Zandian Lights (Zandian Brides 4)

A few beings glance at me, curious. We were seen, obviously.

Oh, Mother Earth. What will Arc and Bow think, if they find out? They’ll think I’m some loose slutty human, and maybe they won’t want me anymore. They’ll start courting another human.

I know that should worry me, but instead, it gives me a giddy lightness in my chest.

Then the guilt presses back down. I look around me, at these incredible beings. Strong purple-hued warriors, tall and muscled, horned. Eyes flashing with pride. And the smaller, softer humans, whose laughter and exclamations

are like a glue, binding us all together. I see the tiny halflings, some walking with their parents, some in arms—gorgeous combinations of the two species.

I see the future. A future that I, so far, have not fully joined.

I take a deep breath. When I see Arc and Bow approach, Cressa beside them, chatting away rapidly, as if her words might power a fighter jet, I stand up tall.

I owe it to Zandia to give this a shot, at least.

So when they come up to me and offer me their hands, I take them. Force a smile which feels as fake as the one pasted onto Cressa’s lips. Why this human doesn’t like me, I don’t know—and right now, I don’t care. I have bigger issues.

“The light is beautiful.” That much is true.

“Indeed.” Arc squeezes my fingers. He and Bow exchange a meaningful look. I’m intrigued by how they can communicate without words, although it also makes me uneasy. I don’t share in their special communication, and I feel like a young child left out of a game.

Cressa looks at the ground. Her bubbly chatter is gone. I notice that the trailing hem of her pretty gossamer dress is ripped, like some beings stepped on it in the exuberance of watching the crystals. She looks so bereft that for a second I want to hug her, tell her that whatever it is, it will be all right.

She sniffs and then looks up. Smiles. “Well, I guess I’ll be… going. Leave you, ah, three, alone.”

She sticks up her chin. “See you later, I guess, Kianna.”

“Sure, okay, Cressa. See you around.”

I’m eager for her to go, and also dread the vacuum her exit will create. If she’s not here to fill the space with Arc and Bow with her endless flow of words, I’ll need to talk to them.

What will I say?

Across the large field, I sense him. Mykl. I know this sounds crazy, but that kiss—it’s like it only strengthened some bond between us, even though he pushed me away. I look over, and he doesn’t look away. The second stretches out, and sounds go silent; all I hear is the power of his gaze.

But eventually he looks away, turns, and strides out of view.

I deflate.

Arc’s eyes are curious. “Everything all right?”

I take a breath. “It’s fine. I’m affected by the energy here.” Not a lie. It’s just that it was Mykl’s energy, not just the crystal energy.

“Us too.” Bow speaks for both of them. “We feel like this is a perfect time to talk to you about the future.”

The crowd is not dying down. Although the peak light is over, everyone seems to want to linger here at the epicenter of the event, talking about the even bigger light show that will occur.

“Can we go somewhere more private?” Arc takes my hand. “It’s loud here. Unless you want to stay and appreciate the light for a while?”

“Of course.” I force a smile. He’s really quite thoughtful. “We can go somewhere else.”

Away from Mykl.

“We have something we want to show you.” Arc sound excited. “It’s something—”

‘That we created recently while we were speaking of the future. Exciting.” Bow finishes his sentence.

I raise an eyebrow, sort of horrified. Do they also chew each other’s food and hold each other’s members while urinating?