Isellta looked down the hall at Maelin. She’s there. Right there. I can go to her and talk to her and touch her. I can’t touch Jay, but I can touch her and she can touch me.
But the inevitable can be avoided for only so long. If I don’t walk to it, it will run after me.
He turned away from Maelin.
Isellta trailed his fingers along the wall as he walked towards the first corner. His legs were definitely doing better. No more trips. Very few stumbles. The shakiness was minimal at best. He wasn’t even sure who to give credit to. Maybe it was just his natural healing process. Maybe it was the tea Maelin had given to him. Maybe it was from finally having some food. Maybe Maelin had used some subtle magic on him. Or maybe Jay’s massaging technique was a lot more effective than expected.
Isellta had no idea, but he still took it careful and slow. He was NOT going to break out into a full run. The fact that he wasn’t overly eager to get back to Preyuna helped keep him at a leisurely pace.
He stopped at the corner and looked back.
Maelin was gone.
Jay’s bedroom door clicked shut.
Isellta flattened his wings against his back. It’s okay. It would be somewhere between silly and strange if she were still standing there. And I…I really can’t blame her for returning to Jay.
He turned forward and tripped over his own feet. It happened all too fast. He fell before he could even try to catch himself, landing on his hands and knees.
Neither Jay nor Maelin rushed to his aid.
The hallway was quiet and empty.
Isellta bowed his head. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. He desperately wanted to go to his own bed and curl up with his pillow. But he didn’t want Preyuna to come storming into his room.
Using the wall as a support, he got up on his feet again.
And he didn’t look back.
He walked forward to the other corner, even though it seemed like it was forty-five miles away. It’ll be okay. I’ll be okay. She won’t hurt me. I’ll do whatever she wants. I’ll make her happy and she won’t hurt me. I’ll be okay. I’ll be okay. It’ll be okay.
The closer he came to the second corner the less stable his legs became. They trembled like they were going to collapse any second.
He stopped to lean against the wall and regain his courage. But his courage was delicate and slippery. Every time he tried to regain it, his courage either slipped further away or it just plain popped.
“I can’t. I can’t. I can’tIcan’tIcan’tIcan’t. I can’t.” He covered his face with his hands. I know what she’ll do to me. His hands overamplified his shaky breathing.
Isellta wanted to give in to his legs’ shakiness. He wanted to let them pitch him down on the floor where he could just lay indefinitely….or at least until morning. But she’d come after me. She’d come to me and find me and grab my hair and hit my shoulder. She’ll be mad at me and yell at me and make me feel so incredibly stupid and small. I need to go to her. I need to make her happy. Need to prove to her that I can make her happy.
He uncovered his face and carefully pushed himself away from the wall. He resumed walking forward all the way to the second corner.
He turned the corner and kept walking.
ambroseandelsie 