Page 5 of In Your Light

“Thank you,” Fyn said graciously. “Shall we go say hello to the river? If we’re lucky, we might catch some sun.”

Hadeom gave him a curious smile. “Sure.”

Fyn walked out first, heading straight for the jetty. “The clouds love the mountain and the coastline,” he said. “It rains plenty⁠—”

He turned to see Hadeom hurrying to pull on his boots, then collect his tea from where he’d placed it on the wooden veranda before he joined Fyn on the jetty.

Fyn smiled, of course, but then he turned his face to the sky and closed his eyes. “Ahh,” he said. “The sun is trying to say hello.”

Hadeom was silent, so Fyn opened his eyes to look at him. His skin was different in the light of day. Perhaps once a warm olive complexion, but it seemed faded now. Pale, as if he hadn’t had a moment in the sun in many, many years. The shadows beneath his eyes were still there, as if the darkness of his eyes had seeped into his skin.

He looked incredibly tired.

He was here to heal, apparently. And Fyn could see now just how much he needed it.

“Do you ever just take a moment to stop and breathe it all in?” Fyn asked.

Hadeom gave him a sidelong glance as he sipped his tea. “Breathe what in?”

“Everything,” Fyn said with a laugh. “Fresh air. Daylight. Life.”

Hadeom almost smiled as if that was utterly ridiculous, but then his smile faded, matching the darkness in his eyes. “Not for a long time.”

Fyn had no idea what Hadeom had been through or what had ruined his spirit so completely, but the darkness he wore was so ingrained, it seemed to come from within.

“Well,” Fyn said brightly. “I’ll be back every second day or so with new supplies. I’ll make sure to take a minute to bring you outside so you can breathe it in with me.”

Hadeom slow blinked as if he needed a moment to let Fyn’s kindness settle around him. And just then, a streak of light broke through the grey cloud cover, and of all the things in the world to shine upon, it chose Hadeom. For one half of a second, sunlight highlighted blues and purples in his black hair the way it would a raven’s feathers. Golden light clung to his long eyelashes like tears, and Fyn was struck by his beauty.

Beauty concealed by a cloak of sadness.

Beauty that needed to see more sunlight, that needed to take a moment from each day just to breathe.

“Is it Pax’s or Cern’s orders to check on me so often?” Hadeom inquired, giving the river a wry smile. “Every two days seems excessive. I certainly don’t expect you to do that on my behalf. I can find my own food, I’m sure.”

Fyn looked around as if what he was about to say was some big conspiracy. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Hadeom’s dark eyes met his. “Sure.”

The intensity of his stare made Fyn’s heart gallop. “I like coming down the mountain,” he whispered. “I like leaving camp, and I love running full speed through the forest, and I like meeting new people. Our camp is kinda small and not very exciting, so it’s fun to get out.”

Hadeom nodded slowly and sipped his tea. “You’re a rule breaker.”

Fyn laughed at that. “Rules, maybe. Laws, no.”

“You have laws?”

“Yes. Laws are for the betterment of our collective. They keep us safe. Rules are...” He shrugged. “Someone’s opinion with the pretence of superiority.”

“Like Pax?”

Fyn took a long drink of his now-cooling tea, mostly to hide his smile. “Something like that. Older brothers can be such a bore.”

Hadeom chuckled, and the sound was so warm and throaty, it skipped over the water like a stone, and Fyn felt the ripples of it on his skin. “Ah, now I see. Siblings.”

Fyn drained his tea, then looked up the river, nodding to the rising wind as it tousled his hair. “The wind is telling me that I should go.”

Hadeom made a face. “You listen to the wind?”