I streamed the flashlight through the dark, the light causing the rain to fall like diamonds. Carefully I scanned the area, looking for any sign of my search. Nothing. My breath danced in front of me, hinting at the cold that had engulfed me.
“JUSTIN!” I yelled, gripping my coat closer, “WHERE ARE YOU, DAMMIT?!”
I had been told he would be simple to watch; bookish, intelligent, perfect for my first charge. He was being trained to be a master seer, one of the few talents left and therefore protected. Maybe he had “seen” the disgusting meatloaf for dinner and decided to ditch. I know I would have.
I turned my torch off and closed me eyes, waiting for my eyes to adjust. I waited, I listened, I watched. A sound glanced off my right and I turned for it, slamming on my torch as I went.
There, mostly concealed by the long grass was Justin with his eyes shut. He sat cross-legged in the rain as though it was a mere inconvenience. Where his short-sleeved tunic ended his pale skin was tinged blue, almost the same colour as the intricate patterns marking him as a seer.
“Justin! You’re soaking wet!” I swooped in, covering him with the umbrella. It was not what I had planned to say, but it came out in such a growl he opened one hazy silver eye, looking me up and down, “you’re not exactly dry yourself. Can you put the light out? It’s hurting my eyes.”
I frowned but turned the flashlight off, huddling under the umbrella with him. I brushed his shoulder, pulling back at the intense heat radiating off him.
“Whoa, why are you so hot?”
“Why thankyou.”
“Oh, shuttup. I have been looking for you for over an hour! Do you have any idea how upset everyone is? Your master is in a trance, the guard are looking in town…” I massaged my temples with my fingers, “I’m in so much trouble.”
He turned his piercing eyes on me, “You’d think being a master seer he’d know I’d do this.”
I glared at him, “we were really worried. I-” I crossed my arms, “I was worried.”
He pressed a hand to mine, his burning skin making me flinch, “I know. I’m sorry.”
I folded the umbrella, leaning into him and telling myself it was so I was warm. On closer inspection he wasn’t wet at all, rather the rain was making him warm, touchable. The blue I saw was indeed the same colour as his shirt, but not from the cold. Blue lines ran down his arms, ending at his fingernails. In the dark the lines seemed to glow, the rain glancing off it. He moved, turning his head to watch me with those strange silver eyes.
“The lines? It happens when I see things. The clearer the sight, the brighter my blood glows blue. The greatest seers have the lines all the way up to their faces.
“What, they charge up?”
He grinned, a flash of white teeth, “I guess so.” He curled one blue lined arm around my shoulders, “Unlike me, you actually are very wet and cold.”
I shivered, further leaning into him, “and you are burning up.”
“It’ll fade. I didn’t want you seeing me like this… I- I didn’t want you to think that I’m weird.”
I sighed, “it doesn’t matter what I think. After this stunt I doubt I’ll get to stick around anyway. This is worse than when you somehow managed to sneak all the lemon slice from the annual ball last month into a broom closet.”
“One of my proudest moments.”
“You were sick for two days afterwards!”
“At least I shared.”
He smiled at me, his eyes alight with mischief, “I enjoy pulling stunts off with you. I enjoy-” he cut off and a bright blue flush ran across his nose. I was so startled I leaned back, before pressing a hand to his forehead. His head was burning more than his arms.
“Okay, you need a doctor or something.”
He shook his head, “seer blood Sarah. Saying that,” he leaned into my hand, “I like that you’re worried.”
“Do seers get fevers?”
He shrugged.
“How long have you been in the rain?”
“A while.”
I facepalmed, letting go of his forehead. He fell forward and headbutted me. I caught him but fell with him, laying on my back and holding him back with my hands on his chest.
“Okay,” he conceded, “I think I’m sick. Things are odd colours. Have your eyes always been so blue? They are spectacular, never seen them up this close.”
“That’s what happens when you hang out in the rain!” I said, “you get sick," at his lop-sided smile I sighed, "and apparently delusional.”
“In my dawn meditation today,” he continued, as though this was a normal conversation, “I saw you in the rain just as you are now. But I knew you were too sensible to go out so I…”
“I don’t think forcing an event to happen counts!” I said, growing mad, “you may have lost me my job for what? To get sick?” I pushed him back, ringing my wet hair, “what’s wrong with you!?”
He watched me, the blue fading from his limbs. “I’m sorry. It’s more that I- no,” he shook his head doggedly, “the future is not a set thing, it is a kaleidoscope of certain colours and forms which can or will not happen. But some things we can set.”
He leaned closer, so our breath mingled. I was suddenly anxious about my breath smelling like meatloaf. His eyes were no longer hazy but serious, “even seers have choices.”
And he kissed me.
Such simple words for something that broke all the codes and rules of the Watcher guard. And still I leaned into him, still I closed my eyes and let him pull me closer so he could wrap his arms around my waist, and onto his lap. Suddenly I felt protected rather than the other way around as he held me, my hands cupping his face.
A light flashed across the grass and we sprang apart. I clicked open the umbrella and we silently made our way back, glancing at each other.
“Well,” he breathed, “I didn’t see you kissing me back.”
“Shuttup.” I growled, turning to trudge down the lawn just as our superiors came prowling towards us across the green.
He smiled back, allowing me to pull him closer with the intention of throwing him into the nearby moat along with my reckless and disobedient emotions, “or," he continued, "the meatloaf breath.”
ns 15.158.61.19da2
