Forever Luna

solace

noun ~ A source of relief or the feeling of comfort during a hard time

POLLUX

"Nova," I whispered.

Her green eyes fell upon me, and within seconds, she tugged me out of Charlie's grip and into her arms. She struck me with enough force to steal what little breath I had left, but I held on. Goddess, I held on.

My arms closed around her slowly, as though she might vanish if I moved too quickly, and the moment my hand found the back of her head, every week between us collapsed. Nova made a broken sound against my shoulder and clutched me tighter, her body trembling. I had imagined this so often in the dark that it had stopped feeling like hope and had become another kind of torture. None of those imaginings had prepared me for her warmth, for the frantic beat of her heart against mine, or for the tears soaking through my shirt.

"I thought I had lost you," she whispered.

The words cracked something open inside me. I pressed my face into her hair and shut my eyes, unable to tell her I had thought the same... that some nights I had survived only by remembering the sound of home.

"I am here," I managed, though my throat closed around the promise.

It was not forgiveness for the time stolen, nor an answer to all we had endured. It was simply the truth. I was alive to hold her back.

We pulled away, and Nova stared into my eyes. She searched my face for something, frowning at whatever she found, but I didn't push her away; I simply stayed. Behind her, growls surfaced, and both of our backs tensed.

Phoenix's expression sharpened as he looked past me towards the wolves. "They are restless."

I nodded. "They're confused."

"They've gained a new leader." Nova murmured.

"Two," I corrected. "You can reach them too."

Her eyes moved towards the kneeling army. "Not as many as you."

No, she was right. I felt that much clearly. Apollo had stolen Nova's blood long before mine. As a child, a teen, and even an adult, but it was obvious most of it was on failed experiments. Otherwise, more wolves would respond to the luna staring down at them.

Phoenix studied my face. "What do you feel? Is your gift back?"

I glanced towards the wolves, sighing softly. "Everything."

The word emerged more quietly than I had intended.

"There are victims amongst them, and they barely understand what they have become." I swallowed. "Others followed Apollo because they were afraid. They did terrible things, but fear can be difficult to separate from choice."

"And the rest?" Phoenix asked.

I looked towards the dark wolf I had stopped. It remained pressed against the earth, fury burning in its eyes.

"They cannot be allowed to leave this field."

Nova's fingers tightened around my own, and Phoenix sighed.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

I forced myself to meet his gaze. His eyes were always intense. The colour and depth of his power shone brightly through the golden hues, and it was taking a lot for me to hold his gaze, even if he wasn't challenging me to.

"I can feel their intentions. There are wolves amongst them already waiting for an opportunity to attack." I muttered. "They enjoyed what Apollo allowed them to do. Imprisonment will not change that. They have no humanity left; just beasts."