the darkness falls around me at night
I catch the sound of it—that little snort—and something like triumph flares in my chest.
It’s not a laugh. Not quite. But it’s close enough. From someone like Deimos, it counts. And when he wrinkles his nose at me, like some long-suffering mountain spirit who’s somehow found himself babysitting a particularly chatty squirrel, I can’t help it—I giggle.
Just a little. Quick and quiet. Almost like a kid.
Zuriel’s side-eye earns her a half-bow of apology. I’d curtsy, but I don’t think I’d survive the embarrassment if I slipped on the ice.
When he asks if I’ve seen much of Halo, I nod, brushing a few snowflakes from the edge of my sleeve.
”I’ve seen a fair bit. I’ve been traveling pretty much my whole life, so I’ve passed through before. My mom and I used to have a cabin out that way.” I gesture south. “We lived there a whole LongHeat once.”
I pause, eyes skimming the pale stretch of trees and drifting smoke. ”It’s always been beautiful. Harsh, but beautiful. I can handle the cold. I just… prefer warmth. Sunlight. Salt air. Places where your wet hair doesn’t freeze if you sleep too close to a window.”
The memory makes me smile though. ”But sledding with mega-fast unicorns? Unmatched. And icicles. I used to collect the long ones and pretend they were daggers. I’m sure if I went back to that old cabin, I’d find a dozen memory snow sculptures still standing out back. Snow foxes. Dragons. Practice dummies.. A very wonky unicorn.” I give an apologetic smile to Zuriel.
I glance back at him, raising a brow. ”Do you do that kind of stuff with your son?”
It’s not a laugh. Not quite. But it’s close enough. From someone like Deimos, it counts. And when he wrinkles his nose at me, like some long-suffering mountain spirit who’s somehow found himself babysitting a particularly chatty squirrel, I can’t help it—I giggle.
Just a little. Quick and quiet. Almost like a kid.
Zuriel’s side-eye earns her a half-bow of apology. I’d curtsy, but I don’t think I’d survive the embarrassment if I slipped on the ice.
When he asks if I’ve seen much of Halo, I nod, brushing a few snowflakes from the edge of my sleeve.
”I’ve seen a fair bit. I’ve been traveling pretty much my whole life, so I’ve passed through before. My mom and I used to have a cabin out that way.” I gesture south. “We lived there a whole LongHeat once.”
I pause, eyes skimming the pale stretch of trees and drifting smoke. ”It’s always been beautiful. Harsh, but beautiful. I can handle the cold. I just… prefer warmth. Sunlight. Salt air. Places where your wet hair doesn’t freeze if you sleep too close to a window.”
The memory makes me smile though. ”But sledding with mega-fast unicorns? Unmatched. And icicles. I used to collect the long ones and pretend they were daggers. I’m sure if I went back to that old cabin, I’d find a dozen memory snow sculptures still standing out back. Snow foxes. Dragons. Practice dummies.. A very wonky unicorn.” I give an apologetic smile to Zuriel.
I glance back at him, raising a brow. ”Do you do that kind of stuff with your son?”
Theea
and covers me in silence so bright
