The Invisible Planet

Part 46: Stoic

Content Warning: This chapter contains graphic content.

Angeline sat through another dinner with Marita and Mikal, zoning out as they reminisced about their life on Kespan. The days had begun to blend together, each one nearly indistinguishable from the last.

It had been about two weeks — or was it three? — since she'd last seen Shay. He seemed to be avoiding the village entirely, sending the other Guardians in his place for the village meetings. Part of her was relieved, but she couldn't help missing him. All that time she had spent with him when she'd first arrived, growing so close to him, only for him to dash her heart open and leave.

Maybe Charlotte was right about men. No matter how old they were, they'd never grow up, and they'd only ever want sex. Once they had it, there was no more reason for them to bother sticking around.

"Are you alright, mila?" asked Marita.

She nodded, mustering a smile. "Just tired," she said. She got up to take the dishes to the sink as Marita began packing the leftovers on another plate, tucking it into a basket.

"Could you take this to Aster?" she asked. "I told him I'd save him some."

Angeline hesitated. If she said no, Marita would want to know why. Unable to bring herself to explain, she reluctantly agreed.

Aster had picked a smaller home near the center of the village, a short trek down the hill from her lonely house on the outskirts. She took the basket and began the walk at a brisk pace.

The front door of Flora's house swung open as she drew near and her stomach jumped into her throat as Shay stepped out with his crimson hood drawn. He paused as he saw her and then turned back to Flora.

The brunette's hair was down, falling over her shoulders to her waist in waves. Her short, sheer nightgown left almost nothing to the imagination.

Angeline set her jaw and continued walking without breaking her pace, smothering her emotions as she focused on holding her breath steady. Surely it wasn't what it looked like.

Shay said something to Flora in a low voice, brushing his fingers over her cheek before handing her the same small leather pouch he'd given to Angeline.

A romantic gesture, Takka had told her. You don't give someone Night Berries unless you've had sex with them.

It felt as though he'd impaled her with a jagged spear. Even lying on the ground with a shard of glass jammed through her back had been less painful.

How could he?

After his whole speech on how much he couldn't stand Flora, for him to go and—

No. If she dwelled on it, he would know she was hurt. She was the one who had told him never to speak to her again. This was simply a reminder of why she had meant it. It took everything she had to keep her breath steady and her face stoic.

She reached Aster's house and knocked on the door. He answered after a few seconds and looked at her in surprise.

"Annie," he said.

She held out the basket. "From Marita," she explained.

"Oh. Thank you." He took it, staring at her with a worried frown. "Are you... all right?"

She didn't have to look to know that Shay was watching. More than anything else, she wanted to hurt him the way he had hurt her. The fact that her emotions were plain enough for Aster to see meant that Shay knew for sure.

But he didn't have to know that he was the reason.

She took the back of Aster's neck and pulled him down to kiss him. His hands moved to her waist, gently holding her there until she broke from his lips.