Dear Citlali [Completed]

Chapter 10. Citlali

While scanning Ameyal's archives, I couldn't help but search for words about me. It was selfish, of course. Yes, I wanted to know as much as the others what had happened to Ameyal, but the way she had left me had been haunting my mind for centuries. It was my chance to understand her better, maybe to get closure, even if I didn't want to hope for too much. Dovi and Kai seemed close to Ameyal and had been a part of her recent life. It was not the same for me. And I had no reason to hide it.

With a pile of papers in my hands, I joined Dovi and Kai in the sitting room on the third floor where we had set our HQ. The small room felt like a bubble on top of the house. The quality of sound was different there. That room contained many objects and pieces of furniture that Ameyal, according to Dovi, had brought back from her years in China. The most impressive was an old cupboard with sophisticated patterns. The landscapes carved in its dark wood seemed to mirror the mountains and the trees of the paintings hung on the wall on both sides of it.

I sat on an armchair and went through the first pages but I couldn't concentrate. I looked at Dovi across the coffee table. The lines of metallic blue drawn under their eyes underlined the sharpness of their features. They turned towards me and their single silver earring lingered against the dark skin of their neck. They smiled.

"I'm sorry if I'm not..." I trailed off.

My newfound companions waited for me to continue, leaving me the space to find my words.

I continued. "I'm not exactly in the same mood as you are. I think you noticed. I mean, I'm glad to be here. But my relationship with Ameyal was complicated."

Kai put down the notebook she was reading and ran a hand in her red curls. "Ameyal was a complicated person."

"That's true. She was when she was younger, but she doesn't seem to have changed much in this area since then."

Dovi put an elbow on the back of the armchair and rested their head on their hand. "How long ago did you see her for the last time, if I may ask?"

"Several centuries. We met when we were young, and we were together for a while. But then, well, I lost her." I shook my head. "She left me, and I never saw her again. She broke my heart."

Kai snorted. "Welcome to the club." Then she turned towards Dovi. "God, is this Ameyal's exes club or something?"

Dovi smiled. "No. There were never romantic feelings between me and Ameyal. We were friends."

"Good for you." Kai almost rolled her eyes before bringing her focus back on me. "Anyway, I understand it's not easy for you. I imagine you want to know more, about her leaving I mean."

"I'd like that, yes." I nodded.

"Maybe we can agree that whatever we find that concerns one of us, we tell them immediately? We all want answers."

"Deal," I said with a smile.

"Deal," Dovi added.

I put back my attention to the papers in my hand to decide which one to prioritize for now. That entire pile went to the discarded stack and my mind kept wandering. When I stood up to grab another pile, a cloud hid the sun for a few seconds and the light in the room faded.