Worlds of Waves and Shadows

Fourty Seven

Kaenisa imagined how they'd find her as she plummeted through the air, her raven hair whipping wildly around her face, buried under large concrete slabs, brazanium rods sticking out of her, bloodied, broken corpse. They'd take in her lifeless eyes and matted hair, her torn clothes with a sense of shock and denial.

A wave of regret washed over her. Her mother's face flashed before her eyes, contorted with grief. Then Zaic, his lilac-indigo eyes filled with guilt and sorrow. She wished she could tell him it wasn't his fault, that there was nothing he could have done. But words were beyond her now, lost to the howling wind.

I'm sorry, she thought, letting her eyelids flutter closed. I'm so sorry.

"Kaenisa..."

A whisper, barely audible, cut through the rush of air. Her eyes snapped open, searching for the source.

A figure barrelled towards her, silhouetted against the blinding sun. For a moment, all she could see were wings - massive, magnificent wings that seemed to span the sky itself. Time slowed, each heartbeat stretching into eternity as the winged being drew closer.

An angel, her mind supplied, a hysterical laugh bubbling up in her throat. Of course death would come for her in this form, in this moment of utter chaos. She spread her arms wide, surrendering to the inevitable.

"Take me, Angel of Death," she whispered.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The voice was familiar, tinged with exasperation and... was that fear?

Recognition slammed into her like a physical force. "Deimos?"

His touch was feather-light at first, almost imperceptible. Then his fingers tightened, sending an electric shiver down her spine. Her body jerked as he broke her fall, one arm sliding beneath her knees, the other supporting her back.

For a heartbeat, Kaenisa couldn't process what had happened. She wasn't going to die. And the one who had saved her was... Deimos?

"Did you really think I was an angel, sweetheart?" Deimos's voice was dry, but there was an undercurrent of something else. Relief? Concern?

Heat rushed to Kaenisa's cheeks, embarrassment warring with the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. "I'm not a sweetheart, Mr. Angel of Death," she retorted, falling back on sarcasm to mask her confusion.

"Hey, that's not fair. I just saved your life." There was a hint of a smile in his voice, so faint she might have imagined it.

The reality of the situation crashed over her. She was alive. Deimos had saved her. "Yes, you did," she said softly, looking up to meet his gaze. "Thank you. Truly."

Their eyes locked, and Kaenisa's breath caught in her throat. His moonstone eyes searched her face, as if trying to pierce through to her very soul. She became acutely aware of how close they were, of the strong arms holding her, of the rhythmic beat of his wings.

Without conscious thought, her eyes traced the contours of his face. His sharp jawline, the soft curve of his lips, the almost invisible scar cutting through his eyebrow and disappearing into his hairline. How had she never noticed that before?

Her fingers moved of their own accord, reaching out to touch the scar. His skin was cool beneath her fingertips, the scar nothing more than a slight bump.

"What are you doing?" Deimos's voice was harsh, startling her out of her trance.

Kaenisa yanked her hand back as if burned. "Sorry, I... I didn't mean to..." She trailed off, looking away, her cheeks burning with renewed embarrassment.