Evermore

Glass

It was later into the evening now. Aconite couldn't tell what time it was or how many hours had passed because she just sat blankly in her glass tomb. It felt like days to her. It was now apparent to her that she was placed under a glass. She barely had enough room to lie down, so she rested against the smooth, cold drink.  The man slept on a nearby pallet, but something was off about him. He just kept coughing and coughing. His hacks kept her awake, and even though he was her captor, she was still worried.
The hacks escalated to wheezing and Aconite could certainly tell something was wrong. His pale skin was now yellow, with his eyes and cheekbones sunken into his skull. Aconite watched anxiously. How much longer could she let this go on? Every loud wheeze made her stomach drop, and she tried to ignore but she just couldn't.
While she had attempted escape multiple times before, she put off using her powers. There was only so much she could use before she became ill again. None of the other nymphs had this problem, but for some terrible reason, she was just born like it.  She looked up at the bottom of the cup and the counter's ledge.
"I can do this." She murmured.
She slipped her fingers under a small opening under the glass, and suddenly vines began to sprout simlestaniously from the ground. They lifted the cup and shattered it against the floor. She was free. She scaled down the counter and sprinted towards the pallet, carefully climbing onto the feathery surface. She approached the man's face.
He was asleep and looked like he was in some terrible nightmare. Sweat dripped from his sallow face, and his breathing was speedy and painful. Aconite hesitantly approached his face. His staggered breath sent a heat wave over her figure, chilling her spine. She placed a hand on his forehead and began to hum a beautiful tune. As soon as she had started, his hand rushed towards his forehead to where she was. She was slammed against it, and she yelped out, immediately stopping her procedure. A loud crunch was heard from her petite body, and the man woke up.
He tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was frantic breaths. He was choking. He held her tightly and sprung up into an upright position. He erratically brought his hand to his neck and dropped Aconite. She grabbed the nearest thing she could hold, his shirt collar. His face began to turn blue as he frantically moved around. Aconite looked down into the skin tone abyss below her and decided she had to do it.
She let go and slid against his bare chest, humming along the way, trying to keep her composure. The spell only worked if she was calm. She pinched his skin, crying, hoping that this worked and she wouldn't be killed either way if he didn't or did survive. By some miracle, she was able to perform the procedure even though her poise was completely gone. His skin began to glow at her touch, and the choking finally subsided.
The man gasped for air, trying to slow his breath.  He reached into his shirt, feeling around for Aconite, who successfully dodged his grabs and escaped the fabric. She hid under a blanket, cowering and hoping he wouldn't suddenly move to find her.
"You- you saved me!" He exclaimed, feeling his throat.
Aconite stayed put; he shifted his leg, bumping her with his foot. Upon the touch, she disappeared more profoundly into the blankets as he lifted them to search for her.
"Why did you- why? I- I owe you my life. I'm so sorry for my treatment earlier. I promise I won't try to capture you again."
Aconite considered, then stayed put, but she hadn't hidden very well, and he grabbed her. Aconite sobbed as she faced this monstrous beast before her.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I would never- I wasn't going to earlier, and I wasn't planning on doing it this morning."
His fleshly digits touched her exposed skin, causing her to cringe. She looked into his gaping mouth as he talked, looking at it with horror.
"My family doesn't have the greatest track record with nymphs, but- god, I am so sorry for being so stupid. That was an ignorant thing to do. Sorry. Sorry."
Aconite spoke up, "The water." Her voice was mousy.
"I didn't hear you."
"The water had a defense where if an adult touches it- they get very ill. It's a sprite's curse." She shook. "Please, sir, don't do anything to me! I want to go home, please." She begged.
"I'm..." He trailed off. "I said I wasn't going to. I'm very sorry for treating you harshly." He crossed his legs and admired her. He was in awe at this nymph. She was unique with lavender skin and deep purple hair; her voice was beautiful even though she wasn't singing. In his eyes, she was a jewel. He brought her closer to his face to inspect her. He noted her arm was bent unnaturally.
"Your arm. Did I hurt you?" He poked her with his other finger. Aconite moved to the end of his digits.
"No! It's fine! It!s fine!" She shook her head. Carefully, he placed his index finger and thumb around her arm, and she looked up at him with terror.
    "It's dislocated; I'll have to put it back into place. Okay?" He spoke to her softly. She nodded as her arm was forced back into position. She yelped as the pain rushed through her body.
    "Sorry! Sorry! I know it hurts." He frowned, taking note of her trembling.
I feel like such an ass, he thought to himself. Aconite wiped her eyes, sniffling, and then looked up at him.
    "I can go. Please, I didn't mean any harm. I didn't. That boy was sitting by the side of the creek, shivering cold. I could help! And I did for a while, then he woke up and snatched me. Please, sir, I didn't mean any harm." She pleaded with him. Her watery eyes locked onto his gaze.
    "I believe you." Those words gave her intense relief.
    "But I you can't go yet. It's too far for you and dangerous. You don't know where you are. I'll take you back in the morning." Aconite sighed. It wasn't the immediate freedom she hoped for, but it was something.
    "For now, it is very, very late at night. I don't have anything for you to sleep in normally, so how about I make something for you."
    Aconite nodded; she wondered why how his behavior had changed so suddenly from previously. The man prepared a teapot for her. The bottom was covered with a soft fabric cut from his old shirts. He carefully tipped Aconite, who, once she was immediately in, went to the farthest point away from him.
    "I forgot to give you my name, er. I'm sorry. You can call me Florian." He offered a smile. Aconite nodded, and Florian awkwardly backed away.
    "Goodnight-"
    "It's Addy."
    "Oh-"
    "Call me Addy."