Pirate City

Chapter 16 Lilly of the Valley

Luna's POV

There's nothing I can do now. It could be worse but fuck, I'm still a kid. I don't want this to become my reality.

I slipped into the surprisingly comfortable chair behind the wooden desk. The feeling of the smooth wooden shaft was comforting as I pulled it out of my pocket and slipped the leather case off the blade, inspecting the metal for imperfections. It was enough of a distraction to get my mind off of everything for a while but it didn't take long for it all to come rushing back. The Door, secrets, the letter. Runaway.

My eyes flicked across the room to the sudden movement behind the windows. A dark shadow stood just outside the closed curtains, backed by the light of the rising sun.

I stood and slowly walked over to the dim figure, trying to figure out what it could be. My palm felt sweaty around the dirk as I neared the curtains. It was too big to be a bird but I couldn't imagine anything else that could easily get this high. I shuddered at the intrusive thoughts that flooded my mind. Please, for the love of god, let it just be a massive bird.

I carefully wrapped my fingers around the edge of the curtain, taking as much time as I could before pulling open the blinds.

The early sun shone brightly into my face, the sudden contrast was disorienting as my eyes adjusted to the light. It was not a bird.

Matteo crouched on his haunches just outside the closed window, holding onto the window frame to keep himself from falling 2 stories down. I opened the window slightly so I could speak to him.

"I thought you left?" I had heard the door shut when he walked out but hadn't bothered looking out the window to watch him leave.

"I did."

"Why are you here?" He shrugged his shoulders and combed his fingers through his sand-coloured hair.

"You look bored. Come." He beckoned with his free hand out towards the valley of trees. With him? Absolutely not.

"I'm good thanks." My grip tightened around the knife's handle as he pulled the window open enough for him to fit through.

"Come on." He extended his hand towards me, still standing on the tiny ledge. Maybe I was a little bored. Maybe I could leave for a little bit. Maybe.

"Fine. I'm not going through the window though." He smiled, a look of playful satisfaction lit up his deep blue eyes.

"Meet you at the door." I stifled a scream as he hopped off the ledge, landing easily on a small stripe of brown grass. He looked back up at me before casually walking around the house towards the front door.

I slipped the knife back into my pocket and walked carefully down the wide staircase, cringing when the steps squealed under my weight. My sandals still felt cold against my bare feet, as I slipped them on I made up excuses in my head if Angel caught me leaving. Was this sneaking out?

The air was cold but smelled promising, like it would get warmer later in the day.

"Hey," Matteo spoke softly, still smiling like he did before.

"Hey." I didn't know what to say to him. Thank you felt a little excessive, a brief smile would have to suffice.

"How are you?" Words seemed to come so easily to him.

"Fine" He started walking towards the edge of the forest. "You?" I followed.

"You like the city?" He gestured to the east, ignoring my question.

"Not particularly." I grinned, remembering how much I hated the lights.

"Yeah, it gets some getting used to," He chuckled. If a voice could be a texture, his would be leather; soft but tough.

As I looked around I realized that I hadn't really looked around yet, it had been too dark before. We followed the tree line around the house, walking over the roots like little kids. The forest wrapped around the house like a crown on the head of a queen, jewelled by small pockets of flowers and embroidered with light green trees.

I pointed to a group of tiny white flowers that skirted the forest's edge.

"Those are pretty." They looked like stars on a little green vine.

"They are." He smiled, "They're called Lilly of the valley, they grow like weeds around here." I looked around the forest floor. They were everywhere. An awkward pause stilled the air to silence.

"You know he's killed people right?" He spoke quickly, as if he had been restraining himself. I kept walking with my eyes pinned on the grass, not wanting to believe him. Of course he had, but I had never really thought of it like that. He's in the mafia. No shit he's killed people, that's what they do. He probably had a reason for it. He wouldn't kill someone just because he could. Would he?

"Good morning Sherlock Holmes," I said sarcastically, trying not to show how much that had affected me. Fuck. He's killed people.

Matteo stopped walking and sat on a rotting log, talking like his life depended on it. I didn't care enough to listen.

He's killed people. I'm living with a killer. What the fuck.

"I have to go." I didn't move. The ground blurred below me and the world seemed to go silent. I kept my head down and my hands in my pockets. The blade lay unsheathed in the thick cloth pocket, sharp and light as I closed my hand around it. I pushed my thumb against the edge of the stiletto, feeling a soft throbbing under my skin. It was the only thing that felt real.

"I didn't mean to upset you." Really?

"Ok." My tone sounded much colder than I intended it to be. The throbbing grew more intense as I pushed the sharp metal harder against my skin. I wanted to leave him and go back inside but I was probably safer with him around. Wait. If he knew, that could only mean. Oh shit.

"You've done it too, then, haven't you." Please don't say yes.

"Yes. Yes, I have." He was proud of himself. So I'm not safe with him either. I'm not safe anywhere. What the fuck.

"Why?" I looked up at him, biting my cheek to cease the tears that threatened to well into my eyes. He met them with surprise, the question seemed almost threatening to him. He didn't answer and I suppose that was for the better. I believed that no one truly deserved to die, no matter what they had done, and I wasn't emotionally prepared to hear anyone support an opposing opinion.

"How does Angelo keep up with your questions?" He said it jokingly but there was a hint of exasperation in his voice. It sounded weird when he said his name. Angelo. Not Angel. I shook my head, blinking furiously to rid the tears.

"Bye." I would rather go to Angel than be with him. I didn't want him to tell me anything else that  I didn't want to hear.

My sandals took too long to come off of my feet when I went back inside. I didn't care about the creaking stairs as I went back up to my room. The room. A room that wasn't mine.

The window was still cracked open, letting the light wind gently blow the curtains back. It was pretty when the sea of aspens moved like waves in the breeze.

I leaned against the window frame, allowing the curtains to wrap around me and flicker across my shoulders as the wind ebbed and flowed.

A single strand of the little flowers, the star flowers, were secured by a rock on the sill, shaking with even the slightest draft. I smiled, knowing exactly how they got there. Maybe he wasn't so bad. Maybe I could learn to trust him. Maybe.

So that happened :)