Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Twenty Nine

I somewhat cynically cleaned my wings, checking over each layer of feathers. Every so often I nearly got the urge to rip them all out and call it a day. Some days were better than others.

"Void black, charcoal black, black like my soul."

To satisfy my boredom and hatred for fate I had begun a classification of feather colors. Although, technically it was just varying shades of black, so color might not have been the right word. There was nothing else for me to do but sleep, and even I couldn't do that forever.

"Oh. Pale grey."

That one surprised me. It was lighter than the rest and stuck out in the field of coal and midnight. That was too bad; eventually it too would succumb to whatever had overtaken the rest of me. I looked briefly to the Second Elder, dozing against my cell bars. He looked aged, even in sleep, and I rolled my eyes. Regardless of how pained he was I couldn't care less about him. He had been the mastermind behind the First's decisions. Every word uttered from the First's mouth had been sent through the Second for approval. I loathed them with every fiber of my being; everybody knew it as well. I never tried to hide my allegiances, unlike some, and it wouldn't have done me any good anyway. I was a shit liar.

"Dark chocolate black, oblivion black, eyeliner black."

With each shade I spat out I cleaned the feather, aggressively flicking away dried blood and grit. Gehenna had left its mark on me, and not a pretty one. A long scar ran from the elbow diagonally down the length of each arm, ending in a circlet around my wrist. I knew these scars would never go away, as Raphael's never had. I just hoped one day I would grow to welcome the scars. As of right now, I hated them.

"Black like my soul, chocolate black, obsidian black."

Even this was boring me. The ebony wings were a stark contrast to my tanned skin, something the humans would have considered of Chinese origin. I didn't know why this was important to me in the moment. As it was I'd probably never work with humans again so I had no use for the information. Glancing down, my shirt was still tattered to the point of being unrecognizable as a shirt, and the pants I had been wearing were torn down to short scraps of fabric barely reaching to my knees. I sighed and resumed my methodical cleaning.

"Movie theater black, ink black, crow black, tavern black."

I felt dizzy, my head spinning and my vision clouding. Laying feverishly along my side, I flinched when the stone's cold smacked me in the face. A feather fell and rested in front of my nose and I sneezed. A drunken blurry thought in my mind surfaced. This was the effect of the Brimming. Calmly, I pulled deep breaths through my lungs and tried not to pass out. Lucid dreaming held nothing to this feeling. I couldn't see. I couldn't feel my fingers or my legs. I knew I was shaking, and I knew my wings were collapsed on me and the floor.

"Raven black, gargoyle gray, shadow black." By now I was mumbling nonsense.

"Alethia, pull yourself together."

The First Elder. In my mind I had a snappy remark to answer him, but I suppose it was too much to expect my mouth to physically form the words. The First nudged me with one foot, as if I were nothing but trash on the floor. His sneer wavered in and out of focus, the Brimming sending my vision into a frenzy. At some point the Second Elder awoke and began deliriously asking the First what he was doing. I hardly made out much, only hearing the occasional mention of my name and some exclamation of horror. It wasn't a surprise when I felt the First's boot connect sharply with my stomach. Knowing how much he disliked me I was surprised he hadn't done it sooner. Over and over, he kicked me in any place he could get a hit. I collapsed in on myself, trying to protect my vital organs. My arms covered my head as I drew my knees in, taking blows to my back and arms. Perhaps Elvirund was being kind to me today; not a single hit landed on my injured shoulder.