Of Silver and Swans | #nanowrimo2019

three

Water closed over Lynette's head with an unsettling finality. She shut her eyes, letting herself sink into the soothing current that embraced her each night. After a few moments, when the silence had slowed the beating of her heart to a softer rhythm, she opened her eyes. Despite the darkness, Maman and her sisters floated in the corner of her eyes in crystalline detail. Their hair billowed around their heads like platinum halos, softening the sharp edges of their jaws and the harsh shadows of their noses. Then, silver swirled around Maman like a bottled hurricane until her features faded in the brightness. Maman disappeared into the moonlight, her feathered cloak stretching into wings and her body shrinking into a swan's, stark white against the darkness of the water. When the silver ebbed away, Lynette's mother swam to the surface, leaving her daughters behind. One by one, the silver darted among them, spurring their transformations. Lynette's sisters closed their eyes as the magic enveloped them, slowly whisking them upward until Odette and Lynette were the only ones remaining.

Lynette, Odette mouthed, tugging at the cloak clasped around her neck as Laraline and Aderyn vanished in a flurry of water and moonlight. Hurry. Worry gleamed in her eyes as the silver darted toward her, stealing her away.

I will, Lynette promised, ignoring the guilt she felt as relief washed across her twin sister's face. As Odette's face narrowed into and her skin whitened, she shot one last frantic look at her sister.

Despite her promise, Lynette did not transform. She pressed her lips firmly together and relaxed, letting her body be nudged by the water. She ignored the magic humming in her heart, begging to be released, even as her lungs burned as hot and fiery as a star. Maybe if she tried hard enough, the moon would give up. But as her lungs continued to ache, Lynette wondered if she would die trying.

The moon shone down on her, glowering.

I grow impatient, little cygnet, it hissed. Then, it softened, its voice melting into a silky smooth coo. If you do not transform, you will drown. Despite the warm tone, Lynette heard the threat threaded through the moon's words. The water grew harsher, nipping at her skin and pressing in on her lungs, crowding out her last gasps of oxygen.

Transform.

"Fine!" Lynette roared, bubbles escaping from her lips. Water rushed down her throat as moonlight poured out, flooding the space around her with white. Silver erupted from every pore of her body, clearing away all of the pain as her body reshaped itself. Her head narrowed into a graceful arch, feathers sprouting from her skin like flowers. When the light dissipated, she found herself floating on the lake's surface. Alabaster feathers shifted as she craned her head, spying the rest of her sisters waiting for her on the other side of the lake.

Despite the impatience marring her delicate swan features, Maman said nothing about Lynette's tardiness. Circe smirked at Maman's dismissal, but Lynette didn't care. Resisting the moon had weakened her body as well as her resolve, and fighting Maman was not worth the remnants of her energy.

Lynette drifted into her place next to Odette, wincing at the sharp look her twin sister shot her. She was used to Maman and Circe's disappointment, but it stung worse coming from Odette. Even so, Odette could never stay angry at her for long, so Lynette didn't even bother trying to apologize.

A prickle ruffled Lynette's feathers, sending a chill sparking down her skin. She turned her attention skyward. The moon curved into a sly crescent as it appraised Lynette. There is no use in resisting, little cygnet, it taunted. Lynette lowered her gaze, glowering under the moon's smugness. As much as she tried to block its voice out, the moon's warning words remained in her thoughts.

"Let's go," Maman said, drawing Lynette's attention back to the task at hand. One by one, Maman and her sisters lifted off, drops of water trailing from their snowy wings like pearls as they disappeared into the darkness.