Page 27 of Glass Wings
“Is this what the humans are wearing now?” Allienna giggled, reaching Reign and giving her the largest hug. Allienna held onto herfriend for at least twenty seconds, pulling in the genuine joy that Reign was feeling for her presence. It felt so good. It felt so simple.
“I can’t believe this is the first time you have visited me!” Reign’s enthusiasm had toned down while some of the energy shifted into Allienna, but her grin never wavered.
“This human world, being around so much life, feels dangerous. Someone, everyone getting too close, brushing their skin against mine . . .” Allienna drifted off, her eyes shifting all around and taking a step further away from the cows.
“Okay, girl, okay,” Reign replied. “Let’s get you in the car and take off that winter hat. It’s over one hundred degrees outside.”
The pair got into the vehicle and Reign pulled back on the road while Allienna disrobed her gloves and hat. Beads of sweat lined her neck, reminding her that she hadn’t left the snow, the mountain peak, in too long.
Seventy-five minutes later, the car pulled into a parking spot in front of tall, boxy brick buildings with fairly large patios. A large, decorative neon sign hung above, announcing that they were in “Old Town Sacramento Waterfront.”
“You live here?” Allienna got out of the car, looking around at the wide paved streets and patriotic American flags that hung from every structure that she could see.
“No,” Reign said, closing the car door with a bang and walked towards a parking meter to insert a few quarters. “I thought we’d have some fun, get you out of that temple for real. Hell, get you away from Arryn, even.”
The two walked along the streets, going into a shabby tavern that consisted of dirty wooden picnic tables. Vintage photographs of the Sacramento gold rush lined the walls, and a sign welcomed them and instructed them to order at the counter.
“This place has the best burgers and milkshakes,” Reign said, pulling on the buns in her hair, making them sit tighter on her head.
“I’ve never had a burger or milkshake,” Allienna admitted, looking up at the counter menu and feeling lost.
“Exactly why you need to get out. The last time you took a breakfrom the center of your life, he forced himself into slavery and then you . . . what were you doing then?” she asked.
“What can I get you ladies?” A youthful man popped over to the counter, tapping a few buttons on the cash register. His eyes widened at Reign, her sex appeal oozing from her every pore. Allienna was a quiet beauty, easily overlooked in comparison.
“Two burgers with curly fries and let’s add two strawberry shakes to that,” Reign said, pulling out rolled-up cash from her skirt pocket and counting out the bills. The employee handed them a laminated card with a number on it and instructed them to choose a picnic table.
“I remember that time,” Allienna said, sitting down across from Reign. “I stayed in the realm, on the other side of the portal.”
“You . . . stayed there?” Reign cocked her head. “We are not welcomed, or so I thought.”
“Yes, I stretched out my wings and took flight. I found grassy spots to sleep under the stars. I took the time to sort my thoughts, to figure out what I needed. At that time, all I could think about was one thing.”
“Having a baby,” Reign interrupted.
“Yes.” Allienna smiled. “Speaking of that, this seems like a nice place to raise a family. Maybe one day we can leave the temple and join you here.”
“Allienna, there’s nothing I’d love more. It’s a pretty easy life living here with the humans. I mean, they make themselves miserable, but figuring out their system for living is quite basic.”
The employee who had taken their order appeared before them with a red tray carrying their food. He set it down on the table and raised his eyebrows at the conversation that he walked into.
“Are you guys college students? I took philosophy at the community college if you want some more thoughts on what it could mean, all of us living this human experience.”
Reign stood up, picked up her milkshake, and took a large gulp, closing her eyes momentarily from the silky sugary feeling settling on her tongue.
“You will go away and not talk to us again,” she instructed the boy before turning away from him and sitting back down to grab her burger. After demolishing her food in a few bites, she looked up at Allienna, who poked the food in front of her a few times.
“Eat,” Reign commanded as Allienna jerked to attention and used both hands to pick up her burger.
Once the food was gone and both girls heard the empty bubbling air that came up through their straws, Allienna stretched out her arms and yawned deeply. The journey there had worn on her. Reign cleaned up their table as a response, with plans to put her best friend in a comfortable bed.
“Do you ever think about your relationship with Arryn? How the three of us were always so particularly close?” Allienna asked.
“Not really. What do you mean?”
“Sometimes I wonder why Arryn chose to love me over you. I always thought you two were closer than he and I were.”
“I think that’s simple,” Reign responded, not meeting Allienna’s eyes. “True love can be platonic, too. I doubt either of us have considered a romantic relationship with one another before. It would seem like dating a brother at this point.”
