Twilight Sun

by Brea Viragh

  “It’s Morgan’s apartment. He rents one half of the duplex.”

  Elon nodded. “It looks like him. Weathered wood and lots of books.” He gestured to the front study and the mountains of tomes stacked waist high. Then he smiled. “But it smells like my girl.”

  “How would you even know?” Nasira asked

  The look he sent her shot through her soul. “I know.”

  She tried a smile she hoped reached her eyes, unsure how to process such certainty when it came to love.

  “Come on, let’s not dally. I’m sure everyone is worried,” Brock said, moving forward. “We’ve been gone for hours. Pick up your feet, Naz.”

  “I’m dragging mud everywhere.”

  “We’ll clean it up later. Try not to scuff it into the cracks.”

  The three of them moved through the hallway into the galley-style kitchen.

  “I have two large pots of dark roasted espresso on for us,” Aisanna said, her back to them. Her long auburn hair was done up in a loose French braid, trailing between her shoulder blades. “I knew you would come back eventually. I thought it would be better to have it ready by the time you walked through the door.”

  Brock broke into a smile. “My soulmate!”

  “Hey, now, buddy. Hands off. The position has already been filled,” Elon stated, coming around the corner.

  She knew the voice. Felt it underneath her skin. Seconds ticked by and Aisanna turned slowly, her pulse echoing in her ears. “Elon,” she breathed.

  He nodded, smiling. “I’m here.”

  “Elon!” She rushed forward and grabbed his face in her hands, kissing every available inch of skin, ignoring the dirt and debris. “Where have you been? We couldn’t find you!” She punched him in the arm, then brought him in close for another kiss. “Never do that to me again.”

  He held her close until it looked like her bones would crack. “I know, I’m sorry.” He breathed into her neck. “I lost my way for a little bit.”

  “You’re not hurt? What happened to you?” Aisanna stepped back to peruse every inch of his body to check for scrapes and cuts and bruises. When she found none, she smacked him in the shoulder for impact. “That one is for worrying me.”

  Elon wanted to pretend it hurt. He could only stare at her. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I wanted to be here with you, but I…I couldn’t find my way back. I remember the fire at the cabin. I remember running out the back door and fumbling my way through the woods when it started. There wasn’t time to do anything but run. Then it’s a big blank.”

  “He saved my ass today,” Nasira supplied. She leaned against Brock, moved by the display. Realized what she was doing and stepped away to put some distance between them. “Zelda would have literally set me on fire if he hadn’t shown up and knocked her out with a tree branch the size of a human leg.”

  Aisanna divided her gaze between Nasira and Elon. “Zelda Vuur? The same Zelda Vuur who works for the Claddium and has been gunning for me since I accidentally attacked her?” Her eyebrows drew together.

  “And she packs quite a punch. I might not have survived if lover boy hadn’t shown up when he did. It was—” Nasira stopped. It was like fate. Like it was meant to be.

  “Divine intervention,” Elon said when the moment stretched on for too long. Became thin. “Like I was saying. I don’t remember anything, then a voice called to me. Through the darkness and the fog in my mind.”

  “My voice?” Aisanna asked.

  “No, a man.”

  Her mouth snapped closed. “You heard a man instead of me.”

  “Yes. He said his name was Vane and he had to take me somewhere. I came to in the woods freezing my ass off and still wearing my dirty clothes from the cabin.” Elon gestured down to the jaunty pair of red suspenders keeping his pants hitched high. “I never saw the guy’s face, but I trusted him. And wherever he kept me for…how long have I been gone?”

  “Two weeks.”

  “Wherever he kept me for two weeks, it was safe.” Elon tried to keep his eyes from popping out of his head in surprise and managed it well, considering.

  Aisanna sucked in her lips until it looked like she’d been trying to French kiss a lemon. “Well, it’s about time he’s done something useful for us. If he kept you safe,” she stopped and breathed. “If he kept you safe, then I suppose I can’t be mad at him anymore.”

  Nasira was the outsider, peeping through a window onto a love scene she had no business watching. Her sister drew Elon closer yet, nestled against his chest, and it was two broken pieces coming together to form a complete picture.

  She glanced over at Brock to find he’d averted his gaze away from the couple. Toward her. “Why don’t we step outside for a minute,” he said. “I think they deserve a little privacy.”

  She was happy to oblige, and followed him out willingly. At once the weight of the day came crashing down on her and with enough heft to send her to her knees. She fought against the sensation, grateful when Brock hooked his arm beneath her elbow to help her along.

  “You did good. I had no idea you had it in you,” he told her.

  “What? Kicking a little ass? Taking some names?”

  “Calling on your powers to fight an evil witch.”

  “God, whatever I did to get sucked into this madness, tell me,” she said, only half joking. “Yeah, I gotta say, this whole veil thinning thing has made an impression on me. If I wasn’t committed before…”

  Brock sighed and lifted his arm to slide next to her. “I know what you mean. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  His concern brought a low burn to her throat.

  Nasira made a fist and felt more power than she thought possible coursing through her veins. She didn’t want to talk about the implications. Her world had taken a stroll into unexpected and dangerous territory. She found it better to focus on the parts that slid down a little smoother. Finding out she’d been born into a war between good and evil scared her too much to think about. She’d get to it. Eventually. But at the moment, she mused, it was easier to talk about her newfound family and their part to play.

  “It would have been better if you stayed away,” she told him.

  “Excuse me?” He scraped his knuckles over his chin. “I thought we’d moved past the crap, Naz.”

  “I don’t mean any insult by it. It’s more of a safety issue. You would have been much safer if you’d stayed at home. You’re human.” Nasira shook her head. She needed to keep this light. Or she was afraid her heart would jump out of her chest and straight into his hands.

  There was something about seeing Elon and Aisanna together. Seeing the absolute love and trust they had for one another. It wasn’t good for her constitution.

  “I’m not insulted. A little pissed you think I would turn and run because things got hairy. I knew what to expect when I got in the car with you.”

  She scoffed but his statement warmed her cockles. “You knew we would be sucked into a world of magic where an ancient evil wants to break through from another realm? One hell of a guess.”

  Brock lifted shoulder. “Something similar.”

  She used her elbow to dig into Brocks’ side. “Shut your mouth, Lockhart.”

  “So,” he began, pausing. “What was it like? Conjuring something like that from inside of you.”

  Nasira wrapped her arms around her midsection and hissed when the fabric of her shirt came into contact with the burn. “Terrifying,” she admitted. “And exhilarating at the same time. It was like finally accepting the hole inside of myself, just in time to feel it fill.” She glanced down at her hands. Surprised to see the knuckles scraped and bruised. “You can’t imagine feeling so much energy. It flexed its muscles.”

  “And where did you get that?” He used his nose to gesture.

  “Hmm?” Nasira glanced down at the waistband of her pants.

  There, tucked between her jeans and her shirt, was the ancient Egyptian sistrum rattle. Used to ward off and dispel evil spirits.

>   “It was a gift. From Bast. Something I can use as a talisman to focus my energy.” She hadn’t remembered it being on her person before. It must have appeared sometime on the walk home.

  “Did you finally figure out what your power was?” Brock finally asked her.

  Her mouth quirked to the side. “I have a better idea about it, yes.”

  “Well, good. Although it was kind of strange, how Elon showed up right in time.” Brock scratched his chin again and noted the hair growing in.

  “I’m not going to take anything for granted. Whoever he is, he’s a welcome addition in my book.”

  “I like them,” he mentioned in an offhanded manner.

  “You know what? I do, too.”

  “It isn’t a crime to like your family. Or to feel intimidated.”

  She scowled. “I’m not intimidated.”

  “Try lying to me again.”

  “I’m not lying. It’s awkward, okay?” she said. “Last week it was me and Mom. Done. I had my life planned out, I knew what I did and I knew where my next move was. I knew me. Now I have sisters. I have a brother, and a father, and a goddamn apocalyptic prophecy coming down on my head. This isn’t normal, Brock.”

  Astix came out through the sliding glass doors with a spear of pure white crystal in her hand. “Fight on your own time,” she remarked.

  “Are we on a tight schedule?”

  The other woman flashed Nasira a smile. “You’re damn right.”

  Brock stood up and stretched above his head. “If no one minds, I’m going to go inside and snag a giant cup of coffee. Then maybe change.” He glanced down at the grass stains on his shirt. “And probably use the bathroom.”

  “Now you’re asking for too much,” Astix joked.

  “I know; I can be incredibly egotistical. Hell, if I feel up to it, I might even get a snack.” Brock shot them a grin over his shoulder. “Go wild. Who knows.”

  Astix moved onto the patio with long, fluid strides. There was a haunting certainty in the way she walked. Dressed casually in black leggings and a knee-length, purple-colored sweater, she was attractive and looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her thick auburn hair fell messy over her shoulders and framed her face. She looked healthy. Strong. With an unblemished beauty and a striking demeanor.

  “Your man is attractive,” she said, keeping her voice low.

  Nasira shook her head. Adamant. “He’s not my man. I mean, he was, once. But it was a long time ago and we’ve both moved past it.”

  “I see,” Astix replied. They both knew what she hadn’t said. Nasira was lying. “You want to tell me what happened?”

  “Do you really care?”

  “I’m trying to. I’m not the best at being empathetic. It comes from my twelve years being banished from my family and living on my own.”

  “Banished? Because of your magic.”

  “I’m different, and people are always afraid of what’s different. Like I said, I’m doing my best to move past everything. Every day, I try. So tell me what happened and we can get to know each other a little better.”

  “We were in high school,” Nasira began with her fair share of hesitation. “Football star quarterback.” She pointed to her chest. “Geek.”

  “Romantic.”

  “Yeah, sure. He wanted to leave and go away to college. I wanted to stay. I hardened my heart against him but now he’s back and I... I don’t want to run away from him anymore. He can be stiff and irritating and a pain in the ass. But at the same time, so can I, and when it comes to him, I just don’t know what to do.”

  They enjoyed each other’s company. Even when he poked and prodded her, and she retaliated. They shared history. The people in their town. The family and friends who mattered. When she looked at him there was still a strong chemical desire and sexual connection.

  If she took the time to admit it to herself, adding it up amounted to the basis of a healthy friendship. Maybe a good relationship.

  She shook her head and grimaced. It complicated matters to still be in love with him. If she could manage to obliterate that one small thing, life might be close to perfect.

  “I have one like that.” Astix’s voice went whisper soft. “He pulls at you. From the center of you and leaves you no choice but to respond. There’s comfort and interest and heat so compelling you want to crawl inside of them.”

  “I know,” Nasira finished. “It’s stupid and outrageous.”

  “It’s something you never wanted.”

  “I’ve been angry with him for years and I vowed I wouldn’t let my guard down around him. He doesn’t want to take no for an answer.” Nasira cocked her head and tried to puzzle it out. Finding it easier to focus on Brock than the attack with Zelda. Or the subsequent meeting with Bast and Vane. “It makes me nervous that I might slip and make another mistake. Seeing him flustered me to the point where I got angry. So angry I wanted to murder someone.”

  It was better not to think about the love. Put it off for as long as she could manage it. Heaven forbid she start daydreaming about making a family and a home together.

  The burn on her hand throbbed. There might not be a future for any of them.

  “Don’t blame yourself,” Astix interrupted, placing her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “The eclipse effects everyone. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Maybe not all of it, but I was angry to begin with.”

  Astix let out a long breath. “God, I know the feeling.”

  “He kissed me, before we left to come here, and it felt like before. But more. There’s anticipation and memories and…you know what? It’s good to see that he’s as caught up in this as I am. I know it could be good if I let it. I also know it could hurt. But only if I let it.”

  “What are you looking for, Nasira?”

  “I don’t know. I thought I could handle the heat. Like I was powerful enough to take the pleasure and ignore the rest of it. Am I wrong?”

  “No, you aren’t.” But it worried Astix nonetheless.

  “I’m not physically or emotionally strong enough to give him my heart again. What if he leaves? What kind of a life would I have then? It’s dangerous.”

  “Every day from now until the eclipse is dangerous, Naz.” She’d adopted the nickname with ease. It felt right to say it. “I know what you’re saying is logical, but we might not make it through the veil tearing. For me, I wouldn’t want to go into this stepping back from the one man I love because I’m afraid of what could happen. Or what couldn’t. Do you understand?”

  After a moment of fierce internal debate, Nasira let her chin drop. “I’m not good at taking advice.” She bit her lip and glanced toward the edge of the yard. The spear of stone was still there, along with the bottle.

  “It helps being able to talk. I’m your sister. Whatever you want to say, I’m here.”

  Nasira felt her stomach tighten and she paused a moment, exhaled, and tried to reply as calmly as she could. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  Astix took the seat opposite her and Nasira stared into eyes of her exact color. Blue and green and amber. It was startling to see them on a different face. An intense face. “What do you want?”

  Nasira swallowed, certain she’d misunderstood the question. “Excuse me?”

  “What do you want,” Astix repeated. “You came here to find Dad. I understand. You left because you’re confused and feeling awkward. I understand that, too. Then you came back. I want to know why.”

  “Because I missed you so much?” She went for flippant. “I…I came back because I finally stopped fighting what I know. I know this is where I needed to be.” She wouldn’t mention the tongue lashing from her goddess. Some things a girl had to keep to herself.

  Astix’s stern features grew surprisingly gentle as she leaned in. “Good. I needed to hear you say it. I’ll leave with you with a final piece of wisdom it took me a kick in the ass—literally—to realize. You can’t forgive him until you forgive yourself. And you can’t love him until you love e
very piece of you first. Which is often the hardest part.” She slapped a hand down over Nasira’s, her pale skin a stark contrast, then pushed to her feet. “Now get inside. The reunion is over and it’s time for strategy. Got it?”

  Alone, Nasira drew in a breath. It might have been her imagination, but she swore she smelled honeysuckle.

  She focused on the rattle on her lap. Energy pulsed through her, using the metal and wood for a conduit until her skin began to glow gold.

  It felt delicious to use her magic in this place. Natural as each breath she took, automatic as the blood flowing through her body. She flexed her fingers and watched fern-green sparks dance along her skin.

  Nasira savored the afterglow of her adrenaline and magic-fueled high. I did it, she thought. She glanced down at her palms, no longer glowing with the heft of her power, and realized there was more to her than she thought. She’d provided protection for herself when she thought she was helpless.

  What if she had to do it again? What if everything hinged on her accepting her power and her position with the sisters? It was never that simple. Bast had told her, hadn’t she? Told her to find her strength and they could win. It had to be true, she thought now. It had to be, otherwise she would melt into a puddle of hopelessness.

  She would come out on the other side of this. It was what she wanted, and what she would work for. Turning it into stone in her head. Just as good as writing it down on her list. She would persevere with her own effort.

  She took some deep breaths and stood, shaking out her arms and rolling her shoulders. Her head was clear again, thankfully, but it didn’t stop the endless attack of her own thoughts. Annoyed with herself, Nasira closed her eyes and struggled to erase the image of Zelda’s fire from her head.

  She huffed out a second breath and focused on the air, the feeling of the breeze against her skin. Zelda was gone for now. And Nasira needed to focus on what was real, what was right in front of her.

  It wasn’t until later that she remembered her conversation with Vane and knew there was so much more she had to say.