Light of Stars [2]

Chapter Twelve

♕ Salt Air ♕

Her eyes had glazed over when her head slammed against the hard wooden floor. Mason shadows wrapping around her stomach lifting both Zander and her into the air to avoid either of them falling overboard.

Light, blinding enough to make tears pour out of her eyes surrounded them, wrapping around them, crushing them in the furthest walls it could find.

Mason surrounded it with his own, black smoke pouring out of him and fighting Aubrette, fighting to diminish her and losing, her light destroying through every shade, soft as they may be.

And then, as her ears had become clear again, and she could hear Mason's desperate screaming, trying to move closer to her, trying to make sure she hadn't destroyed herself. Stardust had started raining upon them. Stardust in the shape of small new born stars. The previous impenetrable shield of light that had burst out of her disappearing, leaving nothing but mist and fog behind.

Sybilla had taken a step forward, her own eyes glimmering, although compared to the starlight they might as well have been their normal shade. Aubrette's eyes had met her own, and Sybilla's heart had lifted in hope for a second as she saw the relief in her face, the slight flash of hope, of acceptance, until she'd watched the cuts on their bodies, the single drop of blood falling from her cheekbone from where her face had hit against the ground.

Stars melted into dust all around them, and Aubrette fell to the floor. Her eyes closing before them. Izabella had come running, her eyes confused and worried as she spotted them all, as she saw Aubrette unconscious on the floor.

Sybilla breathed in before walking towards her, praying that her heart was still beating, that her lungs were still working. Slowly she kneeled before her one friend, the one person she loved more than herself and pressed her hand on her wrist waiting patiently.

Faint steady pulse still bursting through her veins. Sybilla let go a sigh of relief.

The rest of them stayed silent, none knowing what to say, how to explain what had just happened.

Sybilla stared at the grey, raspy particles of dust covering all her body. Touched it, nothing more than dirt on her skin, flying away as the air blew across it.

"Mason" she said, her voice trembling. Mason did not speak, did not have to ask what she needed, what she meant. He walked towards her, picked Aubrette in his arms, carrying her across the deck towards her room.

Izabella stared at it all with widened eyes, knowing better than to ask, even when Sybilla could see the curiosity behind them.

Zander stood behind her, waiting for her to stand. Sybilla still stared at the floor where Aubrette had previously laid. The only spot on the floor where dust did not cover. A single tear falling from her eyes as she turned towards him who had offered her his hand. Sybilla took a deep breath, grabbing it to stand up, and letting go as soon as she did.

"Iz why dont we go into the cabin for a moment?" Zander said. "Lets give them some privacy"

Izabella stared at Sybilla before nodding.

"Call me if you need help" she said, before both of them walked back into the cabin. Sybilla still staring towards the stairs.

☆

It had taken her more than a few minutes to walk down the stairs and into the hall. Mason had left the door open for her, sitting on the floor next to Aubrette's bed. She entered, closing the door behind her as she did. Her eyes meeting his for a second.