The Invisible Planet

Part 44: Berries

Angeline lay listlessly on her bed, staring at the little pouch of berries that Shay had left on her nightstand as the afternoon sun descended. Part of her wanted to set them on fire.

But despite the brick in her gut, she knew she had to eat something — and the idea of a full dinner at Marita's made her feel ill.

She grabbed the pouch and pulled it open, peering in at a handful of round black berries with a few tiny, slightly crushed white flowers among them. She picked one of the berries out and put it in her mouth. As she bit through the skin, a burst of bitter liquid hit her tongue. She made a face and spit it out into her hand.

Wondering if a sour one had gotten into the mix, she cautiously tried another one. It tasted the same and she spit it out as well.

"Asshole," she muttered. She dumped the rest of the pouch into her hand and carried them to the nearest outhouse, dumping them in with the rest of the waste.

Her heart ache had successfully transformed into anger and annoyance, and that was the first step, wasn't it?

She returned home to find Takka waiting outside.

"What do you want?" she asked irritably.

"That's no way to greet a friend," he protested.

"You're not my friend."

"Ouch! I saved your life, you know."

"And I'm very grateful. Now, move."

He rolled his eyes and stepped to the side. "May I come in?" he asked with a pointed, forced politeness.

"No."

"I need to talk to you. It's important."

She gave him a snarky grin. "Not my problem."

"Marius will be, if you don't tell me what you've done with Shay."

She paused as a flicker of worry went through her mind. Had something happened to him? "What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's missing. No one's seen him since the fire last night."

The realization that he might have done something stupid after he'd left crossed her mind. "He had a ton of that stupid fruit last night. He's probably passed out hungover somewhere," she said, pushing the door open.

Takka grinned. "You know something, or you wouldn't be worried."

"I know he's supposed to check in with you idiots. I haven't seen him. Excuse me." She closed the door and turned around to find him standing at her counter. "You know, it's rude to enter someone's house uninvited."

"It's rude to lie," he countered, glancing around. His eyes settled on her bedside table, where she'd left the empty berry pouch.

"Why do you have to check in, anyway? Aren't you guys immortal?"

"Marius doesn't want us spending too much time here."

"Why not?" she asked.

"He's afraid one of us will bond with a human. Especially Shay, since he's done it before."

Of course. Tam. "I don't know where he is," she said. "I told him not to come back."

He raised an eyebrow at her and crossed to pick up the pouch, lifting it to his nose. "Night Berries?" he asked.

"What about them?"

"Shay gave them to you?"

She crossed her arms indignantly.

"This belongs to him," he said, holding up the pouch.

"Well, he can have it back."

"How gracious of you to return his things," he said dryly.

"Are you done?" she asked.

"You slept with him, didn't you?"

She hesitated. If she lied, he would know. There was no escaping it. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

He gave a slight chuckle. "You're an idiot. And so is he, leaving evidence like this."

She frowned in confusion. "It's a fucking berry pouch. How is that evidence?"

"Please. You don't give someone Night Berries unless you've had sex with them. If he had half a brain, he'd have made sure to take this with him when he left."

Her face flushed. "Why would he give me berries that taste like vinegar and cat piss?"

"He didn't tell you?" His eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Tell me what?"

He looked down at the pouch. "They're a... romantic gesture, of sorts."

She crossed her arms. "Well, I threw them out."

An amused grin crossed his face. "You did, did you?"

"I don't want anything from him."

"Very well, I'll let him know." The calmness with which he said it brought with it the heavy possibility that he had been lying to get a reaction from her.

"I thought you said he was missing," she challenged.

"Did I?" He shrugged. "Hm. Guess I should go find him, then." He dissolved into black smoke and seeped through the door,

Angeline sat down on the edge of her bed and buried her head in her hands with a worried sigh. She had just unwittingly revealed everything. "Fuck."