Angel Wings

Chapter 9.1~Unmasking Our Fears

EVABELLE

"What do you think?" CJ asked.

Evabelle blinked. She wasn't sure how, but somehow she found herself on a walk alone with CJ out on the grounds of the Sanctuary, which was more or less the entire estranged island. The two of them were walking around the perimeter, currently walking around the tangle of trees. CJ was showing her all these flowers that should not exist. "I read, from one of those books in that humongous library, that this one is a gildan. It means 'of worth'. I think it's beautiful. What do you think?"

It was a semi-closed flower where the petals spiraled around the pistil. The color was darker on the inside and got darker and darker as it reached the center. There was one of practically every color. "They are very pretty." Evabelle agreed.

CJ smiled and crouched down. "What's your favorite color?"

"Oh, CJ you don't have too." Evabelle said quickly. "Besides the flower will die."

He shook his head. "No, the book said that the gildan doesn't die so easily, even after it's been picked." CJ straitened with one of the delicate flowers in his hand. It was a dark blue, so dark it was nearly violet. He came to her and slid the stem behind her ear, tucking the blossom gently in her hair. His fingers brushed Evabelle's cheek as he withdrew, and Evabelle felt her face burning. "Evabelle you're... you're..." CJ turned his head, his own cheeks with their own rosy glow. "Beautiful." He whispered.

It had been two days since Aza and she had found the piano room. Lucis and Tru had returned that morning tired and in low spirits. Neither of them had any leads on the Averno problem. Currently the pair of them were sleeping.

Faux and Del had claimed they were preparing special training session with Calandra and had told Evabelle, Aza, and CJ that they could go out for a bit. Aza had gone up to talk to Kai. Evabelle knew she should have gone with her, but she still wasn't ready to face him. In the end it was just her and CJ, who had offered to show her the island, which he had been exploring.

"So this is what you've been doing when you cut out on training." Evabelle said once they were on the move again.

CJ nodded. "Yeah, I just feel so useless. I'm not a fighter. And I'd rather not be judged constantly by those winged things."

Evabelle sighed. "I know what you mean. I'm the farthest thing from a fighter that there ever was."

Suddenly CJ stopped again. Evabelle paused as well. CJ was looking passed Evabelle. "Now this is what I wanted to show you."

Evabelle turned and felt her jaw drop. They were near the edge of a cliff made of large round boulders piled up, but below them was the sea. It looked like a perfect ocean view. Evabelle had seen pictures of this on a postcard from Ireland. It was a place that Evabelle had always dreamed of going, but now she didn't really have to.

She stepped up to the edge, feeling the wind and the salty water blowing past her. She raised her arms as though she were going to jump and soar out over the water. Suddenly the thought of the Titanic 'king of the world' thing popped into her head and the realization that she was doing the pose, and then there was the thought of CJ behind her and she quickly lowered her arms. "This is amazing." She whispered.

"What about this place, isn't?" CJ asked who was staying several steps back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you not like heights?" Evabelle took a step back.

Quickly CJ shook his head. "No, I'm not the biggest fan." He admitted. "But I brought you here, because I knew you would like it."

Evabelle smiled. "You're just too sweet CJ." They continued along the edge. Evabelle was careful not to get too close and CJ was even more so. The wind blew her hair around her and she relished it. Evabelle loved this feeling. It was like a glimpse of freedom. She kept glancing out over the water, drinking in the view. "It really is beautiful." She murmured.