Elina

For a moment, my body was weightless. Like it had split into infinite parts and only my thoughts remained. I felt myself being lifted up. Then: everything was white. I could breathe again. Something smooth and cold against my face. Elina's hand in mine.

I blinked. My vision cleared.

I wasn't sure what I was looking at. It didn't really make sense.

There were hundreds of tiny rooftops below me. Stretching into the distance, the city walls like a dam that prevented the houses from spilling out into the world beyond.

Then my vision turned white again. I breathed sharply. What was going on?

Elina squeezed my hand. Tightened her grip.

She said, "Relax, we're just falling through a cloud."

A moment later I could see again. I gritted my teeth. In shock. In fear. Now I understood: we were high up in the sky. Looking down at Larose. Falling towards the city.

"ELINA? WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Her eyes had turned to silver. They were smiling.

She said, "I just wanted to look at the city from above. And here we are."

My heart pounded. But I was starting to understand. Elina had used her magic to break our bodies apart and pulled us into the sky.

She looked at me. She said, "We'll be fine. Just enjoy the view."

Something reassuring in the way she said it. The way she looked. Like this was normal for her. And I guess it was.

I looked down at the city. The tiny rooftops. Thousands of tiny black dots moving between them. The market plaza. A pool of humanity. I looked beyond the city walls. The edge of the horizon. The last remainder of the sun. Its orange rays stretching the vast distances.

Elina said, "It's beautiful."

"Yes."

"No woman has taken you up here before, hmm?"

I glanced at her. I wondered what she was trying to imply.

I decided to ask her something stupid. But I had to ask.

"We are falling, right?"

"Yes. But there is no need to worry. We're high enough. We won't hit the ground so soon."

"You're a witch, right?"

"Mh-hmm."

"Then why don't you fly on a broom to see the city from above? Why do this?"

For a moment she said nothing. Gazed at the city. The people. Her expression rueful. Maybe she was remembering something. Maybe a regret. Maybe something dear to her.

Eventually she said, "Because I want to see your reaction."

She let go of my hand. Let the wind carry her away.

She smiled. An expression that said, "What will you do now?"

I swallowed. The cold hand of fear reached into my gut. Elina has brought me up here. And without her, I would be keep falling until I hit the ground.

"Hey! Don't let me fall like this!"

Elina vanished. Just like that. Blue sky where she was a moment ago.

Shit.

I kept falling.

"Elina? ELINA?!"

Nothing. Just wind.

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

I could hear the buzzing of the town below me. I was getting close. Too close.

"ELINA?! COME BACK! I NEED YOU!"

Something touched my back. Something soft.

I turned my head. It was Elina. She was grinning. Biting her lower lip.

She put her arms around me, her chest pressing against my back. Her lips next to my ear.

She said, "You said you needed me?"

I said, "Take me back to the surface."

"Hmmm...but you said you needed me?"

Damn witch.

"Yes, yes. I need you. Just take me back. In one piece."

"And in full health, hmmm?"

"Yes, yes..."

Her body glowed. Something warm enveloped me. We vanished.

-------------------------

Elina transported us to a narrow alleyway in some corner of the city. I dropped to the ground. My legs were shaking, my stomach churning. My whole body felt like it was falling apart.

To her credit, Elina didn't take advantage of my state. She stood there, her hands behind her back, her silver eyes observing with a hint of a smile at their corners.

She said she had never seen anyone react like this to falling. She said most people reacted with more grace. She said she usually only took children up in the air. Because children didn't fear anything. Because their souls were pure and free of doubt.

I calmed down. Managed to stand up.

I said, "What do you want to do now?"

"I want to be alone."

"Alright, sure."

...

Wait, what?

She began to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?"

She didn't stop. Just kept walking. Out of the alleyway. Made a turn.

I stumbled after her. Turned at the end of the alleyway. Just a street. Just some people. But no Elina.

I heaved out a breath.

She seemed happy enough up in the sky. What changed?

I thought about it for a while. Nothing came to mind. But this feeling of being in this kind of situation. Women and witches. Maybe not so different after all.

Both magical in their own ways.

It made me think of someone.

I looked around again. No Elina. No tingle of magic. No sense of silver eyes peering at me from somewhere.