by Jana DeLeon
Marina would see to it that her mother had care until she passed but she wasn’t going to pretend any longer that there was any love there. Letitia wasn’t capable.
Her mind flashed back to one night when she was maybe six years old. Letitia had taken her to the fair. Not because she intended for Marina to enjoy the rides and food and games but because there was a band playing that Letitia liked and she wanted to hit on the guitar player.
* * *
Letitia dragged her past the snow cones and funnel cake and all the cool gaming stations and the rides and headed straight for the tent where the band was playing. There was a single seat left close to the front and Letitia took it and told Marina to sit on the ground next to her.
Marina asked if they could play a game or ride the Ferris wheel when the concert was over but Letitia frowned and told her that they hadn’t come for Marina and if she’d been able to find a sitter, then Letitia wouldn’t have brought her at all. Marina slumped on the ground, holding her hands over her ears when the concert started. It was loud and she didn’t like the music. Despite taking the chair, Letitia stood the entire time, waving her hands and trying to catch the attention of the guy on stage. Finally, Marina got so bored, she wandered off.
She walked down the midway, gawking at all of the flash and glitter. The smells were overwhelming—both good and bad. And the rides whirled past with people screaming with excitement. She stopped in front of a booth that was selling cheap toys. A bored-looking man with tons of tattoos and very little hair stood behind the booth, but he barely gave her a glance.
She gazed at the items on the shelves and a magic princess set caught her eye. It had a tiara with sparkly multicolor stones all around it, a ring with a big plastic stone, and a magic wand covered with silver glitter. It was the prettiest thing Marina had ever seen. She stood there gazing at it, thinking about how it would feel to wear that tiara and to be not just a princess but one who could do magic.
Magic would fix everything.
“You got money, kid?” the man behind the booth asked. “Because if not, move along. You’re blocking my display.”
Marina’s heart dropped. Maybe if she could just stand there a bit longer, her mother would come looking for her and would buy it. But even as the thought rolled through her head, she knew it wasn’t true. Her mother wouldn’t even notice she was missing unless the band stopped playing and she wanted to leave.
“Which one do you like?” A lady’s voice sounded above her.
She looked up and saw an old lady with silver hair that seemed to shine. She was wearing a purple pantsuit and bright pink lipstick. And she was smiling. She had a nice smile.
“The magic princess set,” Marina said.
“That’s a good choice,” the lady said and handed the disgruntled man some money.
He shoved the bills in his pocket and the lady took the princess set off the shelf and handed it to Marina.
Marina’s breath caught in her throat. “For me?”
The lady laughed. “Of course. I already have a tiara. It’s at home on my dresser.”
Marina clutched the princess set and looked up at the lady, who looked as if she were glowing under the midway lights.
“Thank you,” Marina said, so overwhelmed that the words came out as a whisper.
“Every little girl deserves to be a princess,” the lady said. “And everyone should have a little magic in their lives.”
Then the lady touched her cheek and walked away. Marina held the princess set close to her chest, her young heart overwhelmed with the kindness of a stranger. In fact, that single act of kindness had affected her so much that it had probably shaped her into the person she was today.
* * *
“Holy shit!” Marina bolted up from her chair.
No way. It couldn’t be that easy.
Chapter Thirty
She ran into the cabin, grabbed a box off the bedroom floor, and sat it on the bed. She started yanking clothes out of the box and tossing them left and right like a madwoman. At the bottom of the box she found what she’d been looking for. An old wooden chest that her father had given her one year for her birthday. She’d painted it several times as her favorite color changed with age, and now it was flecked in spots, showing five different colors on the top alone.
She placed it on the bed and said a silent prayer. Then she slowly opened the box and reached for the princess ring in the bottom corner. The princess ring with the big red stone. As soon as she touched it, she knew.
This was it.
The ring shimmered and then began to glow. Inside the glow, the appearance shifted and for just a moment, she saw its true shape. It was the ring Alexios had shown her. The ring of power. It had been right there in her possession the entire time.
Snooze began to bark, breaking her out of her trance.
The stalker!
If he was outside then he’d try to steal the ring.
She ran into the kitchen, trying to find something to hide the ring in, and grabbed the first thing she saw on the counter. Banana nut bread. She parted it a bit on the bottom, then shoved the ring inside and wrapped it back up in Saran Wrap. Then she pulled the decoy ring out of her purse along with her cell phone and sent Alexios a text.
He walked through her front door seconds later, looking more haggard and more anxious than she’d ever seen him.
“How’s the generator holding up?” she asked. If Alexios didn’t have any power left, he couldn’t even attempt to contact Zeus.
“Hanging in there,” he said, giving her an expectant look.
She nodded and put one finger to her lips, then motioned to the barking dog.
Alexios’s eyes widened but she could tell he was thrilled. She handed him the bag with the decoy ring and he stared into it at the cheap bit of jewelry and frowned. Then she thrust the banana nut bread at him and he looked even more confused.
“Even though you can see it now, I put the ring in a velvet pouch for transport,” she said, making sure her voice was loud and clear. “And I added a little something for you—for your journey home. I know how you love sweets.”
He stared at the banana nut bread for a moment, confused, then his face cleared in understanding. Marina knew he was on a diet. She would never give him something loaded with sugar. He threw his arms around her and squeezed her as tightly as he could for a man holding bread.
“You are my hero,” he whispered before kissing her on the cheek.
He released her and headed for the door. She could see the tears pooling in his eyes as he looked back at her and smiled.
Then the door burst open and a man wearing a mask stepped inside. He held something in his hand that was round and kinda looked like a stress ball, but whatever it was had Alexios taking a few steps back. Alexios had told her that earthly weapons couldn’t harm him but clearly whatever the stalker was holding could.
“Give me the ring,” the stalker said.
“And seal my death warrant?” Alexios asked.
“You’re dead if you don’t,” the stalker said. “It’s either me or Zeus. I wouldn’t expect mercy from either.”
The stalker lifted his arm, moving the object closer to Alexios, who cowered a bit and shook his head as if in pain.
“Stop!” Alexios yelled. “Take it.”
Alexios thrust the velvet pouch at the stalker. He took it and loosened the drawstring to peer inside. Then he smiled and Marina felt her blood run cold. Until this moment, it had all been an adventure. A child’s game almost. Except that it wasn’t a game. And these men weren’t children.
For the first time since it had all begun, she realized that this was really a war. A war that someone would win and someone would lose. Where people would die. And gods. Both. She clutched the counter as she started to sway. This was it. The stalker was going to kill her and Alexios, and the ring would never get back to Zeus. The world would end.
She’d miscalculated.
She’d thought by giving
Alexios a decoy that if the stalker intercepted him, he’d take the bait and run. But it looked like he was going to take the bait, kill them, then run. She wouldn’t even have an opportunity to warn Halcyon or Avery. Or more importantly, tell them how much she loved them one last time.
This was how her life ended.
And despite all the awful things that had happened the past week, Marina still loved every moment of every day she’d been on earth. Even the bad ones. Every second had shaped her into the person she was today. And finally, after forty-eight years, she thought she knew exactly who that person was.
More importantly, she really liked her.
The stalker punched his fist with the weapon toward Alexios and the demigod crumpled onto the ground. Marina rushed over to him and crouched down, figuring at least they could die together. She looked back at the stalker and he laughed. Then he ran out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him.
Marina pressed her fingers against Alexios’s neck, checking for a pulse. Did demigods even have a pulse? Surely they did, right? He was half human. She sucked in a breath when she felt nothing, then moved her fingers a bit and went perfectly still, as if willing his heart to beat.
Then she felt it. Faint but there.
A couple seconds later, his eyes fluttered and he moved a bit. Then he sat up and blinked several times, his watery eyes trying to focus on her face.
“Can you hear me?” Marina asked. “Can you breathe? What can I do?”
Alexios smiled. “You already did it. But if you wouldn’t mind helping me up…”
“Of course!”
Marina stood and reached down, gathering Alexios in her arms and pulling him up. He was wobbly but managed to stand upright as long as he was touching the wall.
“Is Zeus really going to kill you?” Marina asked, just in case the stalker or someone else was listening.
“I honestly don’t know,” he said, playing along.
“You could stay here.”
“If he had to come looking for me, it would only make things worse. It’s best to face my failure now. Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’ll try to lobby for your reward, but I can’t make promises.”
“I’m not worried about it. I’ll pray for you.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “To whom?”
She followed him to the front door and watched as a shimmering white door materialized on her front porch. Alexios walked through the door, turned around, and raised the banana nut bread in the air and smiled.
“Good luck, Marina Trahan.”
The door disappeared in a blink of light and Alexios and the ring were gone.
Marina slumped down into her rocking chair. Her decision was final.
She was taking the rest of the day off.
Chapter Thirty-One
One month later
* * *
Marina stood in the middle of the downtown building and smiled at all the old wood covered with dust. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
“Are you sure about this?” Halcyon asked, wrinkling her nose. “There’s that new strip mall on the highway to New Orleans. Everything is shiny and clean.”
Marina shook her head. “I don’t want shiny. I want something with history. Something that’s old and still beautiful.”
“Well, you certainly have the old part covered. But I have to admit, the location is great.”
The building was located right in the heart of downtown Last Chance, across from the café and next to the bakery. Advertising wouldn’t even be necessary. In a matter of two days, most everyone in town would visit the bakery or café and they’d see her signs. Everyone would know she was there.
“I can’t believe Dottie bought this place,” Halcyon said. “And everything between you guys is cool, right? It’s all legal?”
Marina nodded. “I signed the papers yesterday. I’m leasing the space with the intent to purchase. No set purchase date, and I don’t start making lease payments until the shop is open and in the black.”
“I love her,” Halcyon said. “And the fact that she swept this building up before the LeDoux got their grubby hands on it is awesome.”
“I think it really pleased her. It’s a huge thumb in the LeDoux’s faces, but Dottie style.”
“Classy.”
“Exactly.”
“Preston and company have been keeping a lower profile ever since Little Miss Chastity turned the charity event into a street brawl.”
“I think they’re hoping people will forget and Preston can still become mayor.”
“I think that ship has sailed. More and more people are starting to speak up about their bad behavior. I think your situation, Dottie pulling her donations, and Adelaide posting that YouTube video have unraveled their carefully laid plans.”
“I’m still getting messaged about that video. But it’s a small price to pay to get the charges against Avery dropped.”
“How’s Avery doing?”
“Good. Relieved. I think she’s finally letting all of this go and focusing on her studies. She’s still not speaking to Harold, but I promised her I wouldn’t bring it up. It’s her decision. If she wants to talk, she knows I’m always available.”
Halcyon tapped her fingers on an old countertop and studied Marina for a moment. “Have you heard from Alexios?”
She already knew the answer, of course. But Marina knew Halcyon was as worried for their friend as she was.
“No,” Marina said. “I don’t know what to think, really. I mean, the world hasn’t ended, so that’s great, but I wish we knew what was happening. Is the war still going on? Is Zeus winning?”
“If he wins, do you think we’ll ever hear from Alexios again?”
“I don’t know. I hope so. I really liked him. But he gave up so much of his life trying to find the ring that I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to come here again.”
“That’s true. I kinda miss him, though.”
“Me too.”
“So what’s the story with you and the hunky game warden?”
“He has a name, you know.”
“First name Hunky. Middle name Game. Last name Warden.”
Marina grinned. “You’re impossible.”
“No. You’re impossible. Are you going to go out with him or what?”
“I have gone out with him.”
“I’m not talking about hanging out like friends. I’m talking about taking that man for a ride.”
Marina closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m not ready for a ride. My divorce isn’t even final. We’re taking things slowly. Friends first. Then if we both think things should move forward, they will.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What?”
Halcyon sighed. “That man is waiting on you to give him the go-ahead. He made up his mind a long time ago. Men like that don’t spend time with a woman unless they’re attracted.”
“She’s right.” Alexios’s voice sounded behind them.
Marina whirled around and practically sprinted across the room, then threw her arms around the thin man and whirled them both around in a circle, laughing and crying at the same time. Alexios was laughing too, and when she finally ran out of breath and released him, she saw him wipe the tears from his eyes. Halcyon came over and gave him a hug and kiss.
“You don’t know how happy I am to see you,” Marina said.
“I have an idea,” Alexios said.
“We were afraid…” Marina’s voice trailed off.
He nodded. “It was rough. By the time I got back, I was afraid it was too late. But you did it, Marina. The ring made the difference. Zeus defeated the enemy. Our world is safe. Your world is safe.”
Marina’s chest clenched. “Oh my God. That’s incredible. I’m so happy for you. For us. For everyone.”
“And the stalker?” Halcyon asked.
“Was one of our own, as I’d suspected,” he said. “I would have liked to have dealt with him myself, even though that’s not
normally how I handle things. But Zeus was in a mood and all that negative energy needed somewhere to go.”
“Yikes,” Marina said.
Halcyon grinned. “I think Zeus and I would get along. There’s something I need to grab out of my truck. I’ll give you guys a minute but don’t leave before I get back.”
As Halcyon slipped out of the building, Marina reached out and gave Alexios’s hand a squeeze. They had shared something that most people never did—they’d been tasked with the impossible and had prevailed even when it didn’t look good right up to the very end. He was her friend, her brother…family.
“The banana nut bread was genius,” Alexios said. “I’ve told that story so many times and gotten so many free drinks because of it. You have quite a fan club in our world. The bakery is even selling ‘Marina Bread’ now. It’s a huge hit.”
“It’s a shame you couldn’t have any of it,” Marina said.
He grinned. “I ate the entire thing. It was glorious.”
“What about your diet?”
He waved a hand in dismissal. “I wanted new clothes anyway.”
“I think you’ve earned them.”
He frowned and leaned closer, studying her face. “Your skin?”
“I know. I’m aging again. It didn’t just sprint back to where it was but everything is starting to come undone. I saw a couple strands of silver in my hair yesterday, and I’m extremely disappointed to announce that my chin hair has returned for a second act.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I just figured it was the ring. Maybe the ring was where the power really came from and once it was gone…”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. This is me. It’s who I’m supposed to be. And I’m gloriously happy with that.”
He smiled. “You should be. You’re the most awesome woman I’ve ever met. So what is all this?” He swept his arms out.
“I’m opening my own beauty shop. I’m calling it A Touch of Magic.”
Alexios put his hand over his heart. “I love that.”
