Of Glass and Glamour

by Chanda Hahn

  “I wish to attend the masked ball.”

  “Is that it?” Disappointment leaked from my voice. She didn’t ask for a dress, for shoes, or even for the prince to fall in love with her. She just wanted to attend. How boring was that?

  “Well, small wishes only gain small rewards,” I snapped, my hands on my hips. I was tapping my foot in displeasure. “Come back when you dream bigger.”

  “No, wait, please I’m sorry.” She flung herself onto the ground, her knees digging into the mud. “I want to outdo my sister. I want to ruin her big night by stealing her thunder. I wish… I wish to make it past the first night selection.” Her blue eyes looked up, and I saw all of the anger and hurt hidden inside. The years of mistreatment by an older, more calculating sister. I knew that feeling all too well as I thought of my own more beautiful sisters.

  “Now that is a true wish.”

  Tess dug her fingers into the ground. “It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of, showing her that I can be more than the dumb servant and thief. I can play the part of the lady as well. She thinks we can continue the con until she entraps a gentleman in marriage. But then she wants me to still attend her in the house. I can’t. I can’t play the part of a servant anymore.”

  “Yes,” I whispered excitedly. “Yes. You will have your revenge. I will help you.”

  “Tell me what must I do.”

  “Did you bring me the items I asked for? Items that have special meaning to you.”

  Tess nodded and took the satchel off her shoulder and handed me the bag.

  I tried to hide the frustration from my face. How was I supposed to get this girl to the masquerade ball with this junk? I dug around in the items she had brought and noticed how worn but loved they were. A book, braided string, a gold-and-purple-striped ribbon, a worn pair of silk slippers, flower seeds, and a squash. What was I going to do with a squash?

  “I hope you’re not expecting me to turn that into a coach?” I said, turning my nose up at the yellow vegetable.

  “I don’t know what you’re capable of. I had heard tales of godmothers.”

  “No!” I cut her off right there. “There are no such things as godmothers. Just get over here and stand still,” I huffed and took a look at what she was wearing. I asked her to come in her nicest dress, and she was wearing the same outfit that I met her in—a ratty dress that had seen better days. “Is this really the best you have?”

  “It is.” She shrugged. “Anything of value, my sister takes.”

  I stared long and hard at the items she was currently wearing and the pieces that she had brought me in her bag.

  “Okay, what I’m about to do is give you an enchanted dress. But it only works if I tie it to a physical object that you are wearing or holding.”

  The striped ribbon would do well. I drew another sigil over the piece and held it out to her. “Put it on.”

  Tess took the ribbon and tied it around her neck. When she did, her clothes began to change. An A-line ball gown of shimmering purple silk fell around her waist. She gasped and did a little dance of excitement.

  I untied the ribbon and pulled it from around her neck, and the glamour dropped. I felt the pressure lesson. This was going to be tricky. To hold a glamour over a poor girl for a few days would physically drain me. But if it meant getting revenge on the older sister, then it was worth it.

  I enchanted the braided string next. This time when she tied it around her neck, a lovely string of pearls appeared and her dress became a soft baby blue. I spent the most time creating the perfect glamour to connect to her satin slippers. They produced a white tulle ball gown. I took the flower seed and blew them over her dress. Where each one landed, it turned into a delicate diamond. That should get the prince’s attention. It screamed heiress.

  “This is the loveliest dress I have ever seen. It even feels real. How do you do it? Can you teach me this magic? If you did, I wouldn’t have to steal anymore. I could just create what I want,” Tess begged.

  “You’re too old to be trained,” I said stiffly. It took years, twelve to be exact, to learn the level of magic it took to be good at glamour.

  “Too bad it’s not real.”

  “It will hold up to touch and smell and will be real. But should anything happen to me or you betray me, it is gone.”

  I turned my back on her so she couldn’t see what I was doing and pulled out my invitation and studied it carefully. I tore a page from the very back of the book she brought, cringing while doing it. It was painful to destroy a book. I glamoured the page to be the mirror image of my own invitation.

  “Full name?” I asked.

  She blinked and glanced down.

  “Tesselyn, daughter of….” She trailed off and fidgeted with her hands. “See, I wasn’t born in Candor. I traveled all my life with a show. I don’t have a family other than the members of my troupe.”

  I chewed on my inner cheek in thought. “You will be the daughter of Duchovny for tonight,” I said remembering the name of the daughter that was too young to attend. I added the name on her invitation, and she brightened. “Here is your own invitation. Don’t lose it.”

  Tess took the invitation with trembling hands. “Oh, thank you. How can I ever repay you?”

  “Just shine. For you are not meant to live in the shadows of others.”

  Tess’s eyes filled with tears. She blinked, and they ran down her cheek. “Oh, thank you, godmother.” She gave me a hug, and I had to remember to not roll my eyes at being called godmother. I patted her back awkwardly.

  A bat flew by, and I waved my hand. The animal squeaked in protest before landing on the ground in front of me. It was white, an albino bat.

  “Lend me your wings, dear friend,” I whispered, waving my hand over it. The bat grew in size, its arms flapping as it shifted until it was the size of the mountain bears of Hillock.

  A button served as a seat that was large enough for two people upon it.

  “C’mon, Tess.” I gestured to the bat. “We mustn’t be late.”

  “Is it safe to be near?” She was now hiding behind a tombstone.

  “Of course, it’s safe. He wouldn’t dare harm us. I’m in complete control of him.” To show her that he was indeed gentle, I lifted my skirt and stepped up to sit on the button bench seat. I opened the bag and broke off a piece of the bread and began to eat while I waited for her. My stomach’s rumbling subsided.

  Tess stepped from behind her hiding place, but she still wouldn’t approach the bat. My patience was wearing thin; I had little time for her dalliance and fears.

  “We haven’t got all night,” I snapped, waving my hand that held the chunk of cheese. Using magic, I lifted her into the air and plopped her down on the seat next to me.

  It was showy and a bit reckless of me to try and control so much. But I knew that as long as I wasn’t distracted, I could hold this charade for a long time.

  “Let’s go,” I commanded the albino bat. I waved my hand to give it a gust of air under his wings to help lift him into the night. Air whipped past our faces, and I gripped the side of the bench, leaving nail impressions as we bobbed up and down with each wing beat.

  Tess’s face was clenched in terror as she hung on to my arm for dear life. Next time, I would remember to place a rope across our laps so we wouldn’t fall out of the seat. I was too focused on creating a memorable entrance to the palace that I may have let the thought of safety slide. Up and down. Up and down we bobbed, and my stomach began to feel queasy.

  I released my hold on the loaf of bread and wedge of cheese, letting them fall to the ground. Tess had gone green and was no longer hanging onto my arm but hanging her head over the side.

  Thankfully, I could see the palace as we circled above and came around to the front. The palace was lit from below by spot lanterns, and colored lights danced across the stone walls. The king had really gone all out to impress the women of the city.

  “Where’s it going?” Tess asked as the bat veered away from the ent
rance and head toward the large towering tree.

  “Oh no,” I gasped as the bat began to reach out with its legs to grasp onto the branch. “He’s landing. Hold on!” The bat flapped its wings, and we fell backward toward the ground as he landed upside down.

  “Aaah!” Tess screamed as she lost her grip on the bench and slid out of the seat. I flung my arm across Tess and slowed our descent till our feet touched the ground, landing completely unharmed.

  “Did you know it was going to do that?” She pointed up at the now dozing bat as it hung upside down, its large arms wrapped around his body.

  I tried to lift my head and pretend that nothing out of the ordinary had happened and that I was still in control, but that last burst of power really took its toll on me.

  “I suspected as much.” I wiped my palms over my dress and motioned for her to follow me. “Carry on, we can’t dally.”

  Approaching the palace at night was a completely different experience than during the day. The steps were covered with a runner. Enchanted lights and lanterns spun, creating a rainbow of colors, and even the outdoor fountain’s water was turned to gold.

  “Oh, and one more thing.” I stopped and gave her the mask that Dorian had given me. I did not need luck. If anyone needed luck, it would be Tess.

  She squealed and put on the mask. It only added to her beauty, and since we were similar in height and size, I could see how it would have looked on me. The mask really was the most beautiful mask I had ever seen. I watched from the tree line as Tess lifted her skirts and headed toward the entrance.

  It was now my turn. I waved my hand over my dress and turned it into a stunning deep blue. But it needed something else. I mirrored the night sky by bringing the light of the constellations into my dress. When I moved, the stars on my dress shimmered like magic. My hair was curled and pinned up with a few loose curls that fell over my shoulder. My mask was blue with gold lines that represented the constellation Cinder; an elf queen of old. I slid the fae glass shoes on my feet and grimaced. They were cold and a half size too big. I would be lucky if I could keep them on. But I needed extra protection tonight, and my mother said I needed to get the shoes. Now that I had them on, what were the rest of her instructions? Get the guy, get revenge.

  I heard the sound of a lone beetle chirping in the night, and I had a deliciously devious idea. I found him on a hosta and charmed him into a sapphire hairpin and tucked him into my hair and smiled. He would come in handy later. One of the very first charms we learned was how to bug the other sisters’ room by enchanting insects to spy for us.

  Holding my head high and with purpose, I walked down the path to the palace, through the gates, and lined up to enter the manor.

  Each guard wore the same white mask with a long nose. I couldn’t help but feel pride in my appearance as quite a few heads turned to watch me ascend the steps. Any male escorts were turned away at the door as each of the ladies passed through a security checkpoint that consisted of the guards and a blind faun. A fae with the torso and head of a man and lower legs of a goat.

  A woman in pale pink tulle stepped passed, and the faun leaned forward, his blind eyes unseeing, and he took a sniff.

  “Human,” he said.

  The faun was the truth seer. They could see through glamour, but if he was blind then that meant he was smelling for the magic in our blood.

  The next girl in line stepped forward, her hands trembled as she waited to pass through the doors. I stepped out of line and watched as girl after girl went through the security. I could see Tess’s dress farther down and already into the hall, and I let out a sigh of relief. Glamour magic affected the eyes of the beholder, so the blind faun wouldn’t have known. He may have smelled a hint of glamour, which had different smells depending on the caster. According to my sisters, my glamour smelled like spun sugar. So nothing to raise alarm with the faun. Plus, he would only see her dress had changed. Nothing to worry the palace guard over. But if he is relying on smell alone, he may be able to smell the magic in my blood. That would be hard to hide and I had to pray that the shoes would mask my scent.

  An elegant woman in a dark plum dress with pale skin slowed before the truth seer. I could see her aura from where I stood. Darkness clouded her thoughts, and black and purple magic emanated from her. A sorceress like me.

  “Invitation,” the guard demanded, and I looked up at the tall man who was studying each of the women very carefully.

  The woman in the purple dress handed him the invitation, and he read the name aloud. “Miss Bellamy Borstein.”

  “Witch!” The faun’s nose crinkled, and the guards rushed forward and grabbed the woman by the upper arms.

  “No! I’m not,” Bellamy cried out and began to struggle.

  “The king has made his wishes clear. No sorcerer or fae shall enter the palace or be punished,” the guard ordered.

  “Someone, help me!” Bellamy cried out as the guards began to drag her away.

  None of the ladies moved. I looked away, unable to make eye contact.

  When no aid came, Bellamy’s attitude changed. “Very well,” she snarled. “I will just help myself.” Her eyes turned dark, and she began to glow. I felt the static electricity build, and my skin prickled as her magic amassed and her darkness spilled forth.

  I heard the crack of thunder as two bolts of lightning struck the guards holding Bellamy. They fell down, their bodies burned, the woman unharmed. Bellamy raised her hands above her head and bellowed, “The king and his vile offspring must be killed. Only then can the fae be free from his tyranny.”

  More guards came rushing forward, and I knew they would end up like the others if I didn’t do something. But what could I do? Bellamy was powerful, more powerful than me, and if I challenged her to a duel, I would most definitely lose and end up imprisoned or dead.

  My mouth fumbled as I tried to remember the spells to bind her hands, but I couldn’t remember the right words. Capistro? Capistero?

  Bellamy was making a huge spectacle. Calling down the wind, storms, and lightning with a finger and wreaking havoc. She sent a bolt of lightning to the north window, and the beautiful stained-glass window shattered. She sent a wayward bolt of lightning toward a coach, and it erupted into flames. The driver jumped from the seat and frantically began to untie the horses.

  It was chaos. The women waiting outside ran for cover, and I just stood there and watched.

  Bellamy cackled.

  Oh, I hated when witches cackled. It always gave the wrong impression. That we were maniacal and unhinged. I took a few steps forward, standing right next to the faun and his guard. The faun’s nose twitched, and his knobby knees shook in fear.

  An errant bolt of lightning shot out toward them. With a wave of my hand, I blocked it and sent it flying above us into the balustrade. The stone began to crack, and I looked up and frowned as it began to topple over.

  “Uh-oh!” Why didn’t I pay more attention to my surroundings? “Watch out!” I cried and pushed the guard and the faun back just as the balcony came crashing down. The faun fell to the ground and the guard went through the open doorway. I knelt by the faun and saw that he hadn’t escaped completely unscathed. There was a cut on his forehead. “You are okay. I got you,” I soothed.

  His soft fur-covered hand grabbed mine. “Stop her,” he whispered to me.

  “I can’t,” I whispered back. His guard reappeared with more troops, and I saw that they had chains with symbols etched into them. I had seen ones like those before. They had been used on my sister to bind her powers.

  “I know who you are. You must. You’re the only one who can.” The faun squeezed my hands.

  “I told you. I can’t. I’ll just mess up like I always do.”

  Bellamy’s cackling became louder, and my jaw clenched in annoyance.

  “Your greatest weakness is that you don’t believe in yourself,” he said.

  “That’s because I am weak.”

  “She would never have chosen you if
you were weak.”

  “Who?” I said, but knew he had referred to my mother.

  “Will no one challenge me?” Bellamy cackled. “Oh, King Ferdinand. Come out, come out. I have come to fulfill the prophecy.”

  I groaned and bunched my fingers in my dress while simultaneously trying to think of a way out of this. I reached into my drawstring pouch through my glamour and felt the button I stole from Derek. I ducked behind a column, clenched the button between my teeth and felt the change take over. Running passed the guards, I grabbed the chains from one of them. They looked perplexed as I stumbled into the road to confront Bellamy.

  “You, a lonely palace guard? What will you do?”

  Closing my eyes, I concentrated on weaving a glamour of a large army around her. Over and over, I created a guard and another, most of their faces blurred by magic because I couldn’t concentrate on getting hundreds of face details right. The only thing that mattered was confusing her. The glamour was for her eyes only. No one else saw the show I put on. Screaming, she used lighting to strike at each of my glamours. I could only imagine what everyone else saw. One lone soldier, walking around the witch as she struck out blindly. Hitting nothing.

  I kept my head low as a streak of lightning brushed past my cheek. The air crackled and the hair on my skin rose, so I knew it was a close shot. She turned toward someone who caught her eye.

  A young girl ran for cover behind an angel statue, just a few feet to my right, making her a target of Bellamy’s rage. I ran to the girl and knocked her out of the way as Bellamy blew the statue to smithereens.

  “Run!” I yelled, pushing the girl into action.

  Waving my hands in front of me, I crowded Bellamy with more guards, but not pressing down on her, leaving just enough distance to keep her on her toes.