His father hugged him too tight this morning. That was his first clue that all was not right within their world, but he tried to swallow it all. When Ophanim whispered shivering promises, Malone clenched his jaw and commanded himself not to cry. Finally, as his father spread his wings and took flight, he grit his teeth and didn’t breathe a word to anyone about it. His heart shattered into ugly fragments but he didn’t allow himself the luxury of tears as he watched the silhouette disappear into the sky. The era of his perfect childhood had come to a close and he knew it, knew that succumbing to these emotions would do him no good.
When he spots his brother with spatters of blood across his face and talons, there is a glimmering second of joy to see his new eye in its socket. The moment is eclipsed as he recalls their new circumstances, however, and he stumbles closer to the elder boy. He buries his gold and star dusted face against Meraxes’s strong shoulder as he begins to feel numb against the storm brewing within him.
“Promise you won’t leave me. Swear it,” he says in a voice that quakes and yet demands obedience. The pitch of his voice has become that of a man leaving behind the golden days of his youth, of a boy who knows the road that lies ahead of him. He takes mild comfort in knowing that Meraxes will walk this awful path alongside him, whole once more after the beautiful genie rescinded her curse. Malone suddenly finds himself grateful that he surrendered his fragile porcelain heart in exchange for his brother’s eye.
“I bought you your eye back from that woman. I thought she had cursed me instead but I think I’ve won, in the end.”
He laughs but the sound is painful as it slips from his lungs. Finally, Malone lifts his head and his black and blue eyes lock with his brother’s. How could he begin to tell him that their parents had each left them behind? Tar black rage takes root within him and he relishes in the way it chews through to the core of him so easily. It devours him whole and he surrenders all his softness to it like an offering, like a banquet for it to consume. He keeps only a sliver of his kindness for his brothers and sisters, some sacred jewel for the rose gold woman to pluck from him someday when she’s ready.
“Mother left for Sylva. I don’t know where Father went.”
His wings press tight to his sides, shimmering in the afternoon sun with all its gold and stars.
When he spots his brother with spatters of blood across his face and talons, there is a glimmering second of joy to see his new eye in its socket. The moment is eclipsed as he recalls their new circumstances, however, and he stumbles closer to the elder boy. He buries his gold and star dusted face against Meraxes’s strong shoulder as he begins to feel numb against the storm brewing within him.
“Promise you won’t leave me. Swear it,” he says in a voice that quakes and yet demands obedience. The pitch of his voice has become that of a man leaving behind the golden days of his youth, of a boy who knows the road that lies ahead of him. He takes mild comfort in knowing that Meraxes will walk this awful path alongside him, whole once more after the beautiful genie rescinded her curse. Malone suddenly finds himself grateful that he surrendered his fragile porcelain heart in exchange for his brother’s eye.
“I bought you your eye back from that woman. I thought she had cursed me instead but I think I’ve won, in the end.”
He laughs but the sound is painful as it slips from his lungs. Finally, Malone lifts his head and his black and blue eyes lock with his brother’s. How could he begin to tell him that their parents had each left them behind? Tar black rage takes root within him and he relishes in the way it chews through to the core of him so easily. It devours him whole and he surrenders all his softness to it like an offering, like a banquet for it to consume. He keeps only a sliver of his kindness for his brothers and sisters, some sacred jewel for the rose gold woman to pluck from him someday when she’s ready.
“Mother left for Sylva. I don’t know where Father went.”
His wings press tight to his sides, shimmering in the afternoon sun with all its gold and stars.
malone