by Megan Linski
“Geez, Emma, can’t you handle anything?” Delilah, one of the other waitresses, rolled her eyes as she went to fetch the mop— again. During my employment here, we’d gone through at least three of them. I was pretty clumsy off-ice, so I didn’t know why my mom had chosen me to be a waitress. It was like asking for trouble. The other waitresses hated getting me on their shift, because a lot of their time was spent cleaning up my messes.
I’d never fit into this world. I didn’t belong here— though I wasn’t sure I belonged much of anywhere. I couldn’t even handle a minimum wage job. I longed to get out of Detroit, but it wasn’t like things would better anywhere else. I’d probably still be spilling things on businessmen. I spent the rest of my shift hiding from Delilah and pretending to do dishes, while really scrubbing the heck out of the mark on my hand. It didn’t fade a bit.
I had to figure out what this freaking thing meant. But who was I gonna ask? Gandalf?
When I got off my shift that night, I surfed through the mail to see if anything had arrived for me while Mom lit a fire in the living room. I’d ordered new skating gear online and needed it for practice.
But I didn’t see a box. Instead, there was a letter in the mail, addressed to me. A long envelope made of parchment paper had my name on it, written in blank ink and fancy cursive on the front.
There was no return address. On the front of the letter was inscribed, Notification of Your Acceptance.
My fingers itched to open it. Was this some kind of college acceptance letter? I hadn’t applied anywhere. I went to open the letter, but before I could, Mom snatched it out of my hands. She’d silently come up behind me without me noticing.
“Hey! What the hell!” I exclaimed. I chased after my mom as she stalked into the living room. “That’s mine!”
“You don’t need to read it. It’s not important.” Mom threw the letter into the fireplace, and I watched it burn with a sinking feeling. Mom had never done something like that to me before. What was in that letter that she didn’t want me to read? Things were getting weirder and weirder around here. I wanted to argue with her that what she did was wrong, but the look she gave me was so serious, I was put off confronting her. I went up to my room and made sure to slam the door. Loudly.
On the last Monday of August, there was a knock on my door. I was washing dishes. I dried my hands and went to open it quickly, as my mom had a headache and went to lie down. I didn’t want whoever was banging on the door to wake her. She often had migraines, and I did whatever I could to help her with them.
I opened my mouth to tell whoever it was to fuck off and go away, but the words fell flat when I came face to face with what I immediately knew was an extraordinary person. A woman stood outside my door. She wore a light blue pantsuit, had deep blue eyes, and a pixie cut that styled her white hair in a fashionable way. She wore heels, light makeup, and was carrying a designer purse that she clasped with elegant hands. Her shoulders were thrown back in a poised way.
“Are you Emmaline Sosna?” the woman asked, politely, but with a brisk sharpness to her voice.
“Uh… yeah,” I said slowly. “Who’s asking?”
She didn’t introduce herself. The lady strutted into my house like she owned the place. She put her designer purse on the closest armchair and sank onto the couch in a delicate way, sighing in a slightly dramatic fashion.
“Would you mind making me some tea? I’ve had a very long journey, and your local airport is… dismal, to say the least.” She gave a pleasant smile. “Biscuits would also be nice. You refer to them as cookies here. I do love my sweets.”
Who da fuck? Who was this bitch, coming into my house and ordering me around like she was the Queen of England?
But she had a quality to her voice and a light in her stare that made me feel compelled to obey her. It was clear she wasn’t messing around. She expected me to do what she asked.
I had the thought this lady might have some idea about the wolf that had chased me the other day. I decided the best way to get information out of her was to give her what she wanted.
Still, I wasn’t going to show her I’d be that easy of a pushover. “Can I at least get a name?”
“In time.” The woman gave another polite smile. “Although, I suggest you do get a move-on with that tea. Tea and I are as close as coffee and Americans, if I’m right with the comparison. I hope I’m not being rude.”
She was, but it was rude in a way that I was kind of… used to. I couldn’t really describe it. She had this warm and welcoming atmosphere about her that was comforting, even though I had no idea who the hell she was. I turned into the kitchen and put on a pot of hot water. Out in the living room, I could hear the woman whistling and talking to my mom’s pet cockatoo, like it was a person or something.
Weirdo.
When the tea boiled, I poured it into a fancy china cup. I figured that this lady wouldn’t find a normal mug acceptable. I handed the cup to her on a saucer. “I’m afraid we only have green.”
“It’s perfectly fine, thank you.” The woman took a sip and made a face. “Though what accounts for tea in this country would be equivalent to fish water in mine, I’m afraid.”
Everything that came out of this lady’s mouth was off-putting. It was offensive and funny at the same time. I hated how much I liked her, even as she was insulting me.
“I hope you do forgive me for barging in like this,” she began. “But you see, I simply had to come by, as we never received an answer from your letter.”
My letter. I thought back to the letter my mom had destroyed. This lady was here because of that?
It was at that moment my mother decided to come downstairs. My mom had red hair, like me, though her eyes were blue and not green. Her skin was pale, but despite being in her early forties, her skin showed little signs of age. Most people mistook me for her sister and not her daughter. Though years had passed, she looked the same as I’d remembered her being when I was a little girl.
Mom paused at the bottom of the stairs, placing a hand on the railing when she saw the stranger. Mom hated company, and she hated unexpected visitors even more. She had a weird thing about talking to people outside of the diner— almost in a paranoid sort of way. She’d never had any friends, as far as I knew of. Most of the time growing up, it was just me and her. I expected her to go loony at this crazy lady’s arrival, and throw her out.
“Hello, Evonna,” the woman said cheerfully at my mother’s arrival. “I haven’t seen you in quite some time. How have you been faring?”
My jaw dropped open as Mom’s face became unreadable, and she responded, “I’m quite well, Bianka. Thank you for asking.”
Holy flying fucks, my mom and this lady knew each other? This was just getting better and better.
Mom walked forward. She poured herself some of the tea in the kitchen before she went to the liquor cabinet and tipped some whiskey inside of it. She handed the bottle to the old lady, who took it gratefully and poured a significant amount into her own cup. Mom sat down on the armchair next to the woman’s purse and threw a hand over her eyes, as if she was extremely tired.
“Sit down, Emma,” Mom said. “It’s finally time to tell you.”
Tell me? Tell me what? My movements felt robotic as I slowly sank to the other end of the couch, opposite the old lady. The mysterious woman put her tea down and turned to me, keeping her knees closed and her upper body tilted slightly forward.
“Now. Down to business,” she said, like we were in a meeting. “I’m pleased to introduce myself. I am Bianka Magdalina, though you may call me Lady Magdalina. I am Headmistress at the prestigious Arcanea University in Malovia.”
Mal-what-now? What was this lady talking about?
“Show me the mark on your hand, dear.” Lady Magdalina’s tone was pleasant, but firm. She gazed at my right hand like she knew what I was hiding.
I was aware that I was gaping like a fish. That had to look appropriate. “I have no idea what you’re talking
about.”
Lady Magdalina made a skeptical noise. “Come now, Emmaline. Let’s not lie to each other. Show me your hand.”
It was clear that the best liar in the world wouldn’t be able to pull the wool over her eyes. I extended my right hand, and Lady Magdalina grasped my wrist. She pulled it up to her eyes to observe the mark. Mom watched, looking at the mark on my palm like it was her worst nightmare.
“Ah. A wolven. As I expected,” Lady Magdalina said fairly, placing my hand back on my knee. “Like your mother, although a griffin would’ve also been unsurprising.”
She might as well been speaking a foreign language. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Mom took a deep breath. “The truth is, Emma, you’re not human. You’re an Arcanea.”
Reality crashed into me so hard it sucked the air out of my lungs and almost knocked me off the couch. Inside, I’d always known I’d been different. There was something about me that other kids could sense, and I knew it, too. I’d always been a loner, because I didn’t feel like I belonged. Mom always seemed like the only person who could truly get me.
But I didn’t expect to be this different. I wasn’t even human? Where did I come from, Mars?
“What the fuck is that?” I belted out. Lady Magdalina made a face at my language, and I cringed. Even now, I wanted to earn her approval, and that I had offended her made me self-conscious.
Mom remained unmoved. “The Arcanea are a magical race. There are many supernatural cultures spread throughout the world, Emma, but you’re part of one of the oldest. Other magical peoples call us the Arcane. Our ancestors came from another realm, another dimension that isn’t part of this world, and settled in Malovia halfway across the world. You’re one of us… a fae.”
“Fae?”
“The correct term for fairy.” Magdalina spoke lightly. “Or faery, as some call it. The legends about us are true, Emmaline. We do exist.”
I already had so many questions. I didn’t know where to start, so I asked the easiest one first. “Where’s Malovia?”
“In Eastern Europe,” Lady Magdalina answered. “The country is run by a monarchy that is formed completely of the Arcanea. No one, save for our own kind and the magical races scattered throughout the globe, knows we exist. We’re a hidden, secret society, and we mean to keep it that way.”
I swallowed down a large lump in my throat. “Magic? Magic is real?”
Mom nodded. “Yes, Emma. I have it. You have it. We all do. The Arcanea specialize in spells and illusions. Female Arcanea become sorceresses— they’re known as the Marked. Male Arcanea are known as Companions, and change into shifters.”
“Huh? What’s a shifter?” I felt really dumb.
“A shifter is a person that can transform into an animal,” Lady Magdalina said. She cast a disapproving glance at my mother, obviously displeased she’d failed to teach me anything about this world for eighteen years. “Our Companions have four different Factions— wolvens, which are winged wolves, dragons, griffins, and alicorns. Each Companion belongs to one Faction and can only change into their born animal. Unlike Marked, Companions belong to their birth Faction for life.”
“You can switch Factions?” There were so many rules to this thing already. I had to be on my toes if I wanted to keep up.
Mom nodded. “Females can. I came from a griffin father. Your uncle, my brother, was a griffin, but when I came of age, the mark on my hand showed I belonged to the wolvens. A sorceress of any blood can bond with any shifter Companion, no matter where they’ve come from. The mark on their hand designates who they truly align with.”
I tried to process the information. But my mind wouldn’t let me. It rebelled against the idea that this was real, that any of this was real. I was just a kid from Michigan. Fricking Detroit, even. Fairy tales didn’t happen around here.
“I don’t believe you,” I said harshly. My mom wouldn’t lie to me about something this important my entire life. It had to be some kind of a cruel prank. “Prove this is real. Do magic right now.”
Mom blinked at me. She slowly extended her right hand. With her left, she made a swirling motion above her skin. As if she was removing makeup, a smudge of tan liquid, nearly paint-like, rose into the air and dissolved. There on her palm was an identical wolf print, just like mine. She’d used magic for years to hide it from me.
“A simple illusion,” Mom confessed quietly. “But one that did the trick.”
I was speechless. Lady Magdalina added, “And, just in case that doesn’t convince you…”
She waved her hand carelessly, and I gasped as the living room disappeared around us. Gone was the TV, the rug, the coffee table. Instead, giant tropical trees rose around us, and I heard the chatter of monkeys as the air became thick and humid. The temperature rose, and sweat beaded on my brow. I saw toucans sitting in the trees, and an anaconda wrapped around a tree. Macaws chatted by sloths. I swear I saw a jaguar slinking through the heavy vegetation next to colorful butterflies.
Instead of couches and chairs, Mom, Lady Magdalina and I sat on large rocks next to a rushing stream, where droplets sprang out of the water and splashed against my legs. We were in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. I reached down and ran my hand through the cold water. When I brought it back up, it was completely wet.
Then Lady Magdalina snapped her fingers, and the rainforest vanished. We were back in my living room. I was struggling to catch my breath.
“How’s that for an illusion, Miss Emmaline?” Lady Magdalina asked, proud of herself.
“Show-off,” Mom muttered under her breath. Lady Magdalina had a grin like a cat who ate the canary.
My whole body shook with anticipation and want. That’d been one of the coolest things that had ever happened to me. It’d been incredible. I wanted to be able to do that— to use magic.
Then something replaced the wonder as I caught Mom’s eye. Absolute rage.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” I asked Mom. I was beyond pissed. “I never belonged here. America isn’t anywhere close to Malovia! Why would you take me away from a place where I belonged, and never tell me about it?”
Mom sighed. “Emma, there are things you don’t understand.”
“Yes, Evonna. I myself would like to know the truth of what happened all those years ago,” Lady Magdalina said, and she crossed her arms as she raised her eyebrow.
“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t important,” Mom deflected quickly.
Lady Magdalina let out a haughty huff before taking another sip of her tea. “Surely.”
Mom remained tight-lipped. It was obvious that whatever Mom was hiding was important, but she wasn’t going to tell Lady Magdalina… at least, not with me around.
More freaking secrets. Why hadn’t she told me anything? Was I that untrustworthy?
I opened my mouth to say something else, but Mom cut me off and said, “I had my reasons, Emma. Please, don’t ask anymore about it.”
My blood boiled underneath my skin, but there was nothing I could do to change her mind. She obviously didn’t trust me with whatever she was hiding.
I ignored Mom and turned to face Lady Magdalina. Now that I knew this was real, my brain was starting to piece this thing together. “So… the mark on my hand shows I belong to the wolf Faction?”
“Yes.” Lady Magdalina nodded. “It shows that one day, you are destined to mate with one of the wolven kind, and become their bride.”
“Ew. Gross.” I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t want to be engaged to some slobbering dog-man— though it might be better than a slimy reptile.
“It is not gross.” Lady Magdalina sniffed at my improper language. “The bond between a Marked and her Companion is the most powerful connection the Arcanea have. It is something true and sacred.”
Something horrible hit me. “There was someone here a month ago. A man that could change into a wolf. He tried to attack me. Was he my mate?” Were all Arcanea like this, taking their chosen mates by force?
�
��Oh, by the Seven Gods, no,” Lady Magdalina seemed deeply bothered, and shuddered. “Mating doesn’t work like that. That was a rogue.”
“A rogue? Here?” Mom seemed concerned. She didn’t appear bothered that I’d said I’d been attacked by a wolf. I bet she already knew.
Lady Magdalina’s face darkened. “The Arcanea do have enemies, Emma, some within our own kind. The Black Claw is a fanatic group that seeks to gain power within Malovia and overturn the monarchy, our governing body. Killing Marked makes Companions weak, as they’ll never bond, and a Companion is significantly less powerful without a mate by their side. Most likely, they discovered you were here and sent an assassin to take your life.”
“No.” Mom’s tone was full of denial. “They couldn’t have found us. I’ve hidden us too well.
“My dear, I managed to find you after all these years,” Lady Magdalina reminded her patiently. “If you slipped up even once, and the Black Claw found out, they’d be after Emma to prevent her from bonding with someone who wasn’t in their group— especially if they had a speculation about who she may bond with.”
“Do you?” I asked her. “A headmistress coming all this way for one student is a bit suspicious. You could’ve sent someone less important. You didn’t have to come all this way yourself… unless you had a theory about my…” It made me sick to say the word.
Lady Magdalina smiled. “You’re a clever one. I do have an inkling of who your mate may be— and he is very important. That is why I’m here. Though I will refuse to say anything more about it. These things work best when the individuals work the details out themselves.”
A bad taste filled my mouth. This lady flew across the ocean to set me up on a date. I’d always had really bad luck with guys, and had sworn them off awhile ago. I’d intended to become a lonely cat lady. Now I felt like my future had already been chosen for me— like I’d been sold off to some guy I’d never even met.
I remembered what I’d done to the wolf, and a rotten feeling grew in my gut. I might as well come clean now. “The wolf who attacked me… I killed him.”
