“Demi!” I shout at her, annoyed at her nonsense. She used to do this same cast on me every day for a year when she first got her power. It was never funny to me because I hated the cold. And when she made my blankets disappear like that, I always felt the cold air settle around my whole body. I felt the chill all the way to my bones. I ended up sleeping in long sleeves and sweatpants every night. She eventually got bored when it didn't faze me as much anymore. Back then, I still thought I was going to receive my magic and I planned to retaliate. Unfortunate for me, but lucky for her. “My nieces better be here, or you're going to pay for that.” I dramatically swing my legs over the edge of my bed, standing up with a grunt as I threaten her. Demi snorts, obviously amused at my discomfort, annoying me even more.
She moved out of the house three years ago, when she met Silas. They became inseparable immediately. They met in Eden, when she was there on one of her shopping sprees. He’s a too cool, too handsome, and too smart caster with his perfect blond comb-over and lime-green eyes. It’s just an added plus that he fits in so perfectly with our family. They fell for each other within seconds and give me hope in finding love. One day she surprised the family, when she told us she was pregnant and we were really excited and happy for them. Now they have two daughters, Layla and Violet. I love my nieces tremendously. Demi was smart to buy a house close to ours. It’s directly across the park, a few blocks away. I ride my skateboard through it to get there.
“Try not to be too long in there. Dimitri’s almost done making breakfast!” Demi says as she shuts my bedroom door. I quickly close myself in my bathroom and undress. Then as I turn on the shower and let it heat up, I grab my toothbrush. My eyes rise to the mirror above the sink, and I can’t help but laugh at my monstrous bed head. Jumping in the shower, I brush my teeth as the hot water attempts to fix the rat’s nest adorning my head.
As soon as Demi’s power came, she changed her hair once every few months. She’s had every color you can ever imagine. She’s even tried it my way and that only lasted one day. Unlike me, Demi came out curvy and voluptuous, with a nice warm ivory skin tone. Her almond shaped stone-gray eyes were above a perfectly sloped nose. We do share the same lip structure though. Full and pouty pink lips run in our family. Her daughters have them, too.
Demi is short like me but about two inches taller. I don’t even break five feet. I'm just an inch away. My small frame fits my short legs just right. But I do look a few years younger than I am. And I should be cherishing it, since I'm not immortal like the rest of my family. As the water begins to get cold, I realize I have spent too much time in the shower. Afraid I’ve already missed too much, I try to move as quickly as I can. So I can spend my last day here with the people I love.
Chapter 2
The Cave
Walking into our cozy kitchen stung a little more than I expected. “Finally!” Demi sarcastically shouts. I roll my eyes and take my seat at the long white wood table as Layla runs over to me and jumps into my arms. “Good morning, Auntie Scar!” She says in her sweet squeaky voice. I feel a tug on my leg and find Violet silently asking to join us. As I pick her up with my other hand and squeeze them both, they laugh so loud it melts my heart. My nieces are the only other ones without magic in the family besides me, and that’s only because they are so young. Layla is a three-year-old firecracker with bouncy brown curls and shiny green eyes. Violet, on the other hand, is the total opposite of her sister. She is still just a baby at a year old with big, round, pale gray eyes and straight soft, blond hair. They are both the perfect mix of Demi and Silas.
“All right. All right. Let’s eat!” Demi says, ruining the cuddly moment. She takes Violet and sets her down in the high chair and attempts to take Layla, but I hold her tight. “She can eat with me.” I say with a teasing smile. “I missed you in the kitchen this morning,” says Dimitri. Thankfully interrupting the stare-off. “I know. I heard you in here when I woke up. I guess I'm just mentally preparing myself for tomorrow.” I shrug my shoulders as I fill my plate with the strawberry pancakes he made for me. He nods his head, understanding. “We’re preparing ourselves, also, honey. The house won’t be the same without you here.” Dad cuts in. I can see the hurt in his eyes and it saddens me. But I know this is what I have to do. I can feel it in my heart.
“I won’t be far, and I’ll be back in two weeks for my birthday party.” I try to lighten the now gloomy mood. “So, what are your plans for your last day?” Dimitri asks. Without hesitation I reply quickly, “I want to stop by the cave one last time.” The cave is a hole in the woods, hidden behind trees in the park I skate through to get to Demi’s. It leads to a leaf-covered dome the size of a large igloo. I’ve been going there since I found it as a kid. That day when I fell off my board and rolled into it, I cleaned it up and claimed it as my own secret hideaway. Dad and Dimitri helped me with the help of their magic and they cast a protection spell on it to keep me safe, along with glamours, so mortals can't see it.
“Dinner is at six, right?” Demi asks our uncle. Dimitri nods his head, silently answering her. “So what are you baking?” She turns her attention to me, assuming I had baking plans. I tease her and tell her, “It’s a secret.” I'm going to miss this, extremely. But it’s my time to fly, and I'm more than ready to spread my wings and face the unknown that awaits me.
***
With my Eden-built skateboard in my hand, I'm ready to take my last ride to the cave. The fact that I'm leaving in the morning is making me look at everything in a new, heavy hearted perspective. As I stand in front of our ancient Victorian house, I can’t help but feel somber to some degree. This has been my home since the day I was born, and I’m leaving it to find a new one. Dad and Dimitri have lived in this house for the last 300 years. And since they don’t age, they have to cast a glamour on themselves, so to the mortals they look like they gradually age alongside them. When in actuality, they're over 400 years old, but they look like they’re in their late 40’s. When generations of local mortals pass on, dad and Dimitri reset the glamour.
They change the interior of the house to keep up with the change of technology, but the outside has always been the same. The outside of the whole house is painted light gray with white on the shutters, doors, and pillars. Onyx black is the finishing touch on the round and pointed roofs. The inside matches the exterior, with its light-gray painted walls, black furniture, and appliances. Dimitri spruces up the kitchen every few years but ever since I told him the current layout was my favorite, he hasn't changed it. I wonder if he will change the decor now that I'm leaving.
The day I turned ten I begged dad if I could move my room to the top floor. It was a whole lot more private from where I was, in the room next to Demi on the second floor. It took quite a while for me to convince him, and when he finally said yes, I was so eager to begin remodeling that I started right away. My room overlooks the front of the house. A lot of the time I would catch myself in a bizarre, trance-like state, daydreaming and staring out of the circular window, watching the clouds float by. As I got older, I would enviously watch Demi sneak out of the house. Or on stormy days I would therapeutically admire the lightning as it lit up the sky, then await the roar of the inevitable thunder that follows. I’ve spent an abundance of time at that window. And now, staring up at it from the other side is a strange, sublime, and pleasing feeling. After all of those years of watching Demi live her life, it’s finally my turn.
I break away from my thoughts and bring my board to the street. Uneven and broken sidewalks are disappointingly common in New York. And for skaters like me, riding on the sidewalks is close to impossible, so street riding is the only other option. I taught myself how to skate when I was merely nine-years-old. When I saw our neighbor’s teenage son ride only once, I was instantly captivated by his skateboarding talent. I willingly picked up chores for a week to get myself a board.
Day after day I would spend hours teaching myself how to ride, and about a year after I accomplished all of the basics,
dad came home and surprised me with a skateboard he had his friend in Eden build for me. He said it was because of how dedicated I was to the sport. Its shiny wood is portrayed behind a knotted pattern of vines and thorns, with a few red roses scattered throughout. The builder in Eden put a safety cast on the skateboard so that if at any time I fall, the wheels will fix themselves and avoid the bailout. I fell in love with it the moment he presented it to me. And when I stepped on it for the first time, it was like floating on air. It felt like it was an extension of me.
***
Riding up to the enchanting entrance of Forest Park will always be a mesmerizing sight, with its tunnel of trees welcoming you into their tangled and mysterious abyss. Usually I cut through a narrow shortcut in the bushes. But since I won’t be back for a while, I take the scenic route. The ride is comfortably silent and empty of other mortals. The usual array of squirrels and birds scurry out of my way, as I ride along the bridle path to my hidden cave. I know I'm getting close, because I can see the flaw in the pavement where the cast was placed to glamour the entrance of the cave. It’s a perfect catwalk of flawless cement leading right to the entrance. Dad placed a glamour so the other mortals would never be able to see it. If they accidentally fall into the track, they end up on the other side of the cave entirely. It’s invisible to anyone other than us.
I glance around to confirm that no one is near. And when I'm satisfied, I turn my board onto my invisible trail. I momentarily feel my vision shift as the glamour works its magic. That is the closest to magic I will ever get to physically feel, and I cherish it every single time. The vine-covered door made out of thick sticks and twine appears a few feet ahead. As I approach it, I bring my foot down to slow my pace. Expertly jumping off my skateboard, I bend down to retrieve it and stand it up next to the door. Raising my hands to push open the door, I can’t help but keep them there for an extended moment. This place, I'm going to miss the most. I was here every chance I got. If I wasn't cooking with Dimitri or studying for school, I was here. It’s reticent, comfortable, and it’s mine. Demi was weirdly respective of this place. She always called before coming, and she always asked for permission. She’s even kept my one rule and never brought anyone here.
Stepping through, the smell of fresh soil and grass hit me at once. That smell has always been so comforting to me. When I first found this place, I asked dad to conjure up a window to let in fresh air. But as time went on, I came to realize that it smelled more pristine with the window closed. The small and rounded casement window is only seen from the inside of the cave. It’s like a two-way mirror, allowing me to be able to see out. And it’s directly next to the door when you walk in. Looking around the apartment-sized grotto and instinctively making sure that everything is still in its place, I take off my bag and drop it on the oval table under the window. Since the walls are rounded, like a dome, we had to make the furniture and appliances curved. And when I say “we”, I mean Dad and Dimitri. Demi and I simply collected bulky twigs and logs with twine and pretty trinkets we found on the ground not too far from the cave.
The day the four of us came here to transform it to a habitable place was one of the most magnificent days I will always remember. It was an outright magic show that felt like a dream. Demi and I kept lookout for any mortals, so Dad could glamour the area. Once it was complete, upon entering, we were invisible to the rest of the world. Dad got to work on the runway right away, while Dimitri was conjuring up the important necessities, like blankets and pillows, a mini fridge with food and drinks, lamps, and running water that sprouts from rocks protruding from the wall. It looks like a miniature waterfall, as it cascades into a small basin shaped like a small lagoon. The water disappears when it hits the ground, making it look all the more magnificent.
They tasked us with finding supplies for furniture. Demi took my hand, and we raced through the dense forest. It took us over an hour to gather anything and everything we could find. When we came back, I was speechless. Since there was no door yet, we saw right through to the illuminated and completely cleaned cave. When I ran forward towards the opening, I was so speechless that I was stunned. The walls were smooth and empty of twigs that were sticking out everywhere. The wooden floor had a leafy art deco designed into it, really bringing the forest vibe through.
Everything Dimitri had summoned was sitting in a pile in the middle of the cave. He left it there, so I could tell him where I wanted it placed. This was only right, since I was the one who discovered the cave. I immediately knew exactly where I wanted everything to go and launched into orders, telling Dimitri where to put things. Demi was giggling at my ambitious directives, and I gave her a pointed look, so I began to turn away slowly with hooded eyes. But that made her laugh even more.
Arranged a few feet away from each other, all around the circular wall are floating lanterns, dimly lit with charmed blue fire. I asked him to make the ceiling entirely a skylight, so I could look up at the sky or watch when it rains. It’s a cathedral-like window, with the trees above us casting shadows all around us. There are all types of blooming flowers drooping gradually down the walls, making it look eerily enchanting. “It’s looking great, Scar. What do you say we get started on the furniture before it gets too dark outside,” says Dad, interrupting my gaping admiration.
I nod my agreement and look up at the skylight to see the darkening sky. Demi and I quickly lay our findings out on the ground and await what comes next. Dad looks at me with a cheeky smile and says, “All you have to do is tell us what kind of furniture you would like, sweetheart. Then just stand back with your sister and watch.” He wiggles his eyebrows at us, causing Demi and I to giggle. I took another hurried glance around the cave and anxiously told my dad exactly what I wanted.
“A big stuffy couch, two end tables, a door and window, a chest for storage, and a book shelf. And I want shadow boxes along the walls to put the trinkets we found along the way in.” I briskly take Demi’s hand and pull her to the entrance, as we excitedly watch our dad and uncle cast. Dad looks over at his brother and says, “You take the trinkets, the door, and the window. I have the rest.” Dimitri dramatically jogs in place and stretches his neck from side to side, causing us all to laugh. At the exact same time him and Dad both clapped their hands. Everything that was just on the floor in pieces was now floating in the air in front of us. They both raised their hands in the air and began to move the pieces with just their fingers directing them around. They looked like painters with invisible paint brushes.
When they finish one piece of furniture, they freeze it in its place and move on to the next. They each get to their last piece at the same moment. And when they were complete, they turned towards each other. With eyes closed, they connect hands and began chanting silently. Then, just as fast, they both stopped and became mute. Their fingers snapped, and the floating pieces matched up and clicked together, sealing themselves into a solid formation. Dimitri was the first to wave his hands. And when he did, the furniture he made flew swiftly through the room, finding their own place and settling down where they chose. Dad danced his hands in a wave, and his pieces slowly found their comfortable position throughout the room. When the last piece slowly fell, I ran forward and did a complete twirl, looking at what is now around me.
Next to the perfectly placed door is a miniature circular window with an oval table under it. A few feet away is where the circular futon full of blankets and pillows sits with the other oval table on the other side. Next came the makeshift kitchen and sink that Dimitri summoned earlier. But I skip over that to gawk at the reading area. The bookshelf implanted itself into the wall with two lanterns placed on each side, illuminating the range even more so. The empty chest resides next to the bookshelf. And spread all over the walls, in a weirdly comforting and disorganized pattern, are the shadow boxes with the trinkets Demi and I found. We were so astounded that all we could do was dizzily turn in circles, gazing at the room that our dad and uncle just brought to life.
To this day,
everything is still in the exact same place. Only now, the chest is full of things I’ve found in this park over the years. Going over to the futon, I fall back onto the pillows with the sadness of leaving the cave and the exciting thoughts of what tomorrow brings. From all of the excitement of the day catching up to me, my eyes get droopy and as I lift my arms and yawn, I drift off into an unplanned slumber.
Chapter 3
Hello, New Life!
Saying goodbye was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. There were tons of tears and a box full of gifts given to me with their love and well wishes. Gifts I promised that I wouldn’t open until I got to my dorm. The feeling of nervous excitement expands throughout my body, so I crank up the radio and start singing out loud to my doo-wop playlist. Dream a Little Dream by Doris Day plays, matching my excited mood to the start of a new life. And as I get lost in the shuffle of great music, the GPS suddenly tells me my destination is coming up, causing the butterflies in my stomach to take full flight. I do a little squeal when I see the grass quadrangle in front of the main building. When I toured the college, this was one of my favorite views, with the immaculately landscaped walkways and scattered sculptures placed outside. And with the view of downtown Syracuse, it is quite a sight. The surrounding buildings are from all different eras, with the mixture of contemporary to 19th century style. A truly astonishing campus.
Winter's Awakening (Light Coven Chronicles Book 1) Page 2
