by Mary Dublin
She didn't seem eager to move away from him, so he reached down with his free hand to pluck her bag up from the floor. Sylvia turned her head to follow his movement, rubbing away her tear tracks as he pocketed her bag carefully in his jacket.
Moving up a little higher, she gave him room to stand. "You know, for a shitty hunter, it doesn't seem like you had that much trouble hunting me down," she quipped.
Jon extended a hand under her, letting her land before offering his shoulder as a perch. "I'm just glad I found you," he said. "Now, we just need to track down Cliff."
Sylvia's voice turned tight again as he started for the door. "He didn't come with you?"
"Don't worry. I can't imagine he's gone far."
Sylvia made a half-hearted noise of agreement. He could barely detect her little form through the layers of his shirt and jacket as she sidled closer between his neck and collar. Her hand pressed against his skin, though he couldn't tell if it was for balance or comfort.
Shutting the light off in the storage room, he slipped past the door and let it close behind him. Just as he was reaching for his phone, a muted cry of alarm came from beside his neck. He nearly rammed right into someone who was entering the church at a much brisker pace.
Jon threw his hand up to conceal Sylvia, prepared to side-step the person and get as far away as possible—until he found himself looking at Cliff's wide-eyed expression.
They stood at the threshold, silent. Then, almost sheepishly, Jon lowered his hand away from the fairy on his shoulder. She stayed leaning against his neck, tense.
Cliff stepped back and looked between the two of them, puffing as he caught his breath.
"I'll be damned. You actually found her."
Jon felt Sylvia shrink back when those green eyes turned to her with silent questions.
"Is it too late to change my mind?" she asked, regarding Cliff rather shyly.
To Jon's relief, Cliff softened almost immediately. "Of course not," he answered. "But we've got to get out of here. No more changing your mind once we go through that door."
Jon warmed as she pressed a tiny kiss under his jaw. "I know," she said. There was a strength in her voice that he hadn't heard in a long time. Cliff's face warmed, looking her over, but he was still impatient to get back out the door.
"Good. Car's out back," he said curtly, inclining his head. "Come on, we can hug it out later. I heard sirens across town."
With Sylvia nestled close to his neck, Jon took off after Cliff. She stayed glued to him as they pulled back onto the road, leaving the scene of the crime in the rear view mirror. She did not move as they sped past the last of the city lights and entered a stretch of road lit only by moon and stars.
Within just an hour, she was fast asleep. Though he was impatient to pick up where they had left off, Jon could only smile as he gently pulled her into his palm. He adjusted her wings gently to fold behind her and brushed her hair out of her face.
There was no rush.
They had made no naive promises that they would be together until the end of time. No assurance that they would suddenly enter a perfect world if they rooted themselves in each other's lives. No certainty in anything.
Just a willingness to try.
And that, Jon realized, made all the difference.
***
Sylvia almost flinched in alarm after easing into consciousness, hearing far more noise around her than she was used to. The roar of an engine and deep voices rumbling above her. Added to that, she knew she was not sleeping in her usual spot; she was far too comfortable, curled up in a soft sea of fabric.
Familiar, dark fabric. Jon's jacket.
As the memories filtered back in, she relaxed and blinked blearily at her surroundings, too invested to sleep to lift her head. From what she could tell, she was on Jon's lap. Something inside her warmed. He'd taken off his jacket to give her a comfortable spot to sleep instead of stowing her in a pocket. Peering to the side, she found his hand resting nearby. All he had to do was unfurl a finger to reach her.
"No way, we're not eating there," Jon groused, but Sylvia could tell he was keeping his voice low.
"Listen, you drive eight hours straight next time, and the choice is all yours," Cliff said, not much louder than Jon. He sounded tired, but Sylvia could hear the familiar, self-assured smile in his tone.
She almost sighed in relief. He wasn't upset. Even after she went back on her promise of letting Jon move on, he was smiling.
The good-natured, bickering whispers carried on above her as she lifted her eyes to the window. It was barely visible from her low vantage point, but she could see a faint pink sky. Excitement and uncertainties fluttered within her. After driving all through the night, she couldn't fathom how far they had traveled. How far she was from home and all things familiar. So, so far.
Something warm slid along her arm, slow and soothing. Jon's fingertip trailed back up to her shoulder, then gingerly down to her wrist again. Back and forth. He didn't even need to look down to perform the practiced movement, and he didn't seem to realize she was awake to feel it.
Letting out a slow breath, Sylvia allowed her eyes to fall shut again. Part of her wanted to look through the window, to see the world flying by against the sunrise. But there would be time for that.
For now, she was content to drift off with Jon's caresses, knowing that when she woke up again, they would be somewhere new.
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Upcoming adventures written by Anne Kendsley and Mary Dublin:
The Heart Between Kingdoms (Fall 2017)
The Shot in the Dark Trilogy: Book 2
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