Page 53 of Starlight

You did a very bad job of scaring him away.

He held his breath waiting for Cole’s response. Had he revealed too much? This wasn’t something that should be discussed by text.

I kind of like having him around.

He smiled, and warmth bloomed in his chest like he wanted to take flight. I like being around. But he wasn’t going to type that.

I look forward to scaring you…I mean seeing you on Friday.

Lol

Friday was too many days away. He had never been so still in his entire life. So bored. He was always scavenging, making, or traveling. He needed something to do for the rest of the week. If nothing else, the walk to the workshop would keep him occupied, and since he wasn’t flying to solstice, he’d be able to carry more to sell.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Hiking to the mine and workshop—though that was a rather generous description—may have been a mistake. It was a lot further on foot than it was by wing. He’d only just arrived, and he needed to turn around and leave in a few hours if he was going to make it back in time for Cole’s arrival.

As tempting as it was to go down the mine, he could not rely on his wings to get him out of trouble, and getting stuck down the mine was not on his list of things he wanted to do this week.

He settled for getting into the workshop, which was little more than a magically hidden closet. On one wall were a series of shelves and woven baskets, and against the other was a very narrow workbench. On the back wall were a variety of hooks and a few tools.

He’d taken one of Cole’s daypacks, as he called them, so it was easier to carry his findings back, but he also didn’t want to carry too much weight…it was exhausting walking everywhere. He had no idea how humans did it all the time.

While he was able to stretch his wing fully, he wasn’t going to chance gliding yet. Maybe on Friday, after Cole arrived. Once he could glide, it would take time to get his flying strength back.

It was going to be impossible to fly his old routes for months. And at the end of solstice, he’d be on his own…

Thinking about the end made his chest hurt because Cole wouldn’t stay that long. He needed to get back to his human job. Which meant he’d be spending solstice night on his own and leaving on his own. He’d need to make shorter flights with more rests, so it would take him forever to get back to the cabin.

A knot formed in his throat that swallowing didn’t dissolve. He took a drink of water and ate a couple of the bugs he’d found under the bark of the tree that marked the location of the workshop. He crunched through their hard exoskeletons, not liking the way Cole had so easily slid under his skin. He’d never planned his life around anyone, yet there he was, worried about getting back to the cabin in time.

About getting back to the cabin after solstice.

It was disturbing.

He’d grown up hearing stories about how when he met his mate, he’d just know.

Like breathing starlight, his mother said.

When he’d asked what she meant, because it was impossible to inhale stars, she’d laughed that she hadn’t meant literally. It was that feeling of being both tiny and the entire universe at the same time.

That’s what being with Cole was like. His phone buzzed and he was tempted to ignore it, but it might be Cole. He sighed as he saw Boone’s name in the Monster Network message.

BigFootBoone [admin]: Bob said you can’t fly

MothAkai: Don’t worry, I’ve made arrangements to get to solstice. I’ll still be there.

BigFootBoone [admin]: What arrangements?

He did not want to be talking about Cole with Boone. Boone would have opinions about him bringing Cole. Clearly Bob had not shared those details.

MothAkai: I’m getting a ride with a friend.

BigFootBoone [admin]: What happened to your wing?

He pulled down baskets, checking to see if there were precious metals or stones inside. Not sure what he was looking for, only that he wasn’t finding it. He wasn’t admitting to anyone else that he’d been shot by a human.

MothAkai: I had an accident.