“Split up?” Ettan asked, appearing by his side. “Or search together.”
Branesh stared at the woods and then slowly spun in a circle. Far off in the distance were buildings that had once housed the Ventos who chose to live on this strata of Zephyr.
If he had landed here, like Aveline, he would have headed toward those buildings, not, as his brothers had, into a strange forest.
The question was now—did he tell Ettan of his suspicions, or take advantage of this situation and search for Aveline on his own.
Ettan studied him, gray swirling beneath his skin, worry evident in his eyes. Branesh sighed. “Together,” he answered. “It is most likely she went there.” He turned his gaze upon the buildings.
Without hesitation, Ettan flew away from him.
Branesh shifted and let the winds of Sonhadra carry him toward the horizon.
Chapter Nine
Aveline
The brothers’ words echoed in Aveline’s mind as she beat feet and ran like her life depended on it.
Our one.
My one.
Aveline was no one’s one. Throughout her life, she’d identified herself as many things: sister, ward, failure, criminal, prisoner, patient, victim. As she’d listened to the men argue, one of those identities had slipped stealthily to the forefront of her mind: survivor. She couldn’t let one amazing, and completely weird, orgasm go to her head.
She’d taken advantage of the men’s distraction and slunk away. First, she’d stayed toward the edge of the forest, but then, after getting the distinct sense that something was watching her, she moved away.
Something was in those woods, and she’d rather not meet it, especially with no way to defend herself.
Then stay with the men. Aveline shut the traitorous voice down. She couldn’t stay with them, no matter how handsome or kind they seemed. And then there was Marisol. If she had to start at the bottom of this world and climb her way to the top, she’d search for her sister.
The pod Aaddhar had found? What if it had brought Marisol here?
What if it brought someone else? Aveline didn’t like that voice either. All in all, she had nothing helpful to say to herself.
Aveline’s lungs burned, but not the way they had on the upper levels of this world. There, she couldn’t get enough air; it had been like trying to breathe through a straw. Her fatigue now was due to exertion and the fact that for months, the most exercise she’d had was to pace from one side of a wall to the other.
This part of Sonhadra reminded her of Earth. She’d lived in one of the biggest cities on the planet. It was a good place for her and Marisol. They could get lost easily among the throngs of world citizens.
Her steps stuttered, and she tripped, sliding across the ground and skinning her palms. Pushing herself up quickly, she hissed at the pain but forced herself to ignore it.
She couldn’t think about that now.
Couldn’t think about how she was on an alien planet, with aliens.
Because that’s what those men were, right?
In all of her thoughts, she called them men, but her encounter with Aaddhar had shown her they were not.
His entire lower half had dissolved into wind. A super-charged, mind-blowing wind, but wind nonetheless.
Why are you running? They could help you. You could be part of their family.
Shut up! This wasn’t helping. It was making her yearn for things she shouldn’t have. But she did. She wanted something for herself, something new and magical. It was then she remembered how the brothers had flown at each other, changing from men to wind. She’d come between them, and it wasn’t right. Family was sacred. The brothers needed each other, like she’d always needed her sister. And they didn’t need her. One day, they’d realize it. And then where would she be? She might as well strike out on her own now before they realized just how worthless she was.
So she kept running.
Instead of thinking about the insanity of trying to outrun air, she needed to concentrate. The buildings were closer. She could make out their roofs and walls now. They weren’t made of the same material as the ones where she’d landed. They weren’t so… other.
Solid walls made of a material that seemed analogous to concrete, with sloped roofs, all of them in natural colors, loomed ahead. A pain in her side caused her to slow, and she pinched her skin with her hand, massaging the cramp that had formed.
Her breathing was too loud, and she focused on slowing it. If someone was here, she wasn’t ready to announce her presence yet.
The first building she approached had a lot less in common with Earth buildings than she initially thought. Instead of being linear, the habitations were streamlined, all curved sides and arches.
And they were old.
What she’d taken to be natural colors, upon closer inspection, were structures chipped and worn away. In places, she could make out colors—vivid, bright colors—like each place had once been painted.
Cautiously, Aveline closed in on one of the homes. There was no one there. Even though she hadn’t looked inside yet, she knew she’d find it empty. It was more than the cracks in the paint or the way the grass grew wild around each building. It was as if the place had been filled—with dreams, love, laughter—and its disappearance left a silence so loud even Aveline could hear it.
But she wasn’t stupid, so she still hesitated before peeking in the window. The square cut-out was covered by a shade, there was no glass to keep out the elements. It was the same with the door. It had no knob or latch. Gently, Aveline nudged it open.
She stood at the entrance, studying the interior, but didn’t enter. Tables, chairs, decorations, all of it stood covered in a heavy layer of what she could only guess was dust. It left the impression that people who’d lived here had stepped out for a moment. One chair was positioned at an angle, facing the door. Aveline imagined the person who sat there had waited for a visitor.
It was disquieting. But more than that, it was sad.
Where was everyone?
In the time since she’d landed here, or awoken here—because who knows how long she’d lain unconscious—she’d only seen the four men. This was clearly a massive city.
On the upper level, the floating buildings were close together, and there were more of them than she could count.
This level reminded her of one of the suburban areas surrounding the city where she’d lived. A place for families who wanted a slower pace than the rush and crush of a metropolis.
Aveline backed away. The door she’d held open closed slowly, creaking with age.
Overgrown grass separated this house from the next, and unlike the outskirts of this place, behind the houses ran a huge stone wall. Aveline walked toward it, swiveling her head to compensate for her blind spot.
Having reduced sight made her paranoid in situations like this. Of course, she was trying to outrun a quad of wind-men, but it was more than that. Anyone could sneak up on her if they were quiet enough and stayed out of her line of sight.
Aveline touched her eye, pressing against her closed lid. Sometimes, if she pressed hard enough, she could see a spark of light, as if touch was setting off some remembered signal to her brain. But it always disappeared. And when she opened her eye, the world remained halved.
Along the wall, nature made a resurgence. Low tree boughs overhung the wall, drooping like fans. Combined with the tall grass, it would give her more cover than ambling between the houses would.
Why walk down the middle of the road when she could skulk in the bushes?
Stop running. She didn’t need this voice, and again, she shut it down. Just because the men seemed interested in her, didn’t mean she should trust them.
Even if they did heal her.
And rescue her from being crushed in a glass building.
And keep her from suffocating.
Inside the forest, a branch broke and cracked. Aveline paused. From far off came the sound of wind, and she froze. Was it wind? Ac
tual wind? Or the men?
Aveline stepped closer to the wall, hunched down where the grass was longest, and covered her mouth with her hand.
A gust of wind blew the branches wildly around her head, but no form appeared. Aveline slowly relaxed, standing straight.
She walked past the next few houses, but these were as empty as the first.
No one was here. The place was abandoned.
Over and over, she found herself wondering what had happened to everyone.
The sun lowered in the sky, throwing long shadows across the grasses and creeping toward the houses.
This day had seemed endless, but twilight seemed to last only moments. One moment there were shadows, and the next, the world plunged into darkness.
Aveline slid through the door of the closest house, closing it carefully behind her so it didn’t swing wildly and attract the attention of anyone who might be looking for her.
Her sight slowly adjusted, but now, because of the darkness, she was doubly blind. Fucking Bates.
Aveline slid down the side of the wall, wishing there were corners. Despite sitting in the darkness, she felt exposed. She closed her eye, covering it with her hand and cursing herself again. Yes, maybe Bates had done this to her, but she’d ended up beneath his scalpel because of the choices she’d made.
And for those, she had no one to blame but herself.
Outside, a gust of wind rushed along the sides of the building. It was different than the wind on Earth. Smoother. A long time ago, all of the children in her orphanage had taken a trip to one of the few green spaces left in the city. Aveline remembered the sound of the wind rustling leaves, how noisy it was. It shook everything in her path.
Here, it was as if the wind traveled along predetermined pathways. Or maybe it was just being on a different planet. It wasn’t like she’d had the education to understand space, or air currents, or anything really.
Her knowledge had some very large gaps.
The floor was hard, but not cold. She traced the boards with her fingertips, feeling ridges and grooves. Lying down, she curled in on herself, knees to her chest, then she exhaled.
The wind swept by again, over and over as if it was following a circular path around the house she’d hidden in. It was soothing, a low moan that soon had her mind empty of anything except the sound, and then, dreams.
∆∆∆
Marisol clutched Aveline’s hand in hers as they stared at the sunrise. Light gleamed along the horizon, growing brighter—pink, orange—it was the prettiest thing Aveline had ever seen.
“It’s nice here,” Marisol said quietly, squeezing her hand. “I want to stay.”
Aveline nodded but didn’t answer. No matter how nice a place seemed, there was usually something ugly and dark hidden. It was only a matter of time before it appeared. She’d learned not to trust what she saw, but what she felt. If her instincts said run, she ran.
But here? She was confused. The darkness must be hidden. Where was it?
The wind blew her hair out of her face, and Aveline released her hand from her sister’s to push it away.
“I want to stay,” Marisol said again, and Aveline nodded distractedly. Far off in the distance, storm clouds gathered. Lightning flashed inside the cloud, which seemed to be rushing over the land toward them.
Aveline kept her eyes on the clouds. “I think we should find shelter.”
For the first time, she realized they stood on the edge of a cliff. Below them were houses, but here there was nothing but green grass.
“I’m not going anywhere, Aveline,” Marisol said, her voice hard. “Maybe you need to leave.”
Glancing at her sister, Aveline gasped. In front of her stood her sister, but she looked harder, angry. The dark clouds blotted out the sun, obscuring Marisol’s face. When the lightning flashed it wasn’t her sister who met her gaze, but Dr. Bates. “I’m so glad to have found you again, Aveline.”
She took a step away, but the cliff was at her back. A flash of light gleamed against the scalpel he held in his hand. Instinctively, she threw up her hand and felt the blade slash against her palm.
Thunder crashed, and she jumped, feet sliding out from under her as she tumbled over the edge. Aveline grasped at the blades of grass, digging her fingers into the earth, desperate to find a handhold.
The blade slashed across her hand, the pain instantaneous. “Found you,” Bates said again, and smiled.
“Marisol!” Aveline screamed as Bates’s foot touched her fingertips. Blood seeped over the back of her hand into the ground. “Marisol! Help me!”
Suddenly, it wasn’t Bates who loomed above her; it was her sister. “I’m not leaving,” Marisol said, reaching for Aveline’s wrists.
She thought her sister would pull her forward, anchor her as the edge of the cliff fell away, but she didn’t. With inhuman strength, Marisol lifted her and held her out. Aveline kicked her feet, trying to find purchase, but there was only air.
“I’m not leaving,” she said, and in the darkness of the storm, the shadows on her face seemed skull-like. And then, Marisol let her go.
Aveline fell. Wind whistled past her ears as she fell faster and faster. Below her, the earth seemed to rise up to meet her. Shutting her eyes tight, she braced for impact.
∆∆∆
With a gasp, Aveline opened her eyes. She panted. The terror of her dream had her heart thudding so loudly she could hear it in her ears. Confused, she studied her surroundings, her mind still thick and slow from sleep. Then, in a rush, it all came back to her.
The Concord.
Falling.
The four brothers.
Running away.
It was daylight, so bright it seemed like every beam of sunlight shone directly into the house where she hid.
Hid.
She’d run away yesterday from the men who’d wanted to protect her. In the daylight, after a night of rest, it seemed like an epically stupid move on her part.
Can’t trust anyone. Her dream had left her uneasy, but she was a survivor. She would survive this, even if she had to do it on her own.
Aveline rubbed her hand over her face, feeling the grit of sweat and dirt over her skin. The house where she’d chosen to hide was larger than she’d initially thought. The curved walls hid halls that now, illuminated by the morning light, she could make out.
She stood, and with a breath to steel her nerves, she went toward the shadow of a hall. There wasn’t much in way of decoration here. The walls were smooth. There were no frames or shelves. In fact, the entire place looked as if it had been deserted, like who’d ever lived there before had moved out long ago.
The hall led to multiple rooms, but each one she peeked into was empty. The last one, however, looked promising. A small closet was lined with what looked like terra cotta, and carved into the wall, a shallow bowl.
Aveline walked into the closet, and immediately a mist shot out from the ceiling, soaking her from head to toe. A second later, she was bombarded by a sweet smelling wind, and then, a warm rush of air.
The entire process lasted less than ten seconds, but at the end, she felt entirely different.
Was that a shower?
She ran her fingers through her hair. The curls separated easily, unlike the freezing cold showers and harsh soap on the Concord that left her feeling sticky and greasy. Her skin, when she ran her hands down her face, was so smooth it was like she’d been sandblasted. Even her clothes felt clean.
Aveline stepped out of the shower. Nearby, was a shallow bowl, like a sink. Her bladder ached, and she considered sitting on it, but it seemed too high.
Just as she fingered the buttons on her jumper, she saw a low seat hidden behind the curved wall. It was clearly a toilet.
Whatever planet she’d landed on, at least some things were universal.
Basic bodily functions achieved, Aveline was able to concentrate on her next steps. She had shelter. She was safe, for now.
But—and her stomach growled
as if to highlight its opinion—she needed food.
Exploring the house from top to bottom revealed nothing that could be categorized as a kitchen. There was no faucet, no refrigerator, nothing.
You need to leave. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t hole up here and starve. It had been at least a day and a night since she’d had anything to drink or eat, and her body would start shutting down if she didn’t take care of herself.
Just go. Aveline stared at the front door as if it could give her the answer she needed. Finally, after a deep breath, she pushed it aside.
Part of her expected to see four brooding, angry brothers waiting for her, and not a small part of her was disappointed when there was no one there.
She’d lost them. Somehow, she’d successfully hidden from them.
Our one. Thanasis’s deep voice echoed in her mind, and a surge of guilt quickly followed it.
And shame.
Why had she run? Why hadn’t she stood up for herself?
Her whole life, she’d done the easy thing. Lying, stealing. Giving in to her sister. Aveline consistently took the path of least resistance.
No. It was better she set out on her own now, rather than get attached to the guys. Eventually, they’d look at her with the same disappointment everyone in her life had.
The rest of the day was spent searching for food and shelter, and hiding like a coward when she heard the wind blow. Time passed, though she had no idea how much. She only knew that she was hungrier and her throat was parched.
Time was different here. She may not have a watch, but it certainly seemed like the daylight hours were much longer than on Earth. Or maybe it was just because she was hungry. It was all she could think about.
Aveline searched through house after house, but there was nothing. Apparently, Branesh, Aaddhar, Thanasis, and Ettan didn’t need food. Or food she recognized. Of course, it was possible any food that had been here had disintegrated.
By the time she’d given up her search, she was exhausted, weak, and starting to worry about her survival. Wouldn’t it be ironic that the thing that killed her wasn’t Dr. Bates’s experiments, or falling out of space, but starvation?
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