Flora
"You’re spiralling," Flora said breezily, even as she matched Sohalia ’s urgent pace with narrowed eyes and a white-knuckled grip on her hand. Her curls were scraped into a high, wind-snatched bun, gold hoops catching the sun, a gauzy turquoise wrap tied over a cherry-red bikini. Flip-flops smacked lazily against her heels as they crested the final dune above the beach, the scent of grilled heaven already drifting their way like temptation incarnate. "And you’re going to sweat through your nice top if you keep panicking."
She didn’t have to look to know what—or rather, who—was about to become the problem. Kaisel ’s unmistakable voice carried on the breeze, and where there was Kaisel, there wasKoa. Flora's jaw tightened as her gaze snapped toward the cluster of voices near the grill.
Without missing a beat, she halted just shy of the sand proper, turned to Soh, and tugged the sunglasses right off her face. "Right—first thing we’re doing is swapping glasses. Mine are darker, so if you pretend to look at me, you can steal looks over towards them and no one’s gonna know the difference." She handed over her own shades and settled Soh’s lighter lenses over her face with a wink.
Reaching for Soh’s hand again, she smiled—bright and just a little bit wicked—as they approached the scent of fire and smoke and reckless decisions in swim trunks. "But honestly babe, you're going to be fine. Promise." Flora was about to say something about how she could channel Remi to just drop onto of Koa, when her gaze snagged on a flash of movement near the food tables. It wasn’t just the unfamiliar face that caught her attention, but the way the girl hovered—like she was trying not to shrink, even though the weight of her nerves practically shimmered off her like heat mirage.
"Theea!" Flora breathed, and then, louder, "Theeeeeea!"
Without waiting, she grabbed Sohalia’s hand and veered off-course, dragging her best friend across the sand with the single-minded determination of someone on a mission. "Crisis postponed," she muttered, flashing Soh a wink. "We’re making a pit stop. You need a distraction, and she’s brand new." Closing the distance with a grin that was all sunshine and queenly ease, Flora approached like a wave crashing into warmth. "There you are," she beamed, tossing an arm around Theea’s shoulders like they’d known each other for years. She turned slightly, tugging Sohalia forward with her free hand. "This is Sohalia, my best friend. Soh, this is Theea. We love her."
She didn’t have to look to know what—or rather, who—was about to become the problem. Kaisel ’s unmistakable voice carried on the breeze, and where there was Kaisel, there was
Without missing a beat, she halted just shy of the sand proper, turned to Soh, and tugged the sunglasses right off her face. "Right—first thing we’re doing is swapping glasses. Mine are darker, so if you pretend to look at me, you can steal looks over towards them and no one’s gonna know the difference." She handed over her own shades and settled Soh’s lighter lenses over her face with a wink.
Reaching for Soh’s hand again, she smiled—bright and just a little bit wicked—as they approached the scent of fire and smoke and reckless decisions in swim trunks. "But honestly babe, you're going to be fine. Promise." Flora was about to say something about how she could channel Remi to just drop onto of Koa, when her gaze snagged on a flash of movement near the food tables. It wasn’t just the unfamiliar face that caught her attention, but the way the girl hovered—like she was trying not to shrink, even though the weight of her nerves practically shimmered off her like heat mirage.
"
Without waiting, she grabbed Sohalia’s hand and veered off-course, dragging her best friend across the sand with the single-minded determination of someone on a mission. "Crisis postponed," she muttered, flashing Soh a wink. "We’re making a pit stop. You need a distraction, and she’s brand new." Closing the distance with a grin that was all sunshine and queenly ease, Flora approached like a wave crashing into warmth. "There you are," she beamed, tossing an arm around Theea’s shoulders like they’d known each other for years. She turned slightly, tugging Sohalia forward with her free hand. "This is Sohalia, my best friend. Soh, this is Theea. We love her."
I trace the evidence, make it make some sense
why the wound is still bleedin'
why the wound is still bleedin'
Code stolen from Queen Sky
