Romans & histoires Unnatural History

But as his eyes fluttered open, I felt the last thread of my strength snap. My body collapsed to the ground, lifeless and cold. Someone splashed cold water on my face, jolting me awake. I gasped, my body trembling with exhaustion. Something was wrong. I lifted my hands, trying to summon the magic that had always weighed down my palms. Nothing. The energy, the power that had been my lifeline for years—it was gone. I tried again, this time attempting to change my appearance, to transform into something other than the hollow, bony shell I’d become.

His face was turned to the side, his mouth slightly agape, and from his lips came the soft, rhythmic rattle of a deep, untroubled snore. For several long seconds, I simply stood there, the cold floor seeping through the petals beneath my bare feet. The silken fabric, which had moments ago felt like a suit of armor, now felt like a ridiculous, flimsy costume. The disconnect between my elaborate seduction and his profound oblivion was so vast it was almost laughable. Almost.

The intensity of her gaze, mirrored by the others, made it clear they were curious about what had occupied my time, especially since it wasn’t a large volume. “What’s the title?” I shrugged. “History.” “History of what?” Sinclair asked, stepping closer to me, with the others following suit. I turned to the cover of the book, furrowing my brows when I saw an entirely different name in a language I didn’t know, yet somehow understood: ‘The True History of the Supernaturals and Gods.’ “How do you know it says history? The language is one we don’t know; it’s the one written on the caves,” Rachel remarked, a glint of jealousy flashing in her eyes.

She rained water down into an awaiting pool. I laughed despite myself. “I'm going to be a biologist. Zoology I don't understand upsets me.” “These are the cast-off creatures of Eden,” he explained, “ones that were too fanciful to actually exist.” “Makes sense. Evolution wouldn't stand them.” “Fantasy is beyond natural law, dear worm. It's too grand to be constrained by such petty things as gravity,” he said, pointing to the quetzalcoatls' aerodynamically unsuitable forms.