Fleeting on Dragonfly Wings

Another Cycle Around the Sun

When we got back, I met with Zephyr. He told me these spots were going to fade. He mentioned that he was glad to see I was back together. I thought the comment was odd. I didn't put much stock into it. 

I stayed in Salvador's room until he left on a mission with Aelianna and Nox. That was the first time in a month I had to stay alone in my room. It felt so empty. I looked under my bed, expecting to find something lurking, but it was unoccupied. I couldn't escape the hollow feeling inside myself. I clutched onto Sal's necklace to get me through the night. What did he call it? A Megladon? I don't know. The two days until he returned were painstaking. 

Before I knew it, it was Aradil, the month of rain. The month of Sal's cycleday. We celebrated by having a picnic and sensual sex out in the woods by the Blackwater Grund on one of the drier days. It was thrilling, what with the possibility of getting caught even though no one lived there anymore. 

Days spun by after that. Missions, relaxing with Salvador, finishing another section of books in the Delta Ace library, eating, sleeping, sex with Sal. Before I knew it, it was the first day of Juniper. Juniper's fifteenth day brought the blood moon, a phenomenon that indicated the day to plant crops in all of Newartic. The larger moon turned a brilliant red; the smaller moon turned orange. It was so weird considering they were blue and green, respectively. 

I wasn't having any more strange gaps in my memory. The time just moved so quickly before I was conscious of it once more. Things had been going fine for us, although our team had lost one member to graduation, one to death. All that was left was Aelianna, me, Salvador, Kane, and Alton. We were going to get another round of new members within the next month or so. I wondered who all it would bring.

When I woke up on the fifteenth of Juniper, I decided I wanted a bath. I turned on the hot water and let the tub fill before I got undressed and sunk in. This late in the morning, fae passed in and out of here, never dwindling for long. It was the bath room, after all. Back here were just open baths and showers. Only I was crazy enough to shower in the late morning.

I waited until I was alone to bend my legs, sinking my head below the water. I willed myself to open my eyes. It was strange in the water. It was quieter, yet every sound was amplified by a hundred. I saw a head appear above me. I broke through the surface. If not because I was completely naked, it was also a fear that they would see what lived on my leg. 

"Good morning," Avery smirked as I coughed.

"Fuck off, Nixie bitch," I heaved. 

"Glad to see I won't have to drown you this time," he tussled my hair.

"Leave me alone," I hissed.

One day. I wanted just one day.

I blinked that thought away. Not here. Not again.

"Is it your cycleday?" He grinned.

I was born under the blood moon.

"Perhaps," I leaned back. 

"Well, happy cycleday, either way," Avery floated off. 

It felt weird. Again, with the weirdness. I wanted it to go away. I scrubbed at my hair. I was gentle with washing my body. I wasn't delicate. I wasn't going to break. I was being kind to myself. For what? I decided not to dwell long in the bath after that. I wasn't sure what was going on. I tightened my towel around my waist, heading back to my room for clothes.

"Mornin', darlin'," Sal wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground.

"Put me down!" I demanded, scratching at his arms. "How did you even know I was here?"