Seven Mercies by L. R. Lam & Elizabeth May

Author:L. R. Lam & Elizabeth May [Lam, Laura & May, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Published: 2022-01-25T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

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Later, as Clo dressed for the Equinox Ball, she tried not to think about how Rhea had looked when she had mentioned going home.

Where is home, anyway? she thought as she buttoned up her usual tunic and long shorts that left her new leg visible. Zelus was a hunk of metal floating through the stars. It didn’t have the greenery of Talitha.

A rustle sounded. Clo turned and froze when she saw Rhea in all her splendor.

She’d painted her face like an artist. The freckles on her cheeks were blue, purple, and white, a galaxy of stars scattered across her skin. Her hair was pulled back and twisted in the shape of a seashell, with a few curls left loose around her face. When the light hit it just right, the dapples showed through, darker against the brown. She wore a flowing dress of azure. Simple, but more elevated than their daily clothing.

“Do I look all right?” she asked, smoothing the skirt down.

“You’re beautiful,” Clo said. Her heart ached. Come home with me—wherever that is. With me. “You’re always beautiful.”

Rhea blushed. “I could paint your face,” Rhea offered. “If you wanted.”

Clo shook her head with a smile. “Nah. I’d only end up rubbing it off by accident.” Cosmetics had always felt like a mask to her, and even though part of her wanted the extra armor, the feel of the paint against her skin would only make her more self-conscious. Clo shrugged into a jacket that had little buttons shaped like suns. “Let’s go.”

They walked in silence to the great hall.

The awkwardness between them was so foreign. In the months since Laguna, they had sunk into each other: Rhea gave Clo respect, kindness, and trust—and Clo offered it in return. None of Clo’s other relationships had lasted this long—she’d been too hot-headed, too fucking arrogant. After one too many clashes, she and a lover would split and decide to remain friends. Her relationship with Rhea was one month beyond the usual expiration date.

Clo chewed her lip. Maybe her spikiness made her unlovable.

The Evoli had decorated the great hall with glowing globes that hovered over the guests like constellations. The floor’s intricate mosaics shimmered in the light, the design revealing a twisting strip that knotted in random configurations—to represent the Unity, Vyga had said.

Clo stuck to Rhea initially, straining to unpick the Evoli inflections, accents, and unfamiliar words as Rhea communicated with such ease.

After mere minutes, she had a headache. The crowd’s chatter, the music, the clink of glasses and cutlery—all of it was strange to her. In contrast, Rhea had been used to attending events on Tholos. She knew exactly what to say and how to behave. She spoke the language—of the Evoli, and of politeness. Clo, meanwhile, probably seemed irritable standing next to her charming lover. She didn’t exactly blame anyone for their unease around her when Rhea was so luminous.

Clo slipped away as Rhea charmed a visitor from the neighboring planet of Itonda. She drifted over to the drink table and topped up her wine, scowling as everyone gave her a wide berth.

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