Calathus

Chapter 23 - The Darkest Rise

23.

The Darkest Rise

Something had overcome her, and figuring out what that something was had consumed Sianna's thoughts for the past few days...or for whatever counted as days in this damn place. The two suns over them set and rose familiarly enough. Appearing in their place like a manifesting ghost was a mossy green moon that never waxed. Despite the exchanging lights, the sky retained its yellow-green color, but all those abnormalities weren't what had Sianna worried.

It had been that damn waterfall.

Sianna had felt mesmerized when she saw it. It had been like the red skull tree's allure except while that pull had been strange and almost sinister, the waterfall's calling had been peaceful and pure. Pure what, Sianna didn't know but it had dominated her and threaded through her like a seamstress's swift needle,

Each drop of water that had fallen and rolled down her skin had graced her with a serenity she had never felt before. She had been washed with an invigoration that consumed her with nothing but tranquility, and within the calmness rose unfamiliar desires, but she couldn't grasp what those desires were. All she knew was that she got fucking naked and then told Reth to get fucking naked so they could be fucking naked together.

Saints, what the hell was I thinking?

She sighed, her sight caught by the smaller of the two suns. She found it peculiar that she could stare at it without her eyes watering. There were no patterns on its surface though; it was like a polished crimson pearl: flawless and bright.

Sianna heard the rustle of someone waking up and from the corner of her eyes she saw a figure sit up. The last thing she wanted was for someone to bother her. She liked it when she was the sole person awake; she was alone. It felt like her thoughts were more private and less filtered. Sianna felt truer to herself.

She kept still, hoping to appear asleep, wishing for the morning stillness not to disappear, but it was no use. The movement of day had started, and looking down at her with a hand on his hip was Lycin.

His face was shadowed, but she could still see his bright, green eyes. They always reminded her of the pulp she would spit out when she finished chewing her morning mint leaves.
His eyes also reminded her of his existence. Sianna sighed, already annoyed with the new day. She closed her eyes and rubbed them, seeing her tiny eyelid veins stretch and explode like dancing lightning.

"We're apparently living on a corpse now, stuck inside a tree that has a sky with two suns. Whatever could be on your mind, Sianna?" Lycin asked.

She could feel his words were said through a grin. Sianna frowned, keeping her eyes closed. "What do you want, Lycin?"

"I was a little saddened to see that I didn't wake up with you cuddled up against me again."

She rolled away from him, and opened her eyes, coming face to face with a sleeping Iari. It had been him she had snuggled up against during the night. Sianna bit down a smile at the thought of his embarrassed stutters and red face had he woken up to see her alongside him. If she had to choose a cuddle partner between him, Lycin, and Reth, she preferred Iari. No hesitation there.

"Are you hungry?" Lycin asked. Of course he still hadn't left.

"No," Sianna said.

"Are you sure? You really haven't been eating much lately." Genuine concern rung in Lycin's voice and for some reason it bothered her more than his usual deviousness.

"I'm fine. Just prepare some for everyone else."

"And for you too." Lycin gave a single chuckle before walking away.