refused to leave for longer than I can remember – returns. For a moment, I felt … free.
‘Thank the Gods,’ Benny gasps. ‘You’re back.’
‘I … I …’ I begin but then fall silent. Rather than trying to respond, I turn my head to the great glass window that looks out onto the courtiers’ arc, not sure what I’m expecting to see. But there is nothing.
‘I’m okay. It was just the shock, that’s all,’ I finally manage as I push away from Benny and twist around so that I’m sitting up … and looking straight at my sister.
‘Your eyes.’ Kay swallows, her eyes wide and harsh with suspicion. ‘They were white, Rose. What did you do?’
‘What didIdo?’
Silence sweeps the room, so tense I can feel it burning into the marrow of my bones. Is she really going to start accusing me of things when she’s the one who turned up here wearing bloody wedding rings? It doesn’t matter how glad I am to see her, this side of my sister is getting harder and harder to deal with, and I find myself in desperate need of someone to interject before I say something I won’t be able to take back.
As if reading my thoughts, Benny steps into the void. ‘Rose, honey, I don’t want to be the one to mansplain your own powers to you … but … maybe you need to take a moment. Take a few breaths.’
I turn to my friend, unsure what he’s talking about until I notice his breath hovering in the air. The temperature has dropped to freezing, yet I hadn’t noticed.
The windows, I realise with a start, are all glazing over with ice.
Fuck.
‘We need to talk about this,’ Jonas interjects, but before I can tell him this is none of his business and he needs to kindly fuck off, Summer appears in the doorway with a look of surprise on her face.
‘Lady Rose … you have guests! Is there anything I can do?’
My sister swivels around to face the maid. ‘Who are you?’
‘This is Summer,’ I stress her name, ‘our new help. She’s been wonderful, assisting me greatly.’ Unlike some who just fucked off and got married.
Offering the maid what I hope she knows is a genuine smile, I reply to her initial question. ‘Perhaps you could prepare us all some dinner?’ I suggest. I’m keen to get her out of the room before she spots the ice on the window.
‘Of course, m’lady. I’ll clear the dining room.’ She bobs a curtsey that makes me grimace and then bustles off.
Silence follows. Silence I have no intention of breaking.
‘So we should probably talk about it,’ Jonas begins.
