Lowering herself to the ground, Josseyln pulled her legs back up to her chest, as if to protect herself. From what, she wasn't sure. She looked over at Lily and was surprised to see her lips tilt up in a small smile.
“What did you want to show me?”
Lily turned her back to her and pulled the top of her white chemise down, baring her right shoulder and upper back.
“This.”
Smooth, black marks formed the shape of a wing, stretching out over her shoulder blade. Josselyn gasped, her hand reaching out, needing to touch those marks that were so different from her own and yet... the same.
“What does it mean?” She whispered, tracing the edge of the wing with her fingertip.
A soft light began to emanate from Lily's skin, swirling around her like a golden mist. She held her hands out, palms up, and the light began to focus there, taking a solid shape. The light unfurled itself, wings spreading out to the sides, and Josselyn's breath caught as she took in the delicate, red bird that appeared in Lily's hands. The bird stretched up, rubbing the top of its head against Lily's chin, before flying up to perch on her shoulder.
Lily met Josselyn's gaze, her eyes full of understanding. “What it means, Princess, is that I don't think you're a monster at all.” She took Josselyn's hand in her own, giving it a small squeeze.
“And you're not alone.”
Josselyn's mouth fell open in wonder. “How did you do that?” she whispered, watching the bird preen on Lily's shoulder.
“Hmmm... how did I do that...” Lily pressed a hand against her chest. “I can feel her, like a warm light inside my chest. When I sing, her light flares even brighter, and I can feel her throughout my entire body.”
Her eyes focused on the ripples in the stream. “I felt her before I even really knew she was there. Singing always made me feel so alive. Then, last year, my family returned to the islands for a visit. I was alone, walking on one of the island's beaches. Everything felt so perfect, with the sun shining down, warming my skin and making the ocean sparkle like sapphires. I just burst into song, letting all of those beautiful feelings rush through me, and that's when the light surrounded me, and I first met Suzu.”
She reached up to stroke the bird's feathers. “At first, I could only bring her out when I was singing, but now, we're so in tune with each other that she can hear me when I call for her in my mind.” She shrugged. “I realize that's pretty vague and unhelpful in your situation. I wish I could explain it all better, or tell you just how it all works. Honestly, though, it's all pretty much a mystery to me.”
She nodded towards Josselyn's forearm. “I've never met anyone else with a mark like mine before.”
Josselyn rubbed her forearm, her face darkening. “But mine isn't like yours, not really.” She picked at a piece of grass by her foot. “You have this beautiful songbird that fills the air with light when it appears. I have a bloodthirsty beast that would happily rip the flesh off anyone who stood in its way.”
Lily made a humming noise.“You're a strong, powerful woman. It's not surprising that you have a warrior inside of you. But Josselyn, you're also a loving and loyal friend, and that beast you have within you may be more gentle than you realize. You two just need to find each other.”
“Maybe...” Josselyn responded doubtfully, although she could already feel her spirits lifting.
Lily clicked her tongue against her teeth a few times, and Suzu flew down off of her shoulder, dissolving in a pool of light that flowed into Lily's chest. She let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing. “As much as I love having Suzu with me, it's too hard to maintain when I'm already tired. We seem to share a common energy source. The longer she stays out, the more exhausted I feel. The first time I brought her out, I ended up passing out in the sand. I've gotten stronger since then and can maintain it longer, but even now, I don't think I could have her out with me for more than twenty, thirty minutes at a time without losing consciousness.”
“Do you think that's why I blacked out in the woods the other night?”
“Maybe. I imagine you were already in a pretty fragile state before your beast made an appearance. All things considered, I'm surprised you were able to call it out at all. But, as I said before, the whole thing is a mystery to me. Your beast may work in a way that's completely unlike my own.”
Josselyn bit her lip, mulling over Lily's words in her mind. “This is all just so... overwhelming, you know?”
“Give it time, Princess. All great things take time, and I suspect what you two have will be pretty amazing.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Where is she, Burgundy?!”
Stefan slammed his glass down on the sideboard, and a flustered servant hurried to refill it. Lord Burgundy hovered near the door, clearly wishing to be elsewhere. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he wiped at it with the handkerchief he'd been twisting in his hands. He licked his lips, his voice pitched higher than usual as he attempted to soothe the angry prince.
“She can't have gotten far, Your Highness. I'm sure our men will locate her anytime now. She's just a girl, after all.”
The prince glared at him, his brandy sloshing precariously.
“My men have already been searching for her for two days now, and yet, she continues to elude them. How do you explain that, Burgundy? As you said, she's just a girl.”
Lord Burgundy swallowed, his eyes darting toward the door. “Perhaps... perhaps she had help? Has her guard been accounted for?”
Prince Stefan took a step in Lord Burgundy's direction, his voice deceptively quiet. “You tell me, Burgundy. You're familiar with all of the staff. You should be aware of who is or isn't accounted for, should you not? Unless... unless you're attempting to protect her?”
The portly
