Gale
this is going to break me clean in two --
this is going to bring me close to you
Gale is somewhere in the darkness, at the heart of a maze that runs through his mind. He is very far away from Mazikeen and the conversation she is having with him. The focus it takes to keep himself from falling apart entirely allows for thoughts of nothing else.
The Curse presses Gale’s lips to Mazikeen’s cheek a final time as she pulls away.
She’s hidden the twins, it realizes. She’s not kept up her part of the deal. It digs sharp claws into Gale’s consciousness, allowing the sensation of him writhing helplessly to distract it from the rage. It’s effective, and the only expression that Gale’s face conveys is one of bewilderment.
The Curse already has Gale, it reminds itself. A suitable host. Not the best, not as good as the children might be. As Mazikeen is.
“I’m sorry,” she says. Not nearly as sorry as she will be, it thinks. She has surprised it for the last time, and the Curse has had enough. It will kill Maziken, and it will consume her heart and gain her shifting abilities.
It has not been watching her closely enough. It had been lazing through the days, not quite sleeping, but not paying nearly enough attention either. She is clever, perhaps more clever than the Curse.
It does have one advantage though, an advantage that it fully intends to utilize.
“Do you think I’ll ever get to meet them?” It asks. Gale does not sound hopeful, but it does ask. It knows Gale wouldn’t want Mazikeen to think he’s abandoned hope entirely, because the Curse within him knows Gale most intimately. It knows exactly what his responses would be, knows exactly how to say them, and is hopeful that Mazikeen might let her emotions blind her to danger.
She just needs to come a little closer, let it lean on her again for comfort. In this shape, she’s an easy target, especially if she is not at all suspicious.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” It continues, making Gale’s face full of regret and sadness and frustration. Meanwhile, it tells Gale that he’s missed the birth of his children, and cackles at his redoubled efforts to escape. The Curse flicks him away like it might stomp an ant, and meets Mazikeen’s eyes with a gaze that is identical to her beloved’s. “I’m sorry.”
@[Mazikeen]
|
Gale
