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My heart sinks at the thought, but I smile, because for a brief time we did reach one another. I blink slowly, refocusing my attention to the cobbled streets of Nesbrim that lie ahead.
The morning air is cold, winter-heavy with its chill. I take a long breath, letting the ice fill my lungs with their whispers of a crisp day.
I narrow my eyes against the suns’ rising beams, sending out a small wordless prayer.
Please let the café owner have the yummy sausages today.
3
Elodie
Nesbrim teems with life under the array of the three suns. Creatures of all sorts are busy tending to their duties and keeping the streets bustling. Moss Sparrows hang laundry over the clotheslines on their balconies above the shops. The moss balls on their heads seem a little less green in the winter, much like normal plants. Eostrixes dressed in soldier attire walk the streets, ensuring order and helping where they’re needed.
One positive side of being bonded to Arulius is that I’m a relatively free prisoner. Violet is cruelty and malice incarnate—but she’s fair. She lets me enjoy what lies within Nesbrim, knowing that I can never stray too far. I always have a guard around too, but the real rope around my neck is the bond.
Invisible chains that bear the weight of our two souls.
I try not to dwell on my binds and let myself take in the energy that radiates off of the smiles and laughter as I walk down the main street. Cobblestones pave the entirety of the city and each brick that builds up the cottages on both sides of the path is worn down with age. Green vines cling to the walls; even in winter their foliage still thrives. We’re lucky the snow hasn’t fallen yet. I have shit for clothes and all my boots are loaded with holes.
Scents of freshly baked bread and my favorite breakfast sausages fill my nose. My mouth is immediately watering and my stomach cries with the need to be filled with more than just blood.
Thank gods, at least one good thing is happening today. The café has been out of sausages for days now.
I lift my nose to the sky to inhale the cold air of Nesbrim and let my eyes follow the Eostrixes above. They swoop through the sunrise and I can tell from their smiles that there’s nowhere else they’d rather be.
My chest becomes heavy at seeing them so happy. The wing Wren damaged never truly healed right. I never got the chance to learn to fly and now I’m a prisoner, so my odds of learning are bleak.
A hum sounds from behind me, drawing my attention to the guard that accompanies me during the day.
Naminé. She’s a gorgeous Cypress with gold translucent leaves that dance in her ash-blonde hair. A white Vernovian Thorn wraps around her pale neck and her eyes are an alluring amber hue. I think we could be good friends if I tried to open up more. She’s the nicest creature in all of Tomorrow.
“What’re you craving for breakfast today, Naminé?”
Her eyes light up, as always with the talk of food, and she shrugs. “I’m down for anything, I’m starving!”
I smile at her. Her energy is absolutely contagious but I’ve got her down to a T. I know her favorite food is the café’s sausages, just like mine is. I hum and put my finger up to my lips as I pretend to mull over my options.
“Well, how about the pancake parlor down by the south gates?” I smirk as her face scrunches involuntarily. We went there once a few weeks ago, and when I say that their pancakes were the soggiest mess I’ve ever had, it’s an understatement of the actual slosh it was. It blows my mind that they’re even still running. It doesn’t help that the owner is a rotten Moss Sparrow either.
Naminé shuts her eyes and simply nods. I can’t hold back the laugh that stirs in my chest.
“And I’ll order you thebiggestplate. Then you can have some leftovers to take home.”
Her eyes shoot open and she can’t pretend to go along with it anymore. “Please—Elodie, no!”
I let my laughter roll into the crisp morning air and she scowls at me, realizing I’m pulling her leg.
“That wasn’t funny!” she laugh-shouts and I laugh harder at her furrowed brows. She looks me over for a few moments and her expression sullens. I tilt my head at her shift.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking around to see if something is amiss.
She pulls her white cloak off and wraps it around me, clasping the ruby brooch in the center before giving me a weak smile. “You look horrible today… and cold. I’m not sure how much more of this you can take.”
Okay, ouch.
My eyes widen, and I clutch her hands over the brooch. Her amber eyes flick up to mine as I say, “You don’t need to give me your things, Naminé… I’m fine.” She doesn’t look pleased with that so I add, “And I look horrible? Are you calling me ugly?” My sarcasm is as toxic as it is funny and she laughs and pushes me.
“You know that’s not what I meant!” She walks past me and crosses her arms, her black sweater barely enough to keep warm in this weather. “And I have forty cloaks just like that, so don’t even think about giving it back.”
