Cyrus tried to explain to me what “sweating” is with humans, but I really can’t grasp it. I’m just glad we don’t suffer from that affliction. Our bodies were made to cool themselves down naturally. One of the perks of being Fae and not human; though, the why escapes me. I never paid as much attention as I should have in Fae biology class.
Absently, my hand reaches up to my shoulder, covering the spot where Callum touched me. It’s damp there, probably from this “sweat” Cyrus told me about. I bring my fingers to my nose and smell it out of mere curiosity. My eyes flutter shut. It smells feral and musky, not at all unpleasant as my brother described. And nothing like the stench coming off of the man in the alley. The scent of Callum’s sweat alone stirs something in me. Like those feelings the girls in the romance novels, I’m so obsessed with, get.
The fluttering in their stomachs… butterflies, I think they call it?
The scent is divine, earthy with another scent I’m unfamiliar with.
“Aeris!” Callum’s voice carries on the slight, hot breeze.
My eyes fly open, and I freeze. The human is calling for me…
Oh, hells.
Panicking, I look around, seeing only the sleeping man. Closing my eyes again, I release my wings from my back, and quickly bolt into the sky. Reciting a quick charm to double my Glamor.
From my point of view, I can see Callum searching the street for me. His heads whips from side to side as he calls out my name. A few humans stop, seemingly to ask who he’s looking for. He gestures to his chest with his hand flat, about where my head fell, and then, animatedly says a bunch of other things I cannot make out from this height. The look on their faces displays they don’t know whom he’s talking about.
With my wings flapping softly, I watch as Callum rakes a rough hand through his already-tousled hair, looks around once more, and stomps off in frustration. Then, he enters an establishment with a bright yellow door, whose name I also can’t discern from this altitude. He disappears inside it.
I hover over the Crescent City, unsure of what to do.
Should I land back in the alley and go into the establishment to find Callum, and let him know I’m okay? Or do I go back inside the safe wards of Laric and find my brother?
Do I tell him a human saw me?
No, I can’t do that. I’ll be forced to tell the truth about how I did not heed my own words about being careful after he voiced his concerns.
I not only snuck back into the city, but I walked amongst the humans, bumped into one, and he saw me! Cyrus will have my tush on a tray… or worse… he’ll tell our parents.
I’ll be in so much trouble.
Yes, I am an adult, but I’m also breaking the sacred laws of the colony.
Oh, hells. What do I do?
Remembering my favorite hideout, where it’s quiet and I can think, I swing around and fly back over the city. I land at a plantation preservation that sits more like a museum far out of the city limits. It takes me mere minutes to reach it, and after ensuring no humans are present, I land in the field behind the plantation and quickly tuck my wings back inside my back. Massive, stately oak trees line the edge of the property. Heading to my favorite one, where a friendly squirrel lives, I plop down beneath it.
I pull the bottom of my dress down as far as it’ll go before sitting on the plush, soft grass beneath the tree. Wrapping my arms around my legs and hugging them, I take in a deep breath and stare out at the varying fields of green.
As I chew my lip in contemplation, I wonder if I took off too quickly. After all, I never did determine if all humans could see me or just this Callum guy. I should have taken some time to think, instead of sneaking off in a panic.
My squirrel friend appears next to me before sitting up on his hind legs. He stares right at me, his head cocked to the side in expectation.
“I’m sorry I don’t have any treats for you today, little friend,” I say, smiling at the adorable creature.
Getting down on all fours, he comes closer to me. I hold out my empty hand to prove I don’t have anything to give him. He reluctantly sniffs my palm. He knows I’m the one who always brings him those delicious walnuts from our trees in Laric.
“Sorry, buddy.” I smile at him.
The squirrel freezes and stares up at me, unblinking. He looks down at my hand, sniffing it again. Then, he bites my finger. Hard.
“Ow, you little brute!” I cry, pulling back my hand. A bead of blood appears on the tip. Bringing it to my mouth, I suck it quickly and use my tongue to soothe the sting before wiping it on the hem of my dress. I watch as the wound closes rapidly, leaving not even a scar behind.
The squirrel startles at my cry and scampers up the tree, into the top, where he thinks I can’t reach him. I wave my hand, rustling air through the tree, causing the branches to sway and shake in hopes of rattling him a little. I don’t want him to fall, but I do want to spook him just a bit. Smiling in triumph when his little claws grip the branch to avoid being thrown, a boisterous chuckle escapes me.
Serves you right.
I cannot believe you bit me. You adorable little nuisance.
