‘I think so. I just—’ She reached behind her to close the books. ‘I was just looking for something that might help or make sense of this all.’
Remi’s eyes softened. ‘Find anything?’
‘Not really. There’s not much on ancient Demon Gods, ironically. I wondered if it might explain my powers, or Dad’s, a bit more, but I couldn’t find anything other than an old illuminated story book. Don’t worry, you don’t need to look after me. You can head to bed.’ She made herself smile.
‘I actually wanted to speak to you alone.’
Bells’ stomach fluttered and she felt suddenly self-conscious of her unpainted toes and pointelle pyjamas – white with pink flowers. She tucked her legs beneath her, turning more fully. ‘You did? Why?’
‘I never thanked you, for trying to help me in the cathedral.’
‘Oh, you shouldn’t thank me for that.’
Remi’s eyes shadowed, braids falling like water over her shoulder as she tilted her head. ‘You ran into danger, not knowing what was happening, and with no clear way to help me, but you did it anyway. Why did you come in? You could have been killed.’
Bells took a breath, wondering how to explain. ‘I See death almost every night. So often, the dying are alone.’ Upset seared her throat like fire. ‘I didn’t want you to be alone, if the music did something terrible to you.’
Remi’s eyes silvered with tears, and for the first time in her life, Bells felt trulyseenby her. Soft heat prickled her cheeks.
‘You would have watched over me, even if you couldn’t do anything?’
Bells nodded. ‘I – I would have held your hand.’
A sound like a smothered gasp preceded Remi striding across the room and hugging her. ‘Oh, Bells.’
Bells sighed, allowing her arms to close around Remi’s waist. ‘I’m glad you’re okay.’
Remi had always looked out for them; she had been a trustworthy friend to Nicole when there had been little but isolation in their lives. Though Nicole and Remi were the closest, that friendship had spilled over to Dylan and Bells too. But that was who Remiwas. She was so bright and warm, and Bells felt like a flower in her presence, as attuned to her as the sun.
‘Just, try not to put yourself in danger again, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt.’
Bells smiled. ‘I’ll do my best. Are you pleased you were right, at least? The harp really is the key to reharmonising the spheres. Your father was right all this time.’
‘Oh.’ Remi sighed and let her go, sitting on the bed for a moment before lying down to stare at the canopy. ‘That – I have no idea.’
Bells slowly lay down beside her, hoping Remi wouldn’t ask about the mysterious tome. ‘Do you think it will change the stars?’
Remi sketched them out in the air, each circular planet a spiral of her fingers. ‘We’ll find out, I suppose. But I’ll put it together and play it, if that’s what it takes.’
A flutter of panic stirred Bells’ stomach. ‘But, you won’t have to, remember? We need to find someone who can. A descendant.’
Remi hesitated a moment. ‘Right.’
‘Do you wish you could?’ Bells asked, wondering at the concern on Remi’s features as she pulled the bridge piece from her pocket and placed it on the bed between them.
‘I don’t know. I think so. Now I’ve heard even a subtle strain of it, I feel …’ She pressed her lips together. ‘I feel like it’s a part of me. Like I need the rest. I want it to be me, in the strangest way, even though it’s dangerous. Music like that—’ She closed her eyes for a moment. ‘It’s more exquisite than anything I’ve ever …’
‘I know,’ Bells said. ‘I felt it, and I wasn’t the one making it.’
‘But sometimes wanting is dangerous.’
That, Bells knew just looking at Nicole and Kyan, Dylan and Callum.
She sighed and wished she could sleep like a normal person.
‘Hey.’ Remi turned to face her, eyes lit and her tone lighter. ‘Did I ever tell you about …’
She began to share tales of glades of mystical creatures, ones humans might assume were Fae, but were all manner of more specific and strange beings. Lure-creatures that lived in the sultry nooks of the world and only came out at dawn and dusks, or summer evenings when sun beams roamed through forests. That called to you in the moments before you fell asleep in a field of flowers, or echoed when you felt the pleasant buzzing heat of alcohol. Shimmer-winged and lovely-eyed. Petal-soft and Siren-voiced.
