#malithra

Painted red lips pulled into a smirk as Ari leaned against the tower’s gray walls, her dark eyes pinning her in place. “Are we really still going to play this game? How long are you going to pretend we’re not on the same side, Mal? Is your pride really that valuable to you?” 

She turned away. A muscle in her jaw twitched as she stepped out of reach, hands gripping the railing and eyes cast down to the still waters below. “We’re not on the same side. You know that.”

They didn’t dare to look back at the derisive snort behind them, or the click of heels. Their back straightened as her hand brushed their hair behind an ear, hot breath tickling the sensitive skin. “Do I?” She whispered. “Aren’t we?” Her arms settled on either side of them. Trapped them. 

Fae’s Reach cut through the brown rocks below, as if some giant being had taken a precise blade to the land long ago to carve the peninsula in two. Perhaps something had, when the world splintered.

“All we have is each other now,” Ari continued, knife pressed to the threads of her resolve. “You need me.”

Her knuckles tightened on the guard. “We can’t get out of this, you know that.”

“We could. Come on, you know we’re stronger together. That was the plan from the start, remember?”

 “We made our choices.”

The laugh is cruel and cold and harsh against their ear, like the wind against their face. “Choices? We? I didn’t have any such thing, don’t you remember? You though, you got yours.” There’s that note of longing again. A crack in the facade. But it's covered by her cold laugh again, “The great Malithra, choosing to walk away like you were so much better than me. And now you’re back. Playing the good little pet just like the rest of us.”

“What do you want me to say Ari?”

Crashing like waves echo in their ears, though oddly, the water is perfectly calm, and it seems to come from somewhere deep within them. Can she hear it too?

“I want you to admit it.”

“What? That I need you? Never. Because I don’t.”

“That some part of you missed this. The game, us, me. They swallowed.

That’s why she had brought her here, was it? Dragged her back to the place they had first met, offered up poisoned offers on a silver platter as if they were simple solutions she was being too stupid to reach out and take, all in some last ditch effort to regain what they’d been.

She turned to face her, tilted her head up to meet those dark eyes. “Never.”

Ari had the gall to grin, like a wild cat that had just got its prey. “Liar.”

In a few quick steps, and ignoring the scoffs of people who didn’t get out of her way fast enough, her gloved hand plucked the drink from Ari’s.

“Hey, I wasn’t done with that,” the protest half slurred.

“You are now. You’re drunk,” she said cooly, not looking at her, as she passed it to the other person.

“Jealous?”

They ignored her to glower at the other person. “Take this and leave us.” When no movement was made, they bared sharp teeth and added, “Now.”

Quickly, the yellow suit and its owner vanished into the swirling colors of the party’s crowd.

Ari gasped. “You are, aren’t you!” The sway and slur having disappeared with her mark.

Rolling her eyes, she scoffed. “Oh please. I’d rather not have to explain your murder or imprisonment, attempted or otherwise, again.”

“Darling, you know you can’t lie to me.” Her breath was hot on her ear as her body pressed closer. A line of warmth she wasn’t used to, even through the layers of their clothing. But then it was gone as she plucked another glass off a passing tray. “Did you get what we needed?”

“Of course.”

“Wonderful, then we can have some fun!”

“I’ve already drawn the line at possible imprisonment and murder.”

“Have to get caught for that, and it was only mine,” she winked, linking their arms. “But alas, that’s not what I meant tonight. I have something to show you.”

It would be easy to pull out of her grasp. Ari might have been taller and slightly stronger, but they’d always been faster and knew where to aim, and getting them out of whatever scheme she’d cooked up had always been her specialty.

The warmth was back. Her other hand rested over theirs, tapping out things that might have had meaning if they paid attention. Each step they took guided them away from the swelling music, idle chatter, and sea of swaying bodies.

Of course, they’d helped to plan at least half of those schemes. 

They smiled.

Heels clicked on the ground as they walked, farther and farther from the party. Around them, the lights grew dimmer. Clearly this was not a place guests were expected to see. Still, she remained silent on where they were going exactly. Dramatic as ever.

They reached a pair of windowed doors, leading out into the dark night, and Ari pulled them open with a dramatic flourish, before putting her hands over her eyes.

“Ari..”

“Oh hush and trust me, would you please?” Her lips were practically pressed to her ear.

With thundering heart, she let herself be guided out into the fresh and warm air.

“Put your hands on the railing darling. And open your eyes.”

Her eyes opened, and her heart stopped.

Glassfeld was a cold and harsh place to live, with its sunless months and unending snow. Expanses of nearly unending white broken only by dark water had been her home and the only thing she had ever known in her early life. Wrapped in its furs and walls made of ice, that’s all she’d thought there was. Even the stories of travelers seemed utterly fantastical.

Her years away had shown her so much more than she’d ever dared to dream. And she’d assumed it was lost to her forever.

In a way, it was. That freedom she’d longed for, to explore the forests filled with so many more so much taller plants than she’d ever seen, the golden sands under a burning sun she’d never felt in Glassfeld, the jewel and stone encrusted palaces and village filled with colors, and everywhere else she had yet to even hear of, for as long as she wanted, was gone.

Chained away just out of reach by the ribbon around her skin and the mark it left on her soul.

But she still could experience them again, if even just for these stolen moments. And none had captivated her quite as much as the flowers.

Under the balcony, an expanse of them stretched out toward the distant city, planted in rows of enticing colors.

Grabbing their hand, Ari led them down and started down the stairs and towards the field, and helplessly, they followed after.

The sweet air was almost heady the closer they got. The closest flowers were a deep red and pink, almost waist high, and with layers of petals. Native to this Shard, and a valuable export for perfumes, certain tonics, and in her more illicit cases, poison.

Shedding her gloves, she ran her hands along the soft petals.

“Beautiful,” she breathed reverently.

“You always said your favorite place back in Faedaal was where the flowers grew.”

“You never saw the appeal.” Their eyes didn’t leave the flower as she traced her thumb over the jagged leaves of the stem.

“I’m starting to.” A warm hand turned their head and brushed a strand of white hair behind their ear, placing one of the blooms there and lingering.

“Hey, it’s difficult to grow these.”

“And they won’t miss one.” Her eyes were intent on them, falling slightly lower, lips parted.

Pain flared around their neck, at the same time Ari’s hand pulled back sharply to rub at the ribbon on her wrist.

“Time to go,” they said, taking the flower out. “After you.”

Something dark flickered in her eyes as they dropped to the flower. Then, she was moving before they could decipher it, back turned.

Her white hair had been slicked back from her face into a tight braid with nary a loose strand to fall in her face or risk falling into her precious potions while she worked. The braid was actually lying down her back for the moment, having been unpinned from its usual crown now that she was done for the day, falling past her waist. She was as adamant as any other sharel that it be long and well cared for, the only thing keeping her from following through on threats to cut it when it dared to betray her during the long stretches in the lab.

Her stance makes her seem taller than she is. In reality, she only stands just above the average height of the common Glassfeldian. Not that most of those who interacted with knew her reputation would dare call her common, never to her face where even a raised eyebrow and smile seemed deadly, nor behind her back for fear it would find her ears. The first daughter of arde Vallien had earned her rank and reputation, both through the work she had done to help the Dawvines community, and the rumors. Though the how of how she had gotten this far ahead was better left unanswered. A fact compounded by the scars that marred her snow white skin, almost always on display on her arms, and the thick cloth always wrapped around her right arm just under the elbow. After all, what could she be hiding there if she displayed the scars of her practice freely?

She wore a similar outfit to the one she wore nearly everyday. The white shirt was crisp and devoid of wrinkles save those caused by tightly rolling her sleeves up past her elbows and the cross of her arms. Over that was a red vest. Red was an uncommon color to Glassfeld, but despite the costly price for the deep, rich color, she wore it to her lab regularly. And it stayed unstained and neat, as though afraid of what might happen if it was ever less than perfect.