Hiraeth: Blackout (I)

Chapter Twenty Five

"Where's Bexley headed?" Karter asked once everyone had made it down the mountain.

We were heading to meet Aka in the city.

While I'd been battling Bexley, my friends and the Ragdoll Army had dealt with her forces. They explained to me that once the world went dark, she and most of her army stopped fighting and disappeared. So my friends went to get me, hoping that I was still alive, while Aka and Frances stayed with the others in battle.

"The other continents," I answered. "B-But I don't know which one first."

Kat and Liana had been talking amongst themselves since we buried Jade. Now they joined in on our conversation.

Liana nodded to me and said, "Wondryn. She planned to Take it first."

"What were you two discussing?" Mallory asked Kat.

"Well... We're wondering what Bexley's reaction to the sudden lack of darkness is," Kat said warily. "We're trying to decide if she's heading back here, or if she's gonna keep going."

Karter bit her lip, thinking. "I know Bexley. She never gives up, even if things don't go the way she planned."

You don't have to tell me, I thought painfully.

"I know she's going to march on. And she won't be merciful to any living being once she arrives in Wondryn."

"She has wings now," I blurted. "I-I-It'll be harder to fight her."

Karter smiled bravely. "Leave that to me."

We were silent for a moment while we trudged through the woods. Then Troy suddenly reminded, "Bexley gave Mike wings, too.

Everyone looked at him in shock, like it was rude of him to say or something.

"What?

Karter walked over to me and examined my wings. "Do you want me to change you back?"

I shook my head. "Not yet." I knew she had a lot of un-morphing ahead of her, and I didn't want her to waste any energy on me.

Karter shrugged and went back to Parry's side.

Roxie caught up to me while everyone split off into their own groups. "Hey."

"Hey."

She smiled, touching one of my ears. "So you're a bat boy now, huh?"

I chuckled, blushing. "N-Not for long. But I've found all this to be useful, so I want to keep it until we defeat Bexley."

Roxie's smile faded. She looked at the ground and mumbled, "Why did she have to Take you away for so long? Why did she have to change you so much?"

I felt my ears droop. "I-I-I don't know. I wish she hadn't. I wish I'd never b-b-been caught that Day during the battle. I-I should have listened to you and not gone off even though I was p-poisoned."

I really looked at Roxie then. She was so beautiful, with her scarlet hair and smooth, dark skin. It seemed she got prettier every time I saw her.

I realized that I had missed her. I missed her voice, her smile, her touch, her eyes, and her hair. Right now, I just wanted her to... To hold me. Was that weird? Was I being weird?

My anxious thoughts spun a web of questions.

Does she even still like me after everything that's happened? Will she ever want to hold me?

"I'm just glad you're back," Roxie finally said.

I probably looked like an idiot, blushing and stuttering and tripping over my wings. But Roxie never looked at me like that. When she looked at me, I felt like I could do anything. I felt like I was more than me, like I was important.