The Invisible Planet

Part 33: Unanswered

Angeline awoke late to the soft morning light. She had slept poorly despite her ease at initially falling asleep, waking up several times with the unsettling feeling that she was being watched.

She tiredly gathered her clothes and a towel and trudged through the forest toward the hidden cove. A sweet smell greeted her before the little beach was even in sight, giving her pause.

She stepped through onto the sand and immediately stopped, taking in swaths of colorful flowers covering the ground like a carpet. There was a neatly lined path from the entrance to the water, with a branch that led behind the waterfall and a generous space around the beach.

Sitting near the waterfall against the stone wall with one knee bent and his eyes closed was Shay. She wanted to be angry with him, but there was something off. Didn't he say he rarely ever slept?

"Shay?" she called gingerly.

He didn't respond.

Worry filled her mind immediately. Had something happened to him? Was he hurt? He was immortal, right? He couldn't be—

She pushed the thought away and hurried over to him, setting her things down and touching his cheek.

Warm. He was breathing steadily. There was no blood that she could see, though he did look a bit pale.

"Shay," she said softly, nudging his shoulder.

He winced and inhaled deeply before he opened his eyes. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Hello, Angel," he said, his voice quiet.

Something was definitely wrong. As she met his soft gaze, she realized what it was. "Shay, your eyes," she said in alarm, holding his cheek in her hand. The red glow was nearly gone from his crimson irises.

"You've no need to worry," he assured. "I'll be alright, I just need to rest." He looked behind her, over the flower field. "Do you like them?"

"They're lovely," she replied. "Dekita's doing?"

"No, I— I didn't want to bother her."

She glanced over her shoulder with confusion. "You did this?"

He nodded. "I gathered the seeds from around the island and planted them last night, after I left."

"Last night?" she asked in surprise, looking back at the flowers again. "But... they're all blooming. How long did that take you?"

He gave a slight shrug. "It's all a bit of a blur, really. Hard to keep track of the days when you haven't got a day-night cycle."

"Days?" she repeated, raising her eyebrows at him in surprise.

He smiled.

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

"I'm quite fond of flowers. Not as much a fan of killing them for a romantic gesture. I thought I might compromise a bit."

Her heart twisted itself into a knot. To leave her the night before as if she was just a toy to him, only to turn around and spend at least multiple days — how long did it take for flowers to grow? — creating something so beautiful, all for her?

She looked away. "Could you leave?" she asked. "I still need to wash up."

"I'm afraid I can't get up at the moment. I'll close my eyes, and you're welcome to blindfold me if you wish."

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I must admit, I thought I would have more time left over. I've expended all my energy. I'm not able to move much. Unless you happen to have brought something to eat, I'm going to need time to recharge."

"Aren't there mushrooms in the cave?" she asked.

"Oh, I went through those ages ago. Unfortunately for me, they only grow at night."

She frowned in concern. "How long were you here?"

The corners of his mouth tugged into a weak grin. "Some questions are best left unanswered." His eyes fell closed.

She got up and cautiously undressed, watching him carefully.

"I won't peek," he assured. "Frankly, it's a bit tiring to keep my eyes open right now."

"You didn't have to do all that," she said as she stepped into the water. "I would've been fine waiting for them to grow."

"It gave me time to sort my thoughts," he replied. "Besides, your lifespan is limited. I thought I'd save you the time."

"It's my limited lifespan," she argued. "I can spend it how I want."

He smiled. "So it is."

She looked away from him, glancing over the flowers again. There were several kinds and sizes, ranging from a few inches to a foot high. The shortest were near the paths, and there was a line of taller ones near the cliffs. There were pinks, blues, yellows, oranges, greens, reds, and violets, all mixed in a varied pattern that was pleasing on the eyes. "No one's ever put that much effort into something for me before," she said.

"What makes you think I did it for you?" he asked. "I assure you, it was purely selfish. I quite enjoy making you smile."

She smiled, looking down with a blush as she scrubbed her arms with a cloth.

"As it happens, I needed the time to think," he continued, "and I— I want to apologize for what happened the last time I saw you."

"You mean, last night?" she corrected as she stepped out of the water.

He chuckled. "Feels like ages ago. Yes, I— I did something I'm not proud of."

"Ruining my date, or ditching me immediately after?" she asked in a sour tone as she dried off.

He hesitated for a moment, and a frown crossed his face. "I threatened Aster."

Her heart skipped a beat. "What? Why?"

"I wanted him to stay away from you."

She felt rage boiling under her skin as she pulled on her clothes. "Let me get this straight. You told me you don't want to be with me, but you also don't want anyone else to, either? So, what? You just want me to be alone my whole life?"

"Of course not."

"You had no right to do that. I'm not a toy. I don't fucking belong to you," she snapped.

"I'm aware," he said, looking up at her. "And I apologize."

She scoffed in disbelief. "You apologize? Did you apologize to Aster?"

"I plan to."

"Well, don't fucking talk to me until you do," she said, gathering her things.

"Angel—"

"Don't." She stormed out of the cove, tears stinging her eyes as she walked swiftly back toward the village. It would almost have been flattering, if he hadn't made it so clear that he didn't want to be with her. He was toying with her. Intentionally stringing her along, just enough to keep her tangled up with him.

Maybe she was doing the same to Aster, but at least she hadn't told him to his face that she wasn't interested. Was that a good thing? She wasn't sure. She cared about him enough to at least try not to hurt him, which seemed to be more than Shay cared for her.

A few days spent watching plants grow didn't make up for the hurt he'd caused. She clutched her clothes to her chest as she neared the village. Her heart was still twisting and writhing beneath her ribs. The fact that he could make her feel this way at all meant she had given him too much power. She needed to take a step back.