The sounds of dying music swells through the small village, carried by the winds that have cascaded down into the valley. The hour is late, so very late, and said musicians are definitely on their last leg before they slump over their instruments or try walking home.
Rinley, on the other hand, sits at her small desk, a candle flickering softly, scouring the pages in front of her. It makes little sense to her, no matter how many times she rereads and rereads. Sure, the sentences are in her tongue, but the sentences and words themselves make no sense together.
Harmaa come born have bones craft carved.
This one particular sentence is giving her a headache. While her eyes are on the pages, her hands dance around the bones she purchased from Wilmot. Absent-mindedly, her fingers trace the carvings, knowing, just knowing, this sentence tells her something important about what has happened here. But what does Harmaa mean? Is it a place? A creature of Kadotaru? Some ancient beast? It makes no sense.
But her eyes almost dig the word bones out of the page from how intensely she stares at it.
Something cracks on the window, and she jumps. Her eyes fly to the glass, nearly dropping the skull like bone structure. Her heart clenches, air refusing to come in and out of her lungs, until she sees a stone being thrown at her window.
All common sense leaving her, she quickly makes it to her window, which is only slightly open for the breeze and to hear the last chords of music. Though... how long has it been quiet?
Lifting the window to lean over the side and look out, she finds someone she's been waiting too long for. "Aramis."
He smiles at her, a lopsided grin with perfect white teeth, and a dimple on one side of his face. "Apologies for taking so long to return." He wobbles slightly, despite standing still.
She frowns, placing him under the same scrutiny as the book and bones.
"I have brought your books," he continues, moving his hands from behind his back to reveal five, maybe six, different Kadotaru texts, swaying again.
Her eyes narrow. "Are you drunk?"
His green skin pales, and he breaks his gaze with her. "I, uh, um—"
Rinley can't decide whether she should roll her eyes, smile, or laugh at him. So instead, she reaches a hand down to him. "Here, hand me the books."
Aramis staggers forward, the books swinging violently with his motions. They're all tied together by a leather strap, which he hands to her once he's close enough. Rinley hauls them up and through her window, protesting in pain once she's out of his sight. Leaving them by her desk, she reappears at the window.
He's still there.
"What are you waiting for?" she asks, not wanting to ask.
He cocks his head to the side. "Huh?"
She chews her bottom lip, heart clenching again, but she's not quite sure why. "Are you just going to keep standing there?"
"Wha—" He pales again. "Come in? You want me to come in?"
Pushing away the nerves, she smiles, reaching a hand out to him again. "Of course."
Awkwardly, Aramis comes close again, his hand enveloping hers. Chills run up her arm, his hand calloused like hers. Their eyes meet, and everything goes still. Even the crickets go silent. All she can hear is her heart. Maybe his.
"I, uh, should probably just jump up. I might harm you if I keep holding your hand," he mutters, but doesn't let go.
Rinley swallows the lump in her throat and mumbles agreement under her breath, fingers slipping through his. The trance doesn't leave, though.
YOU ARE READING
Never Green | ONC 2023
FantasyONC Shortlister 2023! There are few rules in the Kingdom of Kadotaru, and punishment is not kind, even for the young prince who wishes he was anybody else. Tied to the crown, to his family, to his kingdom, there isn't much he can do. He isn't born t...
