Page 184 of White Raven
“Rhaena’s gonna love this,” she laughed, as the flight attendant made rounds to secure everybody, and the door closed.
“You suck, St. James.”
“I do…very well.”
“First timer?” the attendant smiled, pointing up at the ‘fasten seat belt’ sign. Athan buckled his before anyone else hada chance to fumble for theirs, and Sarah snickered under her breath.
“Yes. Can we get him a little something, please?”
She nodded, obviously amused to see someone as tough-looking as Athan Kane about to puke his guts up—and they hadn’t even left the ground yet. By the time she brought his cup, it was time to start moving, and he nearly crushed the poor plastic vessel in his fist, while his other gripped the end of the armrest until his knuckles were blanched white.
“Why the hell did you sit me next to this window?” he croaked, staring at the back of the seat in front of him. Sarah giggled, and the plane moved faster. “Oh, my God…oh, my God…shit.” Somebody was laughing in front of him, and Athan grit his teeth. “Whoever that is can suck myass.” Their bodies jostled with the speed, and Sarah reached over, gripping his sweaty fingers as the plane finally left the ground. Athan squeezed his eyes shut. “Oh, fuck…fuck…”
Her stomach dropped, and the rush of takeoff lasted all of about five seconds before the sign turned off, and everybody relaxed. Athan breathed erratically and refused to open his eyes. “All done, detective,” she grinned. “You can um…let my bones fuse back together now. That kind of hurt.” The thought of hurting her at all sprung him from his torture, and he looked down at their hands, prying his fingers from hers.
“Shit…Sarah, I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.”
She was pretty positive he’d broken one of them without realizing his strength during those tense moments, and she couldn’t do anything but smile at him.
“You’re fine.We’refine…look out the window,” she whispered.
He kissed her already healed knuckles, and slowly turned his head to look. Boston was growing smaller by the second, and he grew still and quiet…lost in thought. His little plastic cup waswrinkled, and the ice rattled in it as he pulled it slowly up to his mouth.
Penny for your thoughts, detective.
Athan’s head turned, and the relief in his eyes suddenly felt overwhelming. It wasn’t relief that he’d survived takeoff…and she knew it.
It’s over. All these years I’ve been stuck here. All those dark places I went to when she had me. It’s all over. Boston’s way down there, Sarah.
She leaned over and stroked a finger down the side of his face. The sun gleamed over his dark hair, and those eyes were bright with freedom. With peace. He never looked more beautiful than he did right now. Sarah softly nodded and kissed the corner of his mouth.
“Yeah,” she whispered tenderly. “Yeah, it is.”
Darkness there no longer.
He’d calmed down a great deal since the last bout of slight turbulence, and it was finally dark out, hiding the promise of a swift death from the ocean beneath this plane. Sarah slept peacefully on his shoulder, and he smoothed a thumb over the fingers he still felt terrible about breaking during takeoff. She didn’t even flinch when it happened. If she had, he was too distraught to notice. It felt horrible.
The moon was so full and bright, illuminating the wisps of clouds underneath it. He’d never seen anything so peaceful. Flying wasn’t so bad. He wondered how Poe was faring down below in that tiny cage. It was probably covered in bird shit by now. Athan cracked a smile. That got him thinking…
“Sarah,” he whispered, brushing her hair aside. She groaned against his shoulder and shifted as her eyes fluttered open. The cabin was dim, and most everybody was asleep. He felt horrible…again. She looked up at him half-lidded and made a sour face. “Sorry…”
“What’s up?” she yawned.
“Um…bathroom?”
Sarah snorted and scratched the corner of her eye. “Come on.”
He quietly followed her down the aisle, and she slid open the tiny excuse for a door to reveal what they considered a bathroom that seemed smaller and less comfortable than the coffin he’d been buried alive in. Athan gave her a look. “Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“They charge way too much for a plane ticket. I’m gonna piss on my fucking leg in here.” Sarah huffed a tired laugh, and pushed him inside, shutting him in. He took it back. Flying was the worst. As he took care of his business, he stared at the handle on the toilet, and started to get even more nervous about what was gonna happen if he pushed that lever down. He decided he didn’t want to. He’d be that asshole.
You better not.
Athan’s smile cracked across his mouth as Sarah’s raspy, sleep-riddled voice sounded in his mind.
But…where does it go?
