The Forsaken Hero

Night had fully fallen when we alighted atop the balcony again. I held on to Luke’s neck as he gently set me on my feet, pulling him down in a hug. He stiffened in surprise, then softened, his arms encircling my waist. My legs were still a little shaky, but my tail was calm.

He held me for a few minutes. It was the first time we’d truly embraced. Not holding hands, or hugging from the side, but our feet on the ground and hearts together. It was a moment as magical as the one we shared amid the stars, one that I could have lived in forever.

But all good things come to an end, and this was no exception. I nuzzled his chest with my cheek, breathing in his scent in a final, deep breath. Then, my hands slipped from his neck, trailing down his arms and taking his as I stepped back.

”Thank you,” I whispered, squeezing his hands. ”Tonight was, um...thank you.”

He nodded, and his tail swished, brushing against mine. A small blush colored my cheeks as my tail responded, curling around it once before falling away, twitching behind me.

I started to turn toward the doorway, my hands slipping from his, when his hand darted out, grabbing my wrist.

”Xiviyah, wait, I...”

His voice faltered as I turned back, our faces suddenly inches apart. I could feel the warmth of his body, see the faint scar on his cheek, and the way the starlight caught in the violet of his eyes.

My breath caught as he cupped my chin, tilting it up, caressing my cheek with his thumb. My lips parted, as if to speak, but no words came out. Luke’s gaze fell to them, lingering for a heartbeat that stretched into eternity. His face drew closer, the warmth of his breath caressing against my lips. My world narrowed to that sliver of space between us, tearing me between the thrill of my racing heart and the knotted dread in my stomach.

Just when it felt like I would shatter from the sheer tension of it all, he froze. His breath hitched, and he flinched back as if he’d been burned. His hands released me, and he stumbled back, gripping the railing behind him. I stood frozen, hung on the edge, my lips tingling where nothing had touched them.

”I...I wanted to thank you,” he stammered, running a hand through his hair. He wouldn’t meet my gaze, staring out over the city lights instead. ”For watching the sunset with me. I know it wasn’t easy for you, but I...you were right. It was special.”

The world rushed back in with a dizzying swirl of starlight and distant music. Everything I’d felt—the apprehension, the fear, even that little spark of yearning—collapsed at once, leaving me reeling. The knot in my stomach loosened, but it was replaced by a hollow ache that settled deep in my chest, making it hard to breathe. My fingers dug into my skirt, crinkling the delicate silk, as I struggled to find a coherent thought amid the storm.

”I...me too...” I mumbled, not daring to look at him, my gaze falling to the intricate patterns of the balcony floor. ”The stars were beautiful.”

He nodded stiffly, and a strange silence descended, choking the air between us. I shifted on my feet, struggling to find something that felt comfortable, but there was nothing. My thoughts flashed back to that moment, and the ache in my chest grew deeper.

”We should head back,” he said, finally breaking the suffocating quiet, ”It’s after sunset, so they’ll be looking for us.”

”Right,” I said, not quite meeting his eyes.

He nodded stiffly and, with a final, lingering look in my direction, pushed through the colorful fabric strips that covered the entryway. I waited, listening to the echoes of his footsteps fade, leaving me on the balcony alone, with the quiet company of the stars.

My fingers trembled as I brought them to my lips, the touch sending a shiver through me. A single, hot tear traced a path down my cheek as the last few moments replayed in my mind.

”Luke...” I whispered, pressing my hand to my heart, trying to still the frantic flutter of it. Had he just...had I almost...?

I was relieved. I was. It was too fast, too soon. He was right. But the ache in my chest, that strange, hollow feeling...

With a shuddering sigh, I straightened, rubbing the tear from my cheek with the back of my hand. I took one last look at the stars, then followed him back inside, my tail trailing limply behind me.

The Zenith Gallery was alive with music and dancing, as if no time had passed since Luke and I had left. Luke stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against the wall folded with his arms folded, staring at the ground. When he heard me come in, he stood up, and his tail gave a nervous twitch.

”Feeling alright?” he asked, forcing a small smile.

My gaze fell to the floor, tracing the intricate patterns of polished marble as I gave a slight, silent nod. For a moment, he stood motionless, then took a hesitant step toward me, stopping just shy of reaching me. His hand hovered in the air between us before his arm extended, a silent invitation. My fingers trembled slightly as I slipped my hand through, resting it lightly in the crook of his elbow. More distanced than before, but still, I took it.

As we reached the bottom of the stairs, R’lissea came up to us, a bounce in her step. She was alone now, but she glowed with a smile that made me all the more conscious of the anxious flutter of my heart.

”You’re back! Where did you go?” she asked, her eyes dancing between me and Luke. ”I’ve been looking all over for you!”

”Just getting some air,” Luke said, giving her a tight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

R’lissea’s eyes narrowed. ”Getting some air? For this long?”

”We danced a lot. And, um...watched the sunset,” I admitted, gripping Luke a little tighter. Strange, that still my instinct was to draw close even after...that.

I squirmed under her gaze, the tip of my tail twitching furiously. She eyed my warming face before letting out an amused huff.

”Just watching the sunset, hmm?” she murmured, and smiled, brightening again. ”So how was the dance?”

I looked at the dancers in the middle of the floor, memories from just hours ago pushing past the confusion clouding my mind. The safety of Luke’s arms around me, the gentle strength of his guidance, and the exhilarating moments he twirled me around. My tail gave a little flick, and I could feel my cheeks warm.

”It was nice,” I admitted, my voice soft. ”The music was beautiful.”

”Beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it,” she said, nudging me with her elbow. ”Everyone saw you, you know. Two demonkin dancing at an elvish banquet. You practically stopped the whole show.”

Luke’s arm tensed, and I flinched. ”I’m sure that’s an exaggeration,” he said, a little too quickly.

R’lissea giggled, giving him a sly look. ”Is it? You seemed a little...distracted, to notice something like that. I’m glad you were able to enjoy it so much.”

She was only teasing, I hoped, but my blush darkened. There were a lot of people who had noticed us by now, whispering behind our backs. My hand curled a little further up Luke’s arm, drawing us a little closer.

He glanced down at my arm, then up at me, and his brow creased. After a second, he relaxed again, letting out a soft, relieved breath.

”What about you?” I asked, turning to R’lissea. ”How was that lord? Esvitt, wasn’t it?”

Her smile returned, a spark in her eyes. ”He was wonderful. So kind and gentle...I’ve never danced with anyone like that before. Not that I was much of a dancer. Ronin didn’t like it, and no one would dare approach a hero like me before. I didn’t know it could be so fun.”

”I know what you mean,” I said.

We made our way down the endless staircase of the Hearth Gallery, our conversation soft and meandering. Occasionally, we stopped at a landing, snagging a drink or pastry, and giving me a chance to rest. The night had worn on me more than I’d realized. It wasn’t just the physical strain of dancing or the lingering anxiety from our flight above the treetops, but something deeper. My soul felt heavy, weary from the constant push and pull of my own fragile heart.

Aerion and Selena found us near the bottom of the gallery, where the crowd was thinnest. They stood talking with a stern-faced elf with a severe, yet aristocratic, face. He wore a high-collared uniform of deep green, and, despite his age, had a red thread sewn around his sleeve. The crest of House Splitbark was pinned to his chest.

”Ah, there you are,” Aerion said, turning from the stranger as we approached, letting him slip into the crowd. ”Things have been quiet here, so I trust you enjoyed the banquet.”

”It was lovely,” I said, smothering a yawn with my hand.

”Did you think they weren’t going to be?” Luke asked, frowning at him. ”I gave my word.”

”Yes, the word of an apostle,” Aerion said, staring at him. He sighed, folded his arms. ”Though, given that, I’ll admit it’s worth more now than it was before this night.”

”You look exhausted,” Selena said to me, her lips pursed in concern. ”Come. We’ll make our rounds, and then I’ll have our coach readied.”

It didn’t take long for everyone to gather together, and soon, we were on our way back to the Sunsinger Estate. I only made it halfway, falling asleep on Luke’s shoulder before we crossed out of the old city. Strange, that I could feel so tired, so safe, to do so with him. My last waking memory was of R’lissea turning to him, a question on her lips. What that was, and how he answered, was lost to the darkness.