Page 11 of Weave the Dark, Weave the Light
Jonathan Aster—an actual damn star—giggled. “That’sverytrue.”
“Go to sleep, Jonathan.”
He did. And after a long time spent listening to Jonathan breathe, wondering if the buzz still dancing inside them was permanent, Ari did, as well.
4
The weightof Bess’s and Theo’s gazes was almost a physical presence as Ari moved around the kitchen. Before Ari’d ventured from their room, Jonathan, in a murmur that was all sleep and haze, had said he wouldn’t mind some coffee. Apparently, elementals could have sex and kink hangovers just like anyone else. But his smile had been bright and his mouth pliant when Ari’d kissed him. They’d have fucked Jonathan awake, but they were nursing their own haze from the night before, and the tangled buzz mixed with their spinning mind meant conversation was a better plan than sex.
They wanted to understand what had happened and pick through the moments in peace. Spend time with Jonathan. Ask the questions flying around their head.
Thelastthing Ari wanted was to engage with Bess and Theo. Maybe later—but not now.
Ari broke the silence by grinding coffee beans. After they poured the grounds into the maker and started the pot, they turned around to face Theo and Bess.
Bess opened her mouth as if to speak, but flattened her lips instead. She shook her head. Theo cleared his throat. “You—Ari, you brought an elemental—a fucking lightning elemental or something—home. He could’ve burned down the house!”
“I know what he is. And he wouldn’t.”
“You don’t know that.” Theo’s tone took on the scolding quality Ari disliked.
“I do, though.” They leaned against the counter, letting the edge bite into their hands. The discomfort cleared their head a little. Every nerve felt stretched and pinched. They wanted coffee and Jonathan; was that too much to ask?
Bess loosened her arms from across her chest. “We’re concerned, that’s all.”
“You always are.” The coffee pot gurgled and sputtered. Theo and Bess meant well, they trulydid, but Ari was so damn tired of it. They poured two mugs of coffee and hefted them. “I’m fine. The house is fine. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” They didn’t wait for an answer.
Back in their room, Jonathan lounged in bed, seemingly fragile and indestructible, hair a disaster, torso lined with marks and shadowed bruises. His posture was almost demure, but his eyes were delighted flames. Ari handed him a mug, then settled on the bed next to him. “Theo thinks you’re a lightning elemental and you’re going to burn down the house.”
Jonathan huffed a laugh before sipping his coffee.
“Are there lightning elementals?”
“First, define what you mean by elemental.”
Ari gazed into their coffee. “Everyone says the fae are elementals. Water, air, earth.”
“Fire?”
“You know there aren’t fire fae.” They gripped their mug tighter. “I never understood that. It makes nosense.” Then again, neither did Jonathan existing. The lack of knowledge, the confusion in Ari twisted like a knife in their gut.
Jonathan’s soft touch pulled them out of their thoughts. “There are beings you might call lightning elementals, but they’re nothing like me, or the fae, or anything you might also use that word to describe.”
Maybe it was the aftermath of the night before, or the energy still swirling in the room, but Ari’s emotions stretched and tumbled. Ari might be sharp and dangerous in their own way, but they were mortal and ignorant in so many others. “There’s nothing about that in the books I’ve read. No one’s ever told me about stars or lightning or why there are no damn fire fae.” Ari hated the sound of their voice, tight and cracking, even as frustration tightened their lungs and stole breath. “Or what the hell I am.” A mediocre fire witch who’d somehow called a star to them. That was as impossible as all the rest.
A clink of ceramic on wood, then Jonathan’s arms were around Ari, drawing them back against his warm chest. “You’re lovely, that’s what you are.”
Ari snorted. “If you’re trying to woo me, that’s going to fail.”
“Is it?” They could almost feel Jonathan’s smile against their skin.
They’d asked the universe for a connection, and Jonathan had appeared, bright and shining into their life. They wanted this to last and last.
Ari whispered the first dangerous question. “Will you teach me what I want to know?”
“There’s a price.” Jonathan’s hot breath made Ari shiver.
“There always is.” They drew Jonathan’s arm up so they could lick and nip at a bruise they’d placed there last night.
