Transcend by Natalia Jaster

Author:Natalia Jaster [Jaster, Natalia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

16

Envy

And so does he.

And it dawns on him that he hasn’t felt this sort of passion before. Not for her.

Or at least, not for a very, very long time…

17

Envy

There’s a star that winks in the sky. The celestial woos the constellations, vying for attention, its glow illuminating the bottomless swell of violet. This gesture dazzles the planets, attracts the moons, and amuses the stars. The pompous little thing should humble itself in the presence of superior lights, yet the galaxy excuses it, because this star is too stunning to deny.

The star is also competitive. It attempts to outshine its neighbors and succeeds with finesse, wearing its radiance to its best advantage.

It’s a pleasure to receive such a wink.

Beneath the stellar canopy, the five members of the Fate Court and an assembly of Guides quirk their lips. Clustered around the stargazer that perches atop Fortune’s Crest, these observant rulers and mentors agree. The star is boastful and beautiful, a veritable source of jealousy and vanity.

Hence, it bears the marks of a pride god.

“He is ready,” the Guide of Envy predicts.

With the Court’s blessing, the female mentor extends a cupped palm and summons the star, which dives from the firmament and lands with a flourish into her hand.

***

Sorrow

And there’s a star that drowns in the sky.

Not far off, tucked beneath a luminous moon, this celestial is lonely. It hovers by itself, a misfit taking the brunt of its neighbors’ grievances—the blinding glare of anguished planets, and the dullness of moons in mourning, and the dejection of black holes, and the weeping of meteors with no place to land.

This star wants to help, wants to console the universe. It tries, it really does. In fact, it attempts to flick tiny embers of hope to the celestials, but the offerings fizzle out before they reach their destinations.

It’s too much. There’s just too many of them.

This star balances the darkness like a weight, fighting to hold itself up. It releases droplets of translucent light, which leak and drizzle into the galaxy.

Maybe one day it will know how to swim in the sky. Until then, this glimmering asterisk cries while none of its neighbors are watching.

But someone is watching.

Far below, the Guide of Sorrow gazes at the dot overhead. The lone mentor gulps, because he understands. And so, rather than wait for the Court to arrive and give permission—they will surely approve later, once they’ve ceased fawning over that other showy star—the Guide scoops his palms into a cradle, and the star sinks, slumping wearily into the mentor’s hands.

Stroking the newly birthed deity, the Guide whispers, “Shh. Everything will be all right.”

***

Envy

He grins at himself in the mirror, blows himself a youthful kiss, and purrs, “Good morning, handsome.”

***

Sorrow

She flops onto her little stomach, and mashes her small face into a pillow, and groans until she falls back asleep.

***

Envy

When it’s time to craft his arrows, he chooses glass. It wields his reflection, doting on him, as anyone should.

***

Sorrow

She chooses ice. It’s a numbing element, a protective barrier

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