by Cloud Riser
I gasped. “That’s quite the statement to make! What will the mayor’s son think?”
“I promised him one. He’ll be content with that.”
I didn’t feel as sure because no guy in his right mind would be content with only one dance with her.
She touched my cheek gently with her fingertips. “Are you ready?”
“For?”
“A whole new world.”
I smiled for the first time that night. “Yes.”
Chapter Thirteen
A Fateful Dance
Lucretia rejoined the party before me. I needed a moment to myself to regroup before entering a room full of happy socialites. The news of my departure from home would spread soon enough. Why create a scene?
I entered the ballroom, and it was so much more than I ever imagined. The golden chandelier from my fantasies was replaced with one made of crystal. All over the dance floor were men and women dressed in their finest suits and dresses. Color must have been in season because the room exploded with rich hues of pink, purple, blue, and green. Even the men sported a bit more color mixed in with their traditional blacks, browns, and grays. I only felt out of place for a second. Once Lucretia gazed at me from across the room and smiled, I knew worrying was a waste of my energy.
She finished her dance with the mayor’s son. As promised, she walked over toward me and lowered herself into a curtsy. “William, I do believe you are next on my list.”
“How convenient and wonderful for me.” I offered her my hand to help her up. She took it, her smile never wavering. We entered into the traditional waltzing pose. I made sure to keep my hands where they belonged. Lust might have been bubbling up inside of me at the sight of her in that gorgeous navy gown, but I am a gentleman. I know when and when not to make a scandal. All I truly wanted was for a night to pretend there wasn’t a storm of drama coming my way.
We danced. We gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes. We were the embodiment of all things young adult romance. If that moment were a movie, it’d have ended up being one of the best nights of my life! Romantic, a small forbidden kiss on the dance floor that would have shocked the town, and then we’d part ways.
That didn’t end up being the case, though. Parts of that night make the list of best things to ever happen to me, and parts of it left me more frustrated than ever.
As the party started to wind down and guests began to leave, I started to pick out just who Lucretia had gotten involved with. The mayor and his family left on the earlier side, long enough to make an appearance and flaunt that he knew the “cool new kids” but not long enough to get deep into the club. People who were deep in the club? The Butcher family, who were, you guessed it, butchers. The head librarian and three of her coworkers stayed for a long time as well. Finally, the Smiths, who also happened to be the most prominent family in town now that the Purchases were gone. The Smiths also had a son a year older than me who was eligible for marrying Lucretia…and she danced with him more than once too. Figures, yeah? But that was Walter Smith in a nutshell. The guy who got everything he wanted.
I tried not to read too much into that. When the whole Smith clan stayed late, however, I did feel a slight pang of jealousy. Slight. If Lucretia had been from my world and my time, I’d definitely have felt played. My pedigree didn’t match a Smith one.
Once the only guests at the party were the aforementioned people and me, the music died down and clean up began. A man Lucretia previously identified as Damion, raised a hand for our attention.
“I would like to invite you into the study where we can continue our gathering in a more intimate setting.”
I swallowed. He was the one I had to impress most—the man posing as Lucretia’s father. A good role for him. They looked enough alike that I’d have been fooled if I hadn’t known the truth already. He was old enough where it felt fitting, yet young enough that I wouldn’t call him an elder member of society. A slight pepper graced his otherwise dark hair. The only way he didn’t fit into Lucretia’s genetics were his vibrant green eyes. They didn’t look natural.
The crowd shuffled out of the room. My gaze caught hold of Lucretia as she went to the woman posing as her mother—Belinda. Belinda had the same kind of dark eyes Lucretia did, but her hair was a lighter shade of brown, and her skin wasn’t quite as tanned. She didn’t seem old enough to be the mother of an eighteen-year-old, not until I saw the wear-and-tear around her eyes that suggested she was far older than the rest of her advertised.
I needed her guardians to love me.
No one spoke as we walked through the mansion to the study a few doors down. Inside, I took in wall to wall bookshelves, filled to the brim. Seriously. Even the library didn’t have that many books packed in. I could barely wrap my mind around it, nor did I understand why anyone would own so many in the first place. Sad to say, I never was much of a reader in my living days.
I know, I really missed out.
Damion shut the doors behind us once we were all inside. “Please, feel free to get comfortable however you wish. I know chairs are limited, so don’t be afraid to make use of a table or counter.”
The ladies made use of the chairs. Walt stood next to me, and when he leaned back onto the table behind us, I joined in. We could be rebels together and test whether Damion meant what he said. If it seems like I’m overthinking this simple decision, that’s what happens when you grow up in an era where there are an unbelievable number of rules that affect the honor of your family. Since I was on my own, I had to make an extra good impression. After dancing for hours on end and being on my feet for so long, I didn’t want to stand around anymore.
Damion took a moment to let everyone shuffle about as needed before beginning. “Those of you who are here have been deemed trustworthy of the truths we hold. In fact, a few of you already know about our secrets.” He looked pointedly at me and then a few others in the room. I couldn’t quite pick out who those people were because we were all packed so tightly together. “We will split you into those groups accordingly because those of you who already know and are still standing by us will be made an offer. Those of you who don’t quite know everything will be given the same opportunity. This is your last chance to back out to walk away and stay in the dark.”
He paused, giving everyone a chance to think through his proposal. No one moved. “All right, let’s continue forward. Lucretia, darling, please take the Smith family, the Butcher daughter, and Miss Lydia and Miss Penelope to the sitting room. Have Rufus make some tea. I anticipate this being a long night of conversation. I’ll be with you as soon as I finish with my group.”
“Yes, Father,” she said softly. To the others, “Let us go.”
I watched Walter smirk all smug like as he followed Lucretia out the door. He must have thought himself super special to go with her, though he did give me a curious glance before he left. I wondered, no—hoped, that it bothered him that I already knew everything. Or…almost everything.
With the room cleared of the extra bodies, I felt like I could breathe a bit easier. Nerves still bubbled inside of me, but I liked that I’d passed the first test. They didn’t kick me out or tell me I wasn’t good enough to join them. I’d be getting made the same offer as everyone who remained. Those people being Mr. and Mrs. Butcher, the head librarian, Miss Sadie, and her only male assistant, Mr. Riley. The librarians did not like to go by their surnames to be more relatable to the kids, a new thing that was a big scandal when it first started. Anything new tended to be a huge deal in Becker.
All the same, I liked the group of people who were on the same level as myself. They’d always been nice when I came into town, and they didn’t turn people away because of status differences. Then again, a butcher and a few librarians weren’t exactly high-class citizens. The only outliers in that commonality was the Smith family. Maybe they’d decline or freak out! Wishful thinking.
Damion and Belinda exchanged a look. She nodded, and he cleared his throat.
“It
’s getting late, so I will get straight to the point. All of you know that we are here to create a sanctum for our lord Hades to control. A place where those who don’t quite fit in will be able to find peace, and he can run an experiment,” Damion explained. “To help with this, I will introduce myself more thoroughly. I’ve only told Edmund and Olive my story.” He nodded toward Mr. and Mrs. Butcher.
Damion found an empty chair and sat down. “I’m from a world called Tempest Four, and I’ve moved six times to different alternate universes. This is the first time I’ve been sent to an Earth. While my home is a version of Earth, they are referred to as Tempests because they have natural magic in them. Earth is without magic. There are other names for other phenomena as well. Extraterrestrial life, human-less worlds, etcetera.”
Modern lingo reaction—So. Freaking. Cool.
“My world, everything I’ve explained to you is common knowledge. I’ve grown up knowing the truth my whole life. Magic is a constant and used for many wonderful things. It’s as normal as breathing. Where I come from, there are jobs that are designed to send us traveling across the many universes. I took one of those jobs, and it is to aide those who are in danger.
“I came to a different Tempest to take Lucretia and bring her here to keep her safe. As you’ve all heard, we serve Hades. He is a deity in that his magic is powerful, and he has control over several different worlds. That is how expansive his abilities are. We call him Hades here because that is a name that is familiar to you, but he goes by many others over several different worlds. Most deities don’t care enough to relocate their pawns, and that is one reason our lord stands out over the rest.” Damion gave a gentle smile. “We want to offer you all the chance to serve him as well.”
Belinda stepped in then. “My story is a bit more personal and dramatic than Damion’s, so I’d rather not share it. I too originate from a world where magic is normal. When I made the decision to serve Hades and make his dream become a reality, so many doors were opened for me. It’s a decision I will never take back.”
I raised my hand. “What exactly happens when we agree to serve him? None of us have magic.” I paused. “That I’m aware of.”
“Magic is everywhere,” Belinda said. “Earth has it, but it takes on a unique form. We will help you learn how to harness the magic present here. Our main goal is to turn this town into a safe haven for others. To open the gates wide! That is the quest you’ll be helping us with.”
It sounded too good, and there had to be a catch, but how could I refuse?
I grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Reborn in Magic
The town lore for the beginning of Point Epoch always stems back to my using black magic for the first time. Some say that it was I who introduced it to that dimension, and it was I who created the gates that allowed for all of them to enter through in the first place. That wasn’t the case, but even if it had been me, you’d think they’d say “thank you” for providing them with a safe place to stay. No, all they’ve ever done is slander my name because they buy into the idea that I’m evil.
Others in Point Epoch have a more realistic version of the origins of magic. They know that I didn’t bring magic into the world. How can anyone do such a thing when it exists in nature on its own? What I get credited for is pushing it onto the other townspeople of Becker. A statement that is still false, but it’s at least closer to the truth. Closer. Trevor chose that version of the story to tell Delia.
In truth, I got my first taste of black magic from Damion and Belinda. Before the night of the party, I hadn’t known much about it beyond how evil and disgusting it was! That’s how people ended up in Hell! People who practice witchcraft need to be taken off the planet for the betterment of mankind! The kind of magic Damion and Belinda described didn’t seem to fall into that category.
That being said, when I saw their set up for connecting us to their lord Hades, I wouldn’t call it harmless. There were three different knives laid on a small circle table made from wood. They were placed in a triangle around a lit candle. Seeing everything laid out in such a way caused me to doubt for a few seconds. Only a few. Then the excitement returned.
“The process is simple,” Damion said. “You will enter into a contract. This agreement will be verbal, but please keep in mind...your words are powerful. Do not think they can so easily be spun to get you out of this situation. There is still time to walk away if that is what you’d prefer. We have other ways you can help us.” He waited a few moments before continuing. “What we say has more weight than you probably realize, and it is the basis on which most magic is founded. Entering into our inner circle will rip apart the barriers keeping you from touching that power. Some of you will gain abilities pertaining to specific areas, and others might have a broad scope of new skills. We won’t know how it chooses to manifest within you until after the ceremony.”
Belinda spoke next. “The contract is simple. In exchange for this power, you will do whatever is required of you by our lord Hades who is bestowing you with this gift. He will not ask much of you. Nothing will be unreasonable. If it is deemed to be so by three or more of his followers, your peers, then you may choose to renegotiate this agreement.” She gazed at all of us and smiled. “Shall we begin? Are there any questions?”
“What’s with all of the knives?” I asked, a nervous chuckle escaping my lips.
“That is for a different ceremony,” Damion said. “Not one you need to concern yourself with just yet. However, it does create a nice ambiance, don’t you agree?”
I nodded, swallowing hard. The other ceremony had me all kinds of curious, but something told me I wouldn’t be hearing more about it until I went further down the rabbit hole.
So, I did.
We all joined hands around the table. Belinda led us through the agreement.
“Do you promise to obey the commands given by your new lord? On this world, he is called Hades. On others he goes by Izan, Pluto, and Rexykilfng.”
Oh man… I didn’t even want to try pronouncing that myself. I made a mental note to keep my ears open for anything weird, just in case we had a run in.
“I do,” all of us new recruits said.
And that was all it took. The flame of the candle grew in height while changing into a deep, purple hue. When I gazed at it closely, I saw golden flecks spark throughout it like twinkling stars. A trail of those sparks left the flame and floated toward me, landing on my head. I could feel heat, though it didn’t hurt. The sensation reminded me of the warmth from a hat. Comforting and cozy. Green sparks formed in the air next, and those landed on the rest of the group.
Belinda raised both of her eyebrows at me. “How curious.”
“Hmm?” I asked.
She only smiled.
Chapter Fifteen
Interlude Three
Trevor stopped then for effect, and Delia gazed up at him with wide, curious eyes. “And from there it became the beginning of the end.”
“The end of what?” Delia asked.
“The world.” So dramatic, am I right? Trevor continued to stare at her, and it reached the point where she started to squirm in discomfort.
She looked away and twirled a strand of dark hair around her index finger. “Can’t say I’m making that connection just yet.”
“As soon as…he got black magic, he also got the idea to unleash Hell onto the Earth!” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t feel like you’re taking anything I’m saying seriously.”
“I am.” Delia gave him the sweetest of smiles, yet in her gaze she held a great deal of skepticism. “But I still feel like there are a lot of details missing, and this William guy learning magic isn’t a big deal! There’s magic all over the place here! Don’t you have some?”
Trevor let out a heavy sigh. “No, I am not magical. I have certain enhancements, but they’re from a special ritual and…”
“Magic,” she finished, “in a nutshell. I’m sure where yo
u’re from it’s a lot more complicated than that. For all intents and purposes, though, it’s magic.”
“And that never existed in this town until…” He swallowed.
She raised both of her eyebrows. “William? But you just said someone else introduced it to him.”
“But he opened the gates. I haven’t gotten to that part yet.”
“Fair enough,” she whispered.
Trevor pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why are you so quick to defend him, anyway?”
“Because you still haven’t painted him as a monster! I’m still waiting for that moment! You keep saying it’s coming. Besides, I’ve always liked to be a devil’s advocate.”
“Quite literally in this situation…”
She groaned. “Maybe I should ask someone else.”
“No!” Trevor gave her hand a squeeze. “No, it’s…I’m sorry. It’s hard to hear you defend him even if it’s done out of ignorance.”
She wrenched her hand away from him. “You’re not helping your case!”
“Out of the loop!” he corrected, vainly I should add. “The point is, you don’t have the same information I do, and…one of the things I love about you is how you give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty.” She relaxed, and he grabbed her hand again. “So, let me keep going.”
Delia gazed down at their hands for a moment, then interlaced her fingers with his. “Okay.”
Chapter Sixteen
My New Life
I went to bed that night in a strange room. A big one too. Probably twice the size of my old one back at the farm. I don’t think I slept longer than a couple of hours. My whole body buzzed with my new, magical energy. That coupled with the adrenaline of my big move to run away left me too excited to do anything but stare at the ceiling and contemplate life. A waste of time, I know. I should have explored the house, but I was too terrified of pissing off my new landlords. Best to save that sort of thing for after I got the house rules.
