Page 60 of Where Broken Wings Fly

My mouth was still open when he turned back to face me.

“F-feathers? I haven’t seen feathers on anyone else.”

His face turned downwards as he nodded. “I think it was Cernunnos’ way of marking me. The sign of dirty blood, of the crossing of two kingdoms. It’s meant to be a curse, I believe.”

I couldn’t believe that. Not when they looked holy, outlined in a surreal, warm glow from the sun.

“But they’re… they’re beautiful,” I said, breathy, as I reached a hand out towards them. Just as my fingers skimmed the softest of the feathers, Raegan twitched and shied away from the contact. He looked down at me, something in his eyes that flashed an indescribable want, as the two of us held our breath.

As quickly as he had brought his wings forth, he tucked them away. Wrapping his coat back around himself, he dropped down to the earth once more. I had no choice but to follow him down, my mind still struck and my mouth opened with awe.

“I’ve never seen anything so exquisite, Raegan. Your problem with the females would be tenfold what it is now if you walked around with those out.”

He chuckled at me as he tried to hide the pain in his face. “My father doesn’t even know about them. If he did…”

I caught a glimpse of his mutilated ears and understood at last.

“Anyway,” he hummed, trying to keep his usual persona of cocky slyness to his face. “Consider that my payment to you. You’ve now seen something not a single pixie in Saoghal will ever see.”

In a way, I knew that Raegan hadn’t shown me his wings as payment. But I knew if I tried to comment on that, nothing good would come of it. Instead, I’d play along.

I allowed my own form of nervous laughter to trickle out. “You don’t need to pay me or thank me. You have your duties, I have mine.”

He nodded as if he understood.

“May I be honest with you, Raegan?”

A dark blond brow twitched at me.

“I don’t want to leave Saoghal.”

Like I knew the truth about the revealing of his wings, Raegan might have already known my secret. His face softened further as he nodded in agreement, his eyes diverting from mine. “You must, though.”

“Can’t I stay?”

Slightly humoured, the corners of his lips curled upwards. “The few humans that have tried did not mean peaceful ends. Your bodies are not meant to hold this form for long.”

I had suspected such. With a grumble of acceptance, I turned my sights back to the sun that was fully above the horizon. “I do not know what will become of me when I leave this place.”

Wordlessly, Raegan reached down between his boots and plucked something from the earth. He used a gentle touch to examine it; a harsh contrast to his brash appearance and warrior hands.

My voice seemed like a heavy anvil in the silence that had followed my secret declaration. “What is that?”

Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Raegan took a moment to consider answering me. Something won out in him as his shadowed eyes softened and he revealed a palm to me and the small flower that sat within.

As I leant closer to get a better look at the four-petalled golden flower, Raegan watched my every move with intensity. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the plucked plant in his calloused hands that seemed to omit a soft, ethereal glow.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“You wouldn’t have.”

Our eyes accidentally met before either of us could look away.

“Humans often overlook that which is smaller than them.”

“It’s very beautiful.”

Glancing back down at the flower, Raegan almost smiled. “It has many names. Aotrom is what we often call it, though. In Cluaineach, it is seen as a weed. It has this innate ability to grow no matter how little sun is present. For that reason, for those of Choilltean it represents resilience and persistence when we find it amongst the darkness of the forest. Not many things can grow where so little light shines.”