Broken Skies

“Jax?” Lir’s voice from right outside the bathroom. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” I yell, scrubbing at my eyes with my hands. “Just fine.”

I hurry through the rest of the shower, rinsing my hair this time without getting any more soap in my eyes. When I step out, fog covers the large mirror over the sink. A single bottle of lightly scented lotion sits on the counter next to a folded towel. The thick fluffy towel is a luxury in itself and I almost moan when I rub the lovely lotion over my skin. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so clean and pampered.

I fold the towel back up and set it on the counter, but no clothes… Thankfully there’s a robe, a white one of course, hanging on the back of the door. It’s short and reaches only halfway to my knees when I wrap it around me, but I don’t have any other options unless I want to wander around naked. I half-stumble out of the bathroom— stupid door stuck— and stop in my tracks when I see Lir sitting on the bed. The robe was a good choice.

“I had to tell my father about… what you are,” says Lir, gaze fixed firmly on his hands. “I just…” His eyes come up, trailing from my bare feet up my damp legs and landing on my face. “Where are your clothes?”

My face heats and I grip the robe closer to my body. “They seem to have run off.”

Lir grins and chuckles, shaking his head. “I’m not really complaining anyway.” The tension in my body releases at his relaxed attitude. “Can we talk?”

“Uh, sure,” I say. I plop down on the bed next to him and his face flushes.

“I meant later, you know, with clothes on?”

My head tilts and I shrug. “You’re here now, let’s get this over with.” I’m not sure what I expect him to say, but it can’t be good. Lir fidgets and looks away. Maybe clothes would be a good idea. There’s no barrier between us, nothing protecting me from the words he’s about to say.

“Jax…” he starts, “I haven’t been fully honest with you.”

“No kidding. I think we’ve already had that conversation,” I say in monotone.

He sighs and pinches the top of his nose. “First of all, let me apologize for my Father. He’s… under a lot of pressure right now and bringing you here is just going to complicate it even more.”

“Then why’d you bring me here? Why am I lounging around your house instead of finding Jace? How is this helping?”

“It’s not…” A loud exhale pushes past his lips. “I thought this was going to be the easy way. That my family’s position here might….be of assistance. But the tensions between us and the humans have gotten too far out of hand. My return hasn’t exactly escaped notice and the fact that I brought you into the city…”

“And which camp am I in? The ‘us’ or the humans? Because I didn’t ask for any of this. I just came for my brother.”

His eyes flash. “You seem to forget the things your brother has done to end up here. In our eyes he’s a criminal.” I guess I’m solidly in the ‘them’ category then.

“That still doesn’t explain why I’m here lounging around instead of out getting Jace back.”

Lir’s hand moves up, ruffling his hair in a gesture I’ve come to recognize as frustration. “About that…” The hand on my back freezes when my muscles tense. He can’t possibly back out now. I’m depending on him and I’m completely out of my element here. “I don’t know where he is.”

“What is that supposed to mean? You promised.”

The hand goes to his hair again and he sighs. “I didn’t promise anything, Jax. I said I’d get you here,” he says. My head tilts to the side and I blink once slowly. “No, that’s not coming out right… I want to help you, but after I found out what you were, I knew we had to come here first. It’s a good thing we did, because there’s been absolutely no news of your brother’s arrival here. My father has a good idea about why that may be, and so do I, but there are steps that have to be taken. You can’t go ru

“Time? I don’t have time. Jace doesn’t have time. I need to find him now! Who knows what they’re doing to him!”

His brow furrows. “I am doing all I can…”

I turn and poke my finger into his chest. “You don’t get it. They’re torturing him. Your people…I can’t just sit here….”

He wraps his hand around mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. Warmth trickles into me, lowering my heart rate, slowing my breaths and…calming me. “It will—”

I snatch my hand away like it’s been burned. “Don’t do that! What gives you the right to shove your emotions on me?” Springing up off the bed, I stalk to the other side of the room.

“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought—”

“You thought that you’d control me? Manipulate me?”

Redness creeps up his neck and he stands. He stalks across the room until he’s standing right in front of me. “No. I thought I would help you. You don’t understand—”

“I don’t want your help!” The words explode from my mouth before I can stop myself. “I just want to get my brother and get out of here!”

There’s a flash of pain in his eyes, then he flexes his jaw and a visible wave of tension flows through him. The chilly solider persona has returned. “I have arranged a Council meeting to discuss my return and allow you to present a formal request for Jace’s release. Get some rest. We will discuss this in the morning.” He strides out of the room without looking back.

What did he expect me to say? Yes, please, crawl around in my brain. The prickling heat of irritation slowly gives way to a wash of guilt. It’s not his fault I’m not… like him. He’s had his entire lifetime to get used to this emotional thing and it’s probably instinctive for him. We’re both exhausted and stressed…I’ll apologize in the morning.

After searching through a few drawers I throw my hands up in frustration. My clothes disappeared and there’s no— A small gray stack of folded fabric on the edge of the dresser catches my eye. I fluff out the clothes. No surprises here, simple gray shirt and pants. Socks and underwear too. I sure hope it was Vira that dropped this stuff off.

The fabric slides easily against my skin, softer and smoother than anything I’ve ever experienced before. If not for the fact I was virtually alone in this alien city having seemingly pissed off my only ally here, I’d be reveling in all these little luxuries. I collapse onto the bed, sinking into the mattress as it molds around me. Maybe I’ll revel a little anyway.

Despite the comfort of the mattress against my body, when I close my eyes and try to sleep, it won’t come. I pull the pillow over my face and close my eyes, searching for that elusive peace and failing. My mind is too busy bouncing from thought to thought and every one leads me back to a different worry. Where is Jace? What if I can’t get him out? Have I completely screwed things up with Lir? What things?

I’m lost in thought when the sound of giggling comes from the end of the bed and Stella pops up into view. “Hi!”

I sit up and smile at her. “Hi Stella, what are you doing in here?”

“I just wanted to talk to you. No one would let me talk to you…” She makes a pouty face and shakes her head. “So, are you really a human? I’ve never met a human before.”

“Yes.” What else am I supposed to say? I don’t want to scare her and, if her parent’s attitudes have anything to do with it, she’ll probably never see one again. “I’m human.” It’s only a little stretch of the truth.

She nods as if satisfied with my answer. “I like you, Jax. Don’t worry Lir will forgive you.” Leaning closer, she whispers the next part. “I have tantrums too and he always forgives me.” Such a simple statement, but it is enough to reassure my racing mind and my chest moves with laughter.

I impulsively reach forward and hug her. As her little arms go around my waist, I realize there’s no kitu on her wrist. Does that mean she has to stay within the city or she’ll die? But…then how did I broadcast to her? Didn’t Lir say the mental communication came from the kitu? Have the E’rikon altered the atmosphere within the barrier and that’s why they stay in the city? But then…how did Lir survive outside it when his kitu wasn’t working? The questions just keep coming, swirling in my head until Stella releases me and hops off the bed.