Seeing it, his enemy fled.
A long time later, when Crow came back to himself, his first thought was of Skye. Was she safe? But as he went to seek her out, he slowly came to realize that it wasn’t seven days which passed while he waged war on the god of the sea, but rather seven years.
Surely, his mortal girl had forgotten him.
“It’s better this way,” he said.
But he needed to know.
What harm could it do to walk through her cove, past her father’s wharf, and up the cliffs, just one last time? To make sure she was safe?
Gathering the darkness around him, Crow set out. He would only look from a distance. He would not seek her out.
But as he neared Skye’s home, he heard the sound of music. Felt the joy of dancing. And so, filled with a curiosity he’d tried so hard to extinguish—a curiosity Skye gave to him—he came closer than he should have.
It was the longest day of the year, and her village was celebrating. He found her immediately in the crowd of dancers. She wore a sleeveless white dress that fell just past her knees and a crown of blue forget-me-nots on her head. Her hands were gripped by a man. He smiled as hedanced with her, as if she were everything he loved most in the world.
Skye’s face was older and her hair longer. It fell around her like autumn leaves as she and the man spun around and around, laughing as they did.
They weren’t celebrating the longest day of the year. They were celebrating a wedding.
Skye’s wedding.
If Crow had a human heart, it might have broken in his chest.
Suddenly, her eyes met Crow’s.
She stopped dancing.
Time seemed to slow as they stared at each other. Her face drained of color as her lips formed his name.
It took all of Crow’s strength to turn away from her. From all of them. This had been a mistake. He should never have come here. He did not belong in her world, just as she did not belong in his.
He was already in the trees when he heard familiar footsteps. He closed his eyes, trying not to hear. He gathered the darkness around him, trying to hide himself in it.
But Skye found him. Like always.
“Where are you going?”
The words stopped him, rooting him to the earth the way only hers could. There was a pain in his chest. Like some weighty thing now rested there, beating in time with the waves on the shore.
He didn’t turn around. Couldn’t bring himself to look at her.
“It’s been seven years,” she whispered, and he heard the wobble in her voice. “You chose to come back today... of all days?”
Suddenly, she was beside him. In front of him.
“And now you’re leaving again? Without even saying hello?”
He covered his face with his hands.
“I shouldn’t have come,” he whispered.
“Then why did you!” Her two small palms collided with his shoulders. Crow stumbled back, hands falling to his sides, shocked by the strength of her. They stared at each other. Her eyes were like hurricanes. He’d never seen her so angry.
No, not angry. Hurt.
He had done that.
