Chapter 58
Solin’s point of
view
I had to get back.
I had to get out…
Despite it being my
every intention to reunite Kevin with his wife, I still felt regret knowing
that he wouldn’t be around me anymore. There was a perpetual sense of longing
now, for something beyond my reach. And so I had decided to leave without
speaking to him again. Talking with him would only make it even more difficult
to tolerate…
Yet, I couldn’t
resist one last glimpse of him.
Perched in the
boughs of a claw like tree in spirit form, hidden from mortal eyes, I watched
with an inner antithesis of relief and torture. He stood in the atmospheric
light of the encroaching dawn, illuminated by soft yellows, holding Kristin
close to him. His friends were understandably shocked by his battered and
scarred appearance, to which I was so accustomed, so he had borrowed a warm,
cosy pullover to wear, from his cousin, to conceal his wounds. Dressed in such
attire, he now looked strange to me instead. His arms wrapped around his human
wife gently as he whispered inaudible words to her. Even from my vantage -
point, I could see she was still numbed by shock, silent tears tracing down her
face as she gazed with unparalleled wonder at her husband she believed dead for
so long.
He tensed suddenly,
his wings involuntarily twitching in anxiousness. He inclined his head, as if
sensing a sudden change in his surroundings.
Drat… he’s noticed
me.
I dropped to the
frost-hard ground, swiftly skulking back to Flyer and the others at the cargo
ship. They were waiting for me to return to get them back to New Nosteran. I
darted for an alley, though no human could have spotted me anyway – I was more
concerned about Kevin coming to find me, question why I was watching, keeping
my distance…
A swift glance at
my dreary surroundings told me I was close. I was within 100 metres of the ship
now, hidden in a wooden copse. I took a brisk trot to the trees and left the
alleyway.
“Leaving so soon?”
I skidded to a
halt, turning with abrupt surprise. Kevin was leaning casually against the wall
at the end of the alley, one foot crossed over the other and inspecting his
sharp claws, looking for all the world like he’d been waiting for me.
I remained sadly
silent, knowing I’d not get away from Earth so easily now. He grinned, and
pushed off from the wall, approaching slowly.
“We need to talk,
Solin.”
Swallowing, I found
my voice, willing it not to quiver with disappointment: “Don’t you need to talk
with your friends? You must have much to tell them, being gone so long.”
“That’s true,” he
smiled, “but I do have something to talk to you about. There wasn’t much time
to explain while we were coming back here.”
He gestured in the
direction of ship, hidden by foliage quite far off.
“Walk with me?”
I frowned at him
with genuine amusement, a sly smile creeping onto my features.
“We belong to the
swiftest race in existence, and you want to walk?”
“What’s the rush?”
he responded, with a soft, almost peaceful, edge to his tone.
I rolled my eyes
and agreed.
“Is this about why
you’re so tranquil and quiet now, Kev?”
“Tranquil and
quiet?” he echoed, frowning.
“Yes, ever since
that battle, when you hovered and your eyes changed to blood red instead of icy
blue… I thought something bad was happening…”
“That was
necessary…”
“… because you
really scared me… it looked like you were in agony…”
He softened
further: “I didn’t mean to scare you, Solin. And if it’ll put your mind at
ease, it didn’t hurt all that much.”
“All that much?” I
repeated.
“Fotuf once told
me: ‘Hate, revenge and violence are the tethers that bind us to misery... hope
and compromise are the blades that will cut us free’. During the battle with
Anubis, I realised what he meant. My rage and hatred of Anubis was what was
holding me back from going home- I didn’t want to harm my family by bottling up
my anger. What you all saw… that was the moment I released all of my inner
hatred. I couldn’t use it against Anubis, or I’d be no better than he is. Instead,
I directed it to nowhere, just randomly, so it wouldn’t be focused on anyone.”
“You were cutting
yourself free?” I confirmed.
He nodded, sighing
with relief.
“But that’s not
what you wanted to talk to me about?”
“No, Solin.”
“Then what?”
Kevin closed his
eyes and took a deep breath. From his sudden seriousness, I sensed this wasn’t
an easy topic for him.
“You think I don’t
care… about you…”
“But surely-”
“But you’re wrong.
Very wrong.”
I blinked. Did he
really just admit that? I frowned at him sharply.
“Don’t play games,
Kevin. You love Kristin, not me. I see it in your eyes whenever you look at her
or hear her name.”
“Solin, just-”
“I think you lost
your deception along with your rage…” I commented.
Kevin halted and
grabbed my shoulders briskly with both scaled hands. He caught my gaze
intently, eyes stern with seriousness.
“Believe me, Solin.
Just because I’ve found what I’ve been looking for, doesn’t mean I’ve stopped
caring. You’ve done so much for me, and now I understand just how much. You
gave up your own chance at happiness to do what is best for me. How can I not
care…”
I snarled at him,
throwing his hands off me: “So you came to give me the ‘I love you as a friend’
line? Well, don’t bother, Kevin – my heart is already too heavy for that!”
“I can’t tell you
that,” Kevin shook his head, “because it’d be a lie.”
“What?!”
He cupped my face
tenderly, looking away for strength momentarily. He sighed heavily.
“I had to let you
know…” he breathed, “that I love you too.”
I froze. Time stood
still. Words I’d only ever dreamed he say. He watched patiently for my
reaction, anxious to know what I’d say or do.
“But, how’s that
possible?” I whispered. “What about Kristin?”
“I still love her
as well…” he smiled contentedly. “Maybe it wouldn’t be possible for a mortal…”
He trailed off for
a second, staring into space, remembering some distant words.
“But there’s far
more to being a Soul Creature than I realised. Maybe even than you realise as
well.”
He pulled away gently,
realising me. I stared at him, and could feel my brow furrowing in growing
despair, at the knowledge that I had to leave.
“Don’t worry,” he
reassured. “I’ll drop by Karnak sometime.”
Blinking tears, I
turned, and strode with renewed hope toward the waiting ship.
Kevin’s point of
view
The cargo ship took
only minutes to disappear, flying towards the rising sun. I watched until I
could no longer see it.
I regarded the
familiar sights, sounds, and scents of Earth, their memory still dwelling
somewhere in the back of my mind. A serene morning mist hung peacefully over
Atlanta as the sun rose higher. The cool, free breeze ruffled my long hair.
I was home. I was
finally home…
Taking in the
beauty, the serenity and the fresh morning air, a final revelation of my long
journey came to me…
I’d found paradise…
‘And wherever I wander, the one thing I’ve learned,
It’s to here I will always, always return.’
- ‘This is Where I Belong’ Bryan Adams
***
