The Labyrinth
The silence menaced to overwhelm her. The rows of high bookcases gave the impression of infinity and she certainly had never bothered to count the aisles, which now she regretted. She could have known the place better, by now. There had been a small guide of it when the place was built, but somehow it was lost.
Her first look at the library, "Library Labyrinth" as she called it, had been one of wonder. And it still was, most of the time. But not today. Without the guide, Spark was having trouble finding the information she needed.
"mmh... Ancient... Civilizations� Machinery� Recepies� recepies?" She took the book and looked at its front cover. "R-e-c-i-p-e-s� mmh. It does not say what kind of recipes." With a shrug, she added the small booklet to the few others she carried on her right arm.
Usually, she was in a happy mood each time she visited the Fort's library. Peachyra had made a great effort to have the "Labyrinth" well supplied. She continued to browse more titles, getting nervous as the search did not prosper. Spark stopped. This was not one of her happy moods and when she heard a clicky sound, her nervousness increased. She waited, expecting to hear that sound again, but the sound never came.
Spark returned to her desk and placed the books on it. They were heavy and she sighed, massaging her right wrist. She focused on the books once more, mentally hitting herself on the head.
"You should not strain that arm and you know it." She heard her inner voice say.
"Zhyan said it was fine, not broken."
"It does not stop it from buzzing at you, right? How did that happen anyway?"
"um, I am not sure."
Spark sighed again. She was so prone to accidents lately that she was sure the vines were under instructions to "observe" her and report to Peachyra if something bad happened to her. She was certain the pixies were under the same type of instructions, and that is why she had ordered Dave to take all his pixies out of the Labyrinth today. She felt watched all the time. Surely that sensation would not make her less nervous. It all had started with that shower incident.
"If Zhy hadn't been there." Spark shuddered at the painful memories. "He was very willing to join me every time I took a shower, ever since. Not that he wasn't willing before." Spark smiled for a moment, before she remembered the other accidents.
They were silly sometimes, like the time all the sprinklers in the greenhouse were activated while she was in there, or the time she slipped and Peachyra barely had time to send some vines to grab her. "And, what was that water pool doing there?". But there were also the serious ones, like that time when she was in the kitchen, washing some utensils and a knife cut her hand. Tygris Hawk was franticly calling for help, that time.
"Why are you so nervous?" Spark asked herself. �Peachyra is away, traveling, Chanur is out, scouting, the cubs are at the Berbil village and Zhyan said he would be back later. So, there is no one here.�
And there it was the sound again. Spark grabbed her obsidian blade and listened carefully, locating the sound as she heard it again. She strained her senses. "But you can never be sure, right?"
Certain that a pixie was not the source of the sound, she kept searching. She glanced from behind a bookcase and gasped at the sight.
A young tall man with lilac hair and black folded wings on his back was perusing several scrolls. He had set his blades and whip aside, probably that had caused the sound she heard.
"Zhy? But I thought he was out." She smiled. "Hey, he does not know I am here." Grinning wickedly, she sheathed her blade and moved stealthily with all the intention to surprise him.
She walked the aisles around him, searching for the one more useful to her purpose. He was immersed in the reading, and did not notice her. She approached and raised her hand to touch him.
Just a second before she did it, Zhyan whirled with lightning speed, grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall.
"oww! Zhy!!" Spark yelled as her back and head complained. "Zhy! it's me!"
"Spark!" Zhyan looked at her, astonished. He released the grip on her immediately, and helped her stand up. "Are you ok? I did not hurt you..." He hugged her, wanting to make sure she was not harmed. "Did I?"
"I am ok." She smiled and hugged him back, the pain on her back fading quickly. "I did not want to startle you, sorry." She apologized.
"It does not matter." Zhyan looked at her and took her hands. "How is your arm?" He started to massage it.
"It is fine." she said smiling and fixing her eyes on his. "Actually, it is getting better�"
Zhyan looked at her with longing in his eyes. Spark blinked and raised her left hand to caress his cheek. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the caress as she moved her fingers to slowly brush his lips.
"Zhy? Spark looked at him closely. A few droplets fell from his fringe. "Did you have a bath? Without me?"
�No, no, it isn�t that� I�� Zhyan opened his eyes and studied her. He interrupted his answer when he leaned for a kiss. A deep breathtaking kiss, which made both of them feel dizzy when they finally broke it. Spark emitted a sad whimper when she lost contact with him.
"Don't take a shower without me." She told him. "I like how you rub my back."
�I love to rub you.� He whispered and rubbed his face against hers gently, before he searched her mouth once more. �I love you!�
Spark was pleased yet surprised at the tight embrace he gave her. She allowed herself to rest there, in his warm and strong arms, and she closed her eyes. He shifted position after some moments releasing her. Zhyan took her right arm and reassumed his gently massage. His finger moved on her skin, following the muscles from her elbow to her wrist and from there to her palm and fingers. She tried to prevent it but she was too late. Zhyan�s hand stopped and his eyes moved to her hand.
�How did this happen?� he asked, frowning.
Spark looked at her hand, still held by him. The middle part of her right forefinger showed a long cut. She wondered when she had lost the bandage she had to isolate that wound.
�Spark?� He insisted.
�I was cooking,� she said blushing, �the knife was closer than I thought to my finger and� and I cut myself.�
Zhyan�s frown did not diminish. �Weird, I�d say. It is so unlike you. Are you ok?� he inquired while he got ready to heal her hand.
�Please, don�t�� Spark placed her left palm on his cheek.
�uh, why?� Zhyan stared at her and complied. �It means no trouble for me.�
�I know, beloved.� She said smiling. �But a little pain is healthy. It will make me remember to be more cautious.�
With a sigh, Zhyan complied. He kissed her forehead and moved around.
�I better tidy up this.� He said while gathered the scrolls on the floor.
Spark tried to help him but he was too fast. She decided to pick up his weapons. When he tried to take them from her she refused with a smile.
�Are those all the scrolls you need?� she asked him.
�No.� He answered. �I can�t find the others, but these will suffice.�
�Then, lets have some food.� She grinned.
�Food,� the archangel smiled, �it sounds great.�
�I will take these,� she said, coiling the whip and hanging it from her shoulder, while she held the sword in her hand. �and lets take the scrolls to our quarters.�
Zhyan followed her to the desk where she had the book and volumes she gathered before.
�Looks like you have lots of work!� he lifted his eyebrows.
Spark looked at the little tower of books, compendiums and dictionaries.
�Oh, actually I�ve gone thru most of these. I may still use them so I did not put them back on the shelves.� Smiling, she took the recipe booklet. �What would you like for dinner?�
�Well��
Spark looked at her beloved, who was smiling. The mischievous gleam in his lilac eyes told her he was planning something.
�Let me do the honours tonight! Just for us, for you. Please,� he said as she tried to object. �I am not that bad as a cook and I will prepare something for the cubs when they return. Tygris Hawk was talking the other day about this rice bread filled with ice cream.�
�Mochi!!� Spark exclaimed.
�Yes, I think she called it that way.�
Spark nodded in agreement. They took the scrolls out of the Labyrinth and into the Air Room, Zhyan�s former quarters. Both liked to work at the desks in their rooms and they left their cargo there.
When Spark turned to leave the room, Zhyan captured her by the waits and brought her close to him. He just stood there, embracing her. With closed eyes, he breathed deeply against her hair, inhaling her scent, her perfume. She also closed her eyes and leaned back, happy to let him hold her. Her hands caresses his arms.
�Why don�t you use your native name?� he said in a murmur.
�Oh,� Spark blinked, awakening from the light doze she had slid in. Because it is a bit too long.� She said with a sigh. �I always thought the pseudonym would make others feel much more comfortable.�
�But your name is so beautiful.� He was rocking her softly. �Tonati Cehuapilli�� he hesitated �How did the rest go?�
Spark giggled, and enjoyed the sway. �The rests are just titles, love. Titles about my clan and family�s position in it.�
�Oh.� He said and nibbled her ear. �I like your name and I will use it! Now, lets feed you my Princess Sunbeam!�
Still giggling, Spark followed him to the kitchen.
TBC
Of course! but when? I dunno. :) soon!
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