Malik turned to her, “Jade, this role of Fairy Enthrall is what fairies need from you. You can lead them, bring them into a new age. Parties are never parties, like most normals have. A party that a Fairy Enthrall throws is always for a cause. It’s where deals are made. Powerful change can be born in this room.” His eyes were intense. “You have to believe in yourself, Jade. I believe in you.”
Jade sat down on a nearby gilded chair and slumped back, “Malik, I’m so overwhelmed. I don’t know if I’m reaching for something that’s too big for me.”
“You’re not, Jade. I’ve trained many fairies, and you have something they don’t have. You’re half shapeshifter. That’s a positive thing, even though some may say it’s not.”
She looked down and then at him. “Do you really think I have a chance?”
“Yes, I do. Just forget about all of your problems. Leave them at home or on the subway – anywhere but here. Stay focused.”
Jade suddenly realized that maybe she’d been wrong about him. “Thanks, Malik.”
Before Malik could answer, a tall woman twirled around once and stopped with her arms outstretched.
"Jenny."
"No, Jade."
"No, I'm Jenny. This is my grand entrance, it's my thing, don't steal it." She arched an eyebrow and leaned in close to Jade.
Jade could smell the scent of bubblegum on Jenny's breath and decided she liked her.
"Nice to meet you, Jenny. I'm Jade and this is —"
"I know Malik. We go way back; I mean waaay back." She blushed.
Malik rolled his eyes.
“He’s the best. Whatever he tells you, even if it sounds like rubbish, do it.”
Malik shook his head, obviously embarrassed by the praise.
“Bye, Malik,” Jenny said, with a wink.
***
Soraya, David and Nina sat at the same table that was alive with laughter only a day ago.
A dozen candles lit the dark room.
"What am I supposed to do now? I can't let Malik lead my daughter into a campaign against Bex. Bex must be stopped, I know, but can’t someone else do it? What if Jade gets killed? And then there’s Nyx. She won’t even speak to me." Her chest heaved with emotion. She stopped speaking and looked off into the night.
Nina and David gave Soraya time.
Pain and regret were etched on Soraya's face. She seemed to have aged twenty years in a day.
David was the first to speak. "Soraya, you are Jade's mother. That is a fact. I propose you sit down with Jade and Rosa. Communication is the only way."
Soraya shook her head and drew her eyebrows together. "But how can I claim them as my own when I wasn't there to wipe their tears, kiss them goodnight all those years." She covered her face and wept.
Nina dropped her head.
David reached for Soraya's hand.
She shook her head, "Everything’s been taken from me. My chance at true love, taken. My chance at being a mother, taken. My chance at getting my daughters back, taken. Even my chance at grieving, that was taken, too.”
The room was silent, except for the crackling of the candles’ flames.
“People want to know why I like working at that cafe. Well, it’s because it’s all my choice.
“My father wronged me and so did Bex. He is gone, but I will have vengeance on her."
***
Soraya and David walked Nina to her car.
“I have a long flight ahead of me. It’s not every day I get to enjoy a European castle tour with fellow librarians. Jade insisted I go, but I can’t help feel a little guilty.”
Soraya hugged Nina, “Thank you for all your help in guiding her during her awakening.”
“Jade’s strong, like both of her mothers.”
David hugged Nina.
The new moon shrouded the sky in secrecy and expectation.
Nina drove away, leaving them alone.
David picked up his jacket to leave.
"Don't leave me alone tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes,” Soraya said, leading him to the couch. “I need to get away and relax, just unwind. Maybe a meadow filled with flowers?”
“I would like to, but—" his head whipped around, looking for a large enough mirror.
Soraya pulled a cord and a huge wall tapestry swept open, revealing an ancient mirror hanging on the wall.
"Is that –?"
"Yes. I managed to save it from my past life. It's the only thing of true value in this house. A mirror of time." She smiled.
"I haven’t seen you smile in so long,” David said.
Soraya stepped into the mirror with David at her side. A surge of energy pulsed through them once, and then they were in a different realm. The dark night of New York was now a bright summer day in the fairy realm. Tall grass caressed their arms as they walked through the field.
***
The evening was quiet. The rain created a buffer from the city sounds on the street. The raindrops hitting the windows mixed with the sound of the television gave Jade the feeling she had when she was a child. Everything was fine. Everyone was safe. Seven had returned from his overseas film shoot. Jade put the election out of her mind.
“It’s good to be back,” Seven said, kissing Jade. “I missed you.” He pulled her to him and held her close.
“I missed you, too.” She said, loving being held in his embrace.
Jade and Seven cooked while Nyx and Alejandro watched a movie in the nearby living room.
“What happened out there?” Jade asked Seven as she sautéed mushrooms.
Seven stirred the pasta. "My new co-star is crazy, I think. She's not getting this whole acting thing."
He drizzled olive oil on the pasta and kept his eyes from Jade's.
"Is she that bad?" Jade asked. She studied him. He was not the type of guy who thought all women wanted him.
"No, she can act okay, but she's having a problem separating our fake romance with real life." He finally looked in Jade's eyes and threw his hands up.
Jade tapped her wooden spoon on the edge of the pan, "Oh, that kind of problem." She leaned on counter and sighed.
"Yeah, it sucks, but I told her she had it all wrong." He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel, walking towards Jade. He pulled her close to him.
"Well, I'm sure you'll remind her of the reality of our relationship." Jade feared having a sought-after actor as her boyfriend. So far, there hadn’t been much drama, but now she'd have to be strong, she guessed. "You're mine. Tell that crazy actress to find someone else. You're taken." She smiled and kissed him, but couldn’t help worrying.
***
Later that night, Jade and Seven watched a movie on his couch. Nyx and Alejandro were in the other apartment. Seven pulled Jade towards him. His hands traveled over her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Kiss me already," she said as she leaned up to meet his lips. His kissed tasted like sunshine.
She felt his heart beat and his breath warmed her neck. He held her close.
"Please promise me you’ll be careful this time, when you deal with Bex.”
"Remember, I'm not some helpless maiden. I'm so close to being the Fairy Enthrall, if this stupid election thing ever ends. I hope Malik is right. He thinks I have a chance.”
“Malik? Should I be jealous?”
She smiled and shook her head, “He’s my trainer in the art of fairy magic.” She trailed her finger along his lips. “You never have to be jealous.”
“One day all of this will be over. I will step down from being alpha and we can move away and have a farm somewhere."
"What would you like to grow?" she said, fully aware that the last thing Seven wanted was to be a farmer. She smiled and went along with their game.
"I'm fond of tomatoes. We can be tomato farmers. What do you think about that?" He chuckled and his eyes sparkled. He brushed his hands over her curly brown hair.
"I think that sounds like heaven. We'd starve because neither of us knows the
first thing about farming, but we'd be together without all this drama. We can order pizza every day and it will be just us."
"Yes, just us." Seven held her close.
Four
"Is this what's going to help me... shifting? I hate that word, it’s so ugly.”
"Correct. When you imbibe this concoction and hold something that belongs to Jade, then you will have her appearance for about two hours. The time is still precarious, so I caution you to shoot for one and a half hours, my Fairy Enthrall,” Cronas, one of her best spellweavers said.
Bex sneered at the vials. He had prepared five for her to use. She couldn't imagine stooping so low as to use shapeshifter ways, but she had to admit it was a good idea, even if it wasn't hers.
"So, I'll look like her?"
"Well, yes, but you'll be so much better than that hybrid. You'll be Bex underneath it all." He smiled, his lips trembling.
"Excuse my interference, but we have news regarding the campaign."
Bex swept around, vial in hand. She took two steps toward the guard. "Give me the news before I gut you."
He blinked fast and cleared his throat. "I—I have word that Jade has been seen with Soraya and they seem to be training. There is a new trainer, too. I don’t know who he is, though."
"I'm not worried. Soraya has been Fairy Enthrall before, so what? So many things have changed, one can say that it's not even the same election anymore." One of the locusts tried to free itself from her elaborate hair structure, jumping to her shoulder. She reached up and pressed it back into her blue curls.
"That is all, Fairy Enthrall." He kept his gaze at his feet.
She peered at the messenger and then finally spoke. "Find out who is training her. If it’s anyone good, then I'll worry." She said. She gestured for him to leave. She rolled her eyes and then walked back to Cronas.
"So before we were interrupted, I sensed something from you," she purred. She flicked her tongue, revealing diamonds. "It's been a while since I found someone to take Androk's place, but I think…” She rubbed her hands along his muscled arms. "I think you will do, Cronas.”
Their eyes locked and she kissed him with a diamond kiss, the scent of strawberries filling the room.
She pulled back. "This was a much better meeting than you could have imagined, right?"
A rivulet of sweat rolled down his temple. "I never could have been so bold, but yes, I've been attracted to you, Fairy—"
"Yes, yes,” she said, walking away. She grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her. "I wanted to know if you could help me solve a problem."
He swallowed hard and his eyes widened as Bex dragged him down a hallway and into a room he had never seen before.
Inside were several workers in a dimly lit lab.
"So, this is my latest side project, I need your discretion about this. If so, I'll be forever in your debt." She caressed his face.
His eyes widened. He walked up to a jar and touched it gently. A small water fairy cringed away to the side, hiding her head in her hands.
"Before you judge me, please know that this takes a lot of upkeep." She pointed to her face. "Without their glessensce, I'd be a shriveled-up piece of skin, not much to look at.”
“Oh, I’m sure you exaggerate. How can I help, my Fairy Enthrall?” he said.
“Besides keeping me so youthful looking, these little things also produce a toxin which, if mixed just the right way, is quite lethal. It’s called the—”
“—Flora Mordis. I’ve heard of it. It is ancient,” he said.
“Yes, but we haven’t found the right formula. Once it’s achieved, we can once and for all rid the world of normals and reign without fear of the Faction, or whatever other hateful group may spring up from normals. It should work against shapeshifters, too.”
"I will get to this right away. I will do my best to create it,” he said, walking closer to the vials.
There were four fairy workers in the lab. The smell of burning leaves and alcohol filled the room.
"Once you do, know that I lavish those loyal to me with unimaginable delicacies."
"I look forward to bringing back the Flora Mordis," he said. His forehead glistened under a thin sheen of sweat.
The dark room was silent save for the few weeping fairies in jars. The others had given up.
***
She sat him down and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You want me to cut your hair? Really?"
"Yeah, the haircut you gave Nyx was great. I trust you."
"I’ll just cut a little," she chuckled.
Standing behind Seven and looking at him in the mirror was something she had never done. Not like this.
He smiled at her as she rubbed her hands together. "Don't be nervous."
"I need music."
"Here, I know your favorite song, let me find it." He swiped his phone a few times and within seconds Jade's favorite song was playing.
Her tense shoulders finally relaxed. "Okay." She held the comb in her left hand and snipped his hair with her right.
Like an artist, she stepped back to get an overall image of him before she continued.
Seven's eyes danced from Jade to his image as he watched her transform his wayward hair into a stylish cut worthy of a professional hairstylist.
She felt a dagger in her heart when he bent his head to look up at her. His eyes were so vulnerable. Should she tell him that she still hadn’t figured a way around the archaic law about dating a non-fairy?
"I know we're in this strange arena of the Fairy Enthrall campaign, my job, and Bex, but I love you above it all,” Seven said.
Jade's heart stopped, or it felt like it did, and she felt it beat once more, fuller and happier. He had said what she yearned to hear.
Nyx walked in. "Hey, you did a better job on Seven than me," she said. She grabbed her book and walked back to her room. Her arm had a scar peeking out from the cuff of her shirt.
Jade noticed the mark. Her eyes darted to Nyx's eyes. She decided it was better to talk to her sister without Seven present.
She smiled and said, "I'll make yours better next time."
"Yeah, ‘My hair is cut by the Fairy Enthrall, do you like it?’ doesn't quite sound right. I'll find someone else; no offense, sis."
She walked out of the room and closed the door.
"What's with her?" Seven asked.
“Alejandro had to go back to Georgia and deal with family issues. She's lonely, I could say, but it's more than that. Remember my awakening?”
"How could I forget it?"
“Her birthday is soon, and she’s going through frightening changes. Remember that ugly sofa?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s gone because during a fit, she broke it into pieces.”
Their eyes met. The unsaid was terrifying, especially because Nyx was half Cloyn fairy.
"Yeah, I'll ask David, he might be able to help."
Jade brushed Seven's broad shoulders and he held her hand. "I've got this. I'm going back to my apartment to shower. I’ll pick you up in an hour for that French place."
He kissed her and left Jade alone. She touched her lips and smiled to herself. Her smile disappeared when she heard Nyx throw something in her room and shout.
"Are you okay?" she asked from the other side of her sister's door. "Can I come in?"
Nyx was silent.
"Please?"
The door opened up slowly.
Jade was silent as she realized she was looking at the remnants of a cell phone. The pieces were small.
Nyx sat in the middle of the rug. She opened her hand, dropping the leftover pieces from her hand to the floor.
"Are you okay?" Jade asked, hoping that question would cover a multitude of situations: from the shouting and throwing to the scratch on her arm and the state of her cell phone.
Nyx was silent.
Jade sat on the hardwood floor facing Nyx and folded her legs under herself. She hugged her sister.
&n
bsp; “I’m not going to lose you to the Cloyn side. You are Nyx, stronger than any label anyone can give you.”
“I’m scared of what I’m becoming,” Nyx said, bursting into tears on her sister’s shoulder.
***
Just one day away from the elections, Jade was nervous. Soraya and Jade sat in the back of the house, facing a pond.
“What if I don’t have time and I’m arrested? How can I be Fairy Enthrall if I’m in jail?”
“You are lucky I have some connections in the police department. But I can't hold them back forever.”
“It was you?” Jade asked.
“I am your mother, Jade. No, I didn’t raise you, but I carried you and loved you before you were even born.” Soraya was serious. She tapped her finger on the patio table. “Bex has messed with my family for the last time.”
"What are you planning?" Jade asked. She was worried Soraya might take this too far.
"I’m working on something to end Bex, once and for all. I have alarming news. She has gone too far."
“What do you mean?” Jade asked.
“Before I tell you, remember that I was once Fairy Enthrall. Although my reign was short, I managed to garner a small but loyal following. Even to this day, I have someone working with Bex who I recently approached.”
Jade couldn’t imagine Bex getting any worse than she already was.
“Bex is very close to re-creating the Flora Mordis.”
“What is it?” Jade asked, leaning towards Soraya.
“It’s a poison that is lethal and easily spread in the air as a mist. It hasn’t been used in hundreds of years.”
Jade swallowed hard.
“She aims at wiping out the normals and shapeshifters.”
Jade imagined the destruction that Bex could wield with it. Jade stood up and said, “I have to tell Seven.”
***
The next morning, Jade was distracted. She would see Seven later that day. She didn’t want to text him the ominous news. Instead she kept it to herself.
“Okay, Jade. Now, we have to have you master this Fairy Projection technique.” Malik and Jade had been practicing for hours.
They were in Bryant Park in the heart of the city. It was lunchtime and filled with people. The city streets were filled with honking cars and pedestrians. Pigeons clustered in groups to sunbathe and eat.
Jade's Paradox: Becoming Fairy Queen (Teen Shapeshifter Delacourt Saga Book 3) Page 4
