Page 76 of A Kiss From Death
“Help me pick some flowers,” I say sweetly and then peel my body from his. We spend the next ten minutes picking until our hands are too full to hold another.
I inform Hade we will be walking back to the lake instead of floating there, and he easily hums in agreement. We spend the entire walk to the lake, leaving behind a trail of flowers, painting the city a rainbow of colors. Everywhere I look, I see a piece of Ray, and it brings a smile to my face. There’s not an inch left untouched by color and life.
I see her bright pink hair in the astilbes, her glowing yellow eyes in the daffodils, her warm freckles in the pansies, and her rosy cheeks in the cherry blossoms we leave behind. I force the world to see her in all her glory so they may never forget the beautiful soul she was.
The memory of her takes over my body, and my heart speaks freely, the song forming without thought. My voice carries a soft warmth as I let the memory of Rayah free into the world, dropping flowers along the way.
“There once was a little girl born from the sun,
Her hair so bright, it could rival anyone.
She sang to her own tune, unafraid to stand out.
Her soul a living drum, vivid and stout.
A beautiful soul, a beautiful child.
A field of flowers grown in divinity.
She weathered the toughest battles alone.
Emerging a warrior, standing tall she rose.
She taught the world being different is okay,
A rainbow destined for breaking through the fray.
A beautiful soul, a beautiful child.
A field of flowers grown in divinity.”
Hade’s hand finds mine as my voice carries with the wind, emotion spilling from me. My voice is the only thing to be heard around us, the citizens all stopping their activities, ensnared by the story of a girl named Ray.
I belt the last line as we near the lake’s edge, dragging it out until my lungs have nothing left to give. A haunting silence takes its place as the first drop of water falls from the sky, as if it’s weeping in response. A downpour erupts, drenching us in seconds, the warmth of summer still clinging to our skin.
Hade takes my face in his hands, tipping it up to look at him. I see the faintest watery glaze over his eyes, but it’s most likely from the rain. He smiles at me, his dimple making an appearance, and my heart flutters.
“Dance with me?” he breathes, and I let out a loud laugh as he draws me close. We dance to the melody of the rain falling around us like there will be no tomorrow.
For now, there’s onlyusand this moment.
Age 15
Mama’s prayers worked! I found my Eternal. Mama said I’m special—most people don’t find theirs this young, or even at all. She said our bond is so strong, the stars rearranged so we had a direct path to collide. The look of pride on her face made my tummy warm with love. Mama’s words didn’t make sense to me until my eyes landed onhim. My whole existence rewired from my very core. A piece of me has always resided with him, and now, it’s come home and clicked into place, making me whole. The bond does not feel like love; it’s deeper than that. It feels like a lifeline, a fire burning beneath my skin to protect him, and he, me, from anything that could ever keep us apart. It’s devotion in its rawest form. I do not remember my life before him, only the life that lies ahead. He arrived from another land to personally invite us to his coming of age celebration for his sixteenth birthday. As soon as our eyes locked, my back lit with flames, searing my skin for eternity. What rose from its ashes was an intricate black swirl marking wrapped around a ball of fire in the center of my back, between my shoulder blades. A matching twin marking appeared on his back at the same time. He dropped to his knees in front of me, unable to breathe. He gifted me his personal sword to protect me in his absence—it was beautifully crafted, all black, with two owl eyes etched into the blade, just above the handle. He said it was imbued with his magic so only he can wield it, and since I was his Eternal, it would recognize me as part of him. Mama forgot to mention all the other things that come with being Eternals. Connected by our souls and fused as one, any emotions I felt, he would feel as well. The same with communication. We can tap into our bond and talk to each other over long distances. He had to return to his kingdom, but in his absence, we’ve used the bond like a lifeline to get to know each other. It feels like I’ve known him my whole life, and a piece of me feels hollow in his absence. Every time I close my eyes, I see his two midnight black ones watching me like a god above. I found my Eternal, and now, life as I know it will never be the same.
The rain finally ceased, leaving an clear black sky glittering with a million stars. The air is still warm, even with the sun long leaving us. Insects chirp as the cities slumber along the border of the lake. Hade and I are the only people in sight, and it feels right.
We sit at the edge of the lake in the grass, taking everything in. There is something about sitting with someone to whom you don’t have to say anything, both of you just content sitting in the moment of peace.
I feel Hade’s eyes on the side of my face, so I turn to face him. I can tell he is thinking about something but is unsure if he should break the silence. I raise my eyebrow in question, which makes him chuckle.
“What was he like?”
I smile, thinking back to the many happy memories I shared with Theo. “He was everything. He was the best person I’ve ever known. He was warm like the sun in the morning. Hewas laughter, joy. Selfless, caring. He was my favorite part of each day. He is the reason I’m still alive,” I admit in a whisper. “He was the best of the best, and he was too good for this world. I like to think he was destined for more than what life dealt him here, so destiny called him home early.”
“He sounds like a good man,” he states in a gentle, loving voice. “I’m happy you got to experience his love for however long the fates allowed.”
I nod in agreement, because I would live through all the pain again to have more days with him. There is not a day that goes by, nor will there ever be, when Theo is not on my mind. One day, we will align again on the same side of the stars. Until then, I will hold him in my heart.
