To Learn To Fall (Sequel to the Other Side)

Chapter Sixteen (The Lost Warrior)

The morning coolness had disappeared by the time I first heard the whistle. It was soft and distant, and I hadn't noticed it at first. But when I realized what type of song was flittering down from the trees, my heart leapt up to my mouth.

It was a bird.

A bird.

I closed my eyes, tracking the noise, and I found a tiny blip of energy far off in a tall oak tree a couple hundred yards away. I felt like laughing when I pushed beyond that and found a whole swarm of them, different sizes and shapes. And then I found bees and butterflies and bats and all other sorts of creatures.

They all meant Thomas.

I broke into a sprint, following the birds and grinning the entire way. The sooner I got to him, the better.

The birdsong became louder, a symphony reaching its crescendo. It was joined by the gurgling of a river.

Finally, I stopped in my tracks.

I heard him.

Divinity, I heard him.

His humming was barely audible above the river and the birds, but for me, it was crystal clear. It was so sweet, so perfect.

I shouldered my way through the bushes and stopped dead in my tracks as the sight of the scene before me sunk in. There were hundreds of birds sitting on the branches of the trees above. A river cut through the forest standing in front of me. But most important, Thomas was in the river. His bare back was facing me, his fingers in his hair. His radiant wings were once again feathered and angelic, even though they were tainted a light shade of gray rather than the pristine white.

Heat rushed into my face as I pulled away and dove behind the bushes.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Sorry, I meant Divinity's fucking children.

"Who's there?" he demanded. My heart did flips at the sound of his voice. "Show yourself."

I didn't move or say anything until there was a sudden tug on my shoulder. My head shot up to see Belletra standing there. She tilted her head at me questioningly. A chirp escaped her beak before she took to the sky.

Huh. It was good to see her.

"Who's there?" repeated Thomas. "You've got te—"

"Thomas, it's me," I said.

"Alexander." Did I imagine the relief, the utter joy that filled the mention of my name? But as he continued, his voice became still, flat. "Alexander. What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you."

"Where are you?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm behind this bush."

"Wh-why?"

"Oh. I don't know."

"Well, do you want to come out?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, I guess I'll do that." I rose to my feet and slid out from behind the bush. "Hey. How are you?"

He was leaning against the river bank, his arms sitting on the grass. "I'm good." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "How are you?"

"What are you doing? Are you wearing anything?" The two questions slipped out of my mouth. I really, really hoped that my face wasn't as red as it was warm.

Thomas's mouth fully flickered into a smile, and a laugh fell from his lips. I couldn't believe the effects that had on me. "Yes, Alexander. I am bathing in my clothes." He rested his head on his arms. "How did you find me?"