by Amelia Oz
I wasn't comfortable with the top of my breasts on full display, but everyone else seemed to love it. Amanda smiled through happy tears and Clara circled her finger for me to turn. I sighed and turned, showing them my semi-bare back. I turned once more, swishing the long skirt behind me and she smiled in approval before a frown knit her forehead.
"Stella, are you wearing sneakers?" Clara asked, a chilled warning in her question.
"Yep."
"What happened to the heels I put out for this dress?"
"I have no idea." Probably still under my bed where I’d tossed them.
"I thought we agreed on a compromise, Stella. You would wear heels as long as we kept them under two inches. Those were kitten heels, Stella!"
"This is a compromise. If it were up to me, I'd go barefoot," I grumbled.
"I think we need gloves. Long, silk gloves to the elbow," Marion interrupted.
"Hmm. She refused jewelry, so gloves might be the perfect accessory. I have a pair that would work," Clara conceded after a beat. She disappeared and reappeared with a pair of gloves that matched the deep blue of my dress. They were simple and perfect. She winked, handing them to me. We'd both been learning when to pick our battles. She'd won the skirmish over my hair. Tiny braids with more sparkling stones were woven into my wavy hair, pulling it away from my face to fall heavily down my back.
We stood in the Hall of Mirrors of Versailles; the location Murad had rented for the Samhain Ball. Hundreds of creatures supposedly waited for us outside in the gardens, but the two most important were waiting for me just beyond the doors.
"Here, Bird," I called. My uncle swooped down in his arctic tern form and settled on my bare shoulder. He nipped my ear with his beak and I laughed.
"Kidding! I mean Taurus."
Amanda knocked and the triple doors were pulled open by men in black formal wear, exposing us to crowds on the veranda and below in the gardens. Once again, I was standing at the top of a grand party, looking down—but things were different now. I held my head high. Let them whisper about the imposter and look their fill. Murad had announced that we’d reconsidered our engagement but remained committed friends, whatever that meant.
Alaric waited at the bottom of the stairs in his human form. Clara had closed off his aura in a complicated spell. As almost no one remembered him as human, it was his way of being with me on this night without revealing our relationship. He worried over his enemies marking me for retribution. I noted several people eye him curiously. Even in human form, he commanded the attention of everyone near him and my heart skipped a beat or two. Next to him stood Sam, my great, great, great.... well, just great-grandfather. Sam still didn't know that Lila was alive, and we were keeping it that way, despite how guilty in made me feel. Murad had made him a guest tonight in an unprecedented move that no one questioned as Bromely had cast an “inconspicuous spell” on him to prevent the Primati from remembering him.
I kept my chin up as I glided down the steps with my friends and family. The gardens and fountains were magnificent. Lanterns and subtle lighting gave the gathering a fairytale ambiance. Halfway down, Murad appeared. He offered his arm and I accepted it with a smile he returned indulgently.
"You look stunning. No more secreting you away, huh?" he asked, and I could tell by his wistful tone that he would whisk me away to his secret lair again if I but asked for it. I pulled my arm from his and clasped my hands together.
"Nope. I'm not hiding anymore," I said firmly. He chuckled.
“How do you like Versailles? There is a certain irony that it was once the palace of the Sun King.”
“Ah. And now the King of Primati?”
“As lovers and enemies, neither dark nor light are complete without the other. Speaking of—there are many creatures here tonight. It’s best not to look anyone unknown in the eyes tonight.” I’d had similar warnings from Clara and Amanda. They needn’t worry. I was only interested in hanging with the monsters I knew.
We walked down the remaining steps, and Alaric immediately moved to intercept Murad, who looked daggers at him jokingly. At least I think he was kidding. Alaric brushed his hand possessively where Murad had touched my arm. I sighed and stepped closer to his side, seeking to calm the snarl I sensed rising in his chest. It worked. Craning my neck, I soaked in his scent and nearness.
Sam struck his walking stick on the step below the Primati King, making Murad pause. I stifled a smirk. My grandfather and Murad had been treating one another with aloof respect, but there was no friendship between them. Murad always seemed to look at the air above Sam's head, while Sam refused to address him directly. Still, Sam had always had the gift of accepting the present moment for what it was. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek, ignoring Alaric, who kept long fingers wrapped around my waist.
"My eyes are failing, Stella—and I'm about ready for bed—but you look wonderful, dear. Happy eighteenth birthday." Love swamped me as I gave Sam a hug. My movement dislodged Taurus, who leapt skyward in graceful flight. Sam's bones seemed more prominent, fragile, and I breathed in his scent of pipe tobacco.
“Did I ever tell you how you got your name? Ms. Mahari named you. When she told me where to find you, she suggested we name you Stella because it means Star, and the Star tarot meant hope,” he said. I released him, surprised. He’d never once told me that Mahari told him where to find me. But he’d been forgetful for a number of years now.
"Thank you, Sam. Thank you for telling me that. I'm so glad you came. I know this crowd isn't really your thing." This was an understatement but he’d insisted on not missing my birthday. "Clara is going to transfer you home as soon as you're ready to rest." I said, still reeling from the unexpected revelation about Mahari.
"That's right," Clara chimed in, encircling Sam's arm with both of hers. "It's you and me, Sam." He flushed and muttered beneath his breath while she patted his arm.
Taurus hadn't gone far. He swooped low and circled to land on another woman. Gasps and excited whispers could be heard as those closest to her bowed low.
Ela approached with a brilliant smile, Taurus on her shoulder. She appeared slightly older than I'd last seen her, bright silver fanning from her temples. She was majestic and the air throbbed with a heady energy as she approached. Her dress was something from a dream, the skirt made of green moss studded with tiny purple blossoms. Her waist was wrapped tightly in autumn leaves and shavings of birch bark while her bodice appeared made of rose petals. The scent of lavender heralded her arrival.
"Stella, may I introduce you to the Goddess Danu?" Murad bowed with the introduction. Ela scowled at him.
"I still don't like you, boy." she said, dismissing him. She lifted a hand to caress Taurus's snowy breast. I was undone with the revelation, and Ela stretched a finger beneath my chin to close my jaw. There were so many questions buzzing in my brain, starting with Lila. She smiled knowingly and nodded.
"I don't need an introduction. I know Stella well," she said in an over-loud voice. "It's a shame your magick is so faint, but I came to wish you a very happy birthday, my dear." Whispers swept around us in a river of sound. Her eyes twinkled and I smiled back, understanding she had just publicly acknowledged me while making it clear I was no threat. She was making it known to all the bad and uglies that I was a friend of someone powerful indeed.
"You look lovely, child."
"And you look glorious. How is Lila tonight?" I whispered.
"Oh, she's the same. But I think that might change in the future. I hope you will still come visit us?" She quirked an eyebrow. My nod was sincere. Tess was still not talking and there were discussions of putting her in bedrock "for a hundred years to soften her tongue." She refused to tell us anything about the druids, and Thomas hadn't tried to contact Amanda or me. Murad promised to tell me more about the night Lila's family was attacked and why he was so sure the druids were behind it—one day. I intended to press the issue and make him see reason, if for no other purpose th
an to save Thomas and Carol from his hounding.
“Look how you shine. Providence may be your savior yet.” Ela touched my cheek and walked away, melting into the crowd, and Alaric used the excitement of her passing to tug my hand until I followed him across the lawn.
He led us towards an open black carriage waiting on a gravel path. I spied similar carriages tasked with carrying revelers back and forth to the dance area set deep within the trees. Our driver soothed the horses and opened the carriage door. It gave me more time to look my fill of the man at my side, his tuxedo and snowy cravat in perfect form. I swallowed hard at his perfection. He lifted me into the carriage where we settled against dark leather.
"You're playing with your lips again. Aren't you happy?" he asked, pulling me against his shoulder until I snuggled into his side. I breathed in his scent and never wanted to leave.
"Hmm," I murmured. The driver flicked his reins with a click of his tongue and the horses pulled us down the shadowy lane that meandered through the enormous garden.
"Sam's new apartment is just below Jing San's. I have a helipad and a private plane on standby, so Sam can visit you anytime in New York." Alaric was trying to make this easier for us. Sam and I still hadn't had "the" conversation yet. The one where we talked about magick and his past. We were both a little tender right now and taking our time easing into a new reality. One where people could travel by trees and his true love still lived.
"Remember, I’m only in New York for another month. I promised Sam I would come home to finish out my last year of high school.”
"Then I will also be spending the year in Oregon."
"Don't you have work to do? Mayhem to wrangle? Wraiths to squish?" I teased. He tugged a strand of my hair.
"I'm actually handing over some of that work to Murad. It's high time he assumed his fair share of wraith squishing," he said.
"Alaric—I feel guilty. You’re giving up something important to follow me. I'm hardly worth ignoring your responsibilities. Or having people whisper about you and the “star girl” you are spending so much time with. No one likes a Yoko," I said quietly, looking up at the shivering cypress treetops. When the carriage moved into the darkest part of the path, he took advantage of the deep shadows to pull me onto his lap.
"You think I look at you as some celestial consolation prize?"
"Albatross," I corrected. He exhaled sharply and pressed his forehead to mine.
"Stella. When I see you, I see rainbows within clouds."
I pulled a face. “Rainbows?” He leaned back; his fathomless eyes locked on mine.
"A story from religious texts. A promise of a future. You are mine. Your existence is improbable proof that the Creator has not forsaken me. Your love is a miracle. It’s not just that. You are part of me now. Your voice is sweeter to me than any other. Your touch—." I smothered his husky explanation with my lips. He groaned against me and I wanted to sink beneath his skin. One of the horses neighed and I dragged myself away to marvel at the vow within Alaric's burning gaze.
"Well," I whispered. I’d just wanted to hear him tell me he loved me again.
"Well." With a warm hand at my nape, he pulled me closer. I trembled in anticipation.
"Happy Birthday, darling," he whispered, and then he pressed his lips to mine, giving me my wish. When our carriage stopped before the large clearing, my toes tapped to the music and Alaric swung me to the ground. He led us to the dance floor and people parted before his path without hesitation. I ignored the murmurings around us as Alaric led us to its center. When he took me into his arms, everyone else faded.
"I think blue is your color, petite etoile."
Alaric guided me with elegant mastery into arcs around the floor. I laughed and tipped my head back on a dip and a crescendo of applause followed our movements. It felt greedy that he would be a good dancer on top of his many other attributes. But I wouldn’t complain. A long, gilded mirror behind the orchestra captured my attention and I held my breath each time I caught our reflection. My dress shimmered beneath the lights as my skirt swirled around Alaric's legs, and my hair sparkled with its tiny diamonds. We were yin and yang. We were magick.
As we circled the floor, I recognized a few friendly faces, including Amanda's parents, as well as the unsmiling countenance of Murad from the sidelines as he watched. Only the gleaming, spiteful eyes of Daria Demir interrupted my happiness, but when I tried to find her on our next pass, she'd disappeared into the crowd.
* * *
I will forever remember the feel of twirling beneath the moon in a dance with Alaric. Yet long after the ball, our early morning breakfast and quiet whispers alone, it was my dreams that night that stayed with me.
The woman of my past nightmares stood outside on a wooden porch in the night. As I watched, rain began to fall from a black sky. A nearby lantern illuminated the utter darkness enough to see that she wore a simple blouse and long skirt. The sadness etched upon her face was so visceral I felt my heart break. As the rain drummed against the ground, she walked from the shelter of the porch with her face upturned to the downpour. The cabin door opened and a man ran out in the rain after her.
"Lila! Come inside before you catch your death of cold," Sam begged her.
The woman cried; her face crumbled with sadness.
"I can't, Samuel."
"Can't what? Please come inside," Sam pleaded. I blinked at seeing him with an unbowed back and dark hair and I ate up the vision of his beloved face. He leaned over her with concern.
"I can't love you like you need me to. I love you with a cup half full," she cried.
He pulled her to him in an embrace, shushing her.
"It's enough. I will love you enough for us both."
She pulled away roughly and he recoiled in surprise.
"You don't know your own worth husband. I'm broken!"
"Then I will heal you. I am a patient man, Lila," he told her as rain wet his hair and streamed down his pleading countenance. She cupped his face sadly. He turned to kiss her hand and then let her go.
"I'll get you a blanket," he promised, as he ran back up the steps and into the log cabin.
I turned back to find the young Lila look at me with deep anguish. It was the first time in my dreams that she seemed to notice me.
"I'm not worthy. I killed him. I took away everything he loved. He saved me in every way. Gave me everything and I killed them," she told me.
I took her by the shoulders, surprised when I actually felt substance beneath my hands.
"Listen to me, Lila. Sam forgave you. Gracie and Sam lived—and he forgives you." Her brow crinkled with confusion and then she angrily tore away. She walked backwards as lightning struck a nearby tree. “Beware of the sorcerer. He is not who he seems,” she cried.
The cabin door opened to reveal Sam, a dry blanket within his grasp and Lila ran into the night. I woke from the dream sobbing. Not pretty little tears but gut-wrenching sobs that only come from a shattered soul. What had she meant about the sorcerer?
I wasn't sure how we were connected like this, but I knew I couldn't leave her alone in her personal hell. One way or another I would fight to bring her back to the light. Just as I would fight to stay with Alaric.
"Stella," he shushed me, pulling me into his arms. I burrowed beneath his shirt until my arm wrapped around the naked skin of his waist. Only with contact did the dream recede. He stroked my hair as the shudders faded.
"It's okay, Stella. I love you and I'm here."
"I love you, too. Always." And I meant it. I was making up a new rule. Once you find the people you love, hold on. I would find a way to make this last, but if it didn't, if the curse took my life, always could live in a single glance. He kissed me tenderly and the nightmare faded.
Chapter 33
The Wish
Alaric
he stone path was cold beneath my bare feet as I paced through the penthouse garden, coming to a stop as I searched th
e night sky in vain for a single star. The city's electric lights obscured any sign of the heavens. For the first time, I allowed myself to consider the story Murad told me as a child. That my mother was there, taken by the heavens to shine above. An honor, he'd said. It’d always hurt and enraged me to think how unfair it was that she was there, unending, and so far from me. I let down my guard and squinted upwards, surprised now to discover the idea of my mother being ever present was...comforting.
The streets below bustled in nighttime splendor, and I dragged in a deep breath. Stella slept soundly inside and there was peace in knowing that the nightmares had left her for the evening. My palm met the bare skin of my chest as I wondered at the sweet ache I felt there, knowing she was physically safe and nearby. I dug the sapphire ring from my jeans pocket. It sparkled, just like Stella's eyes. She was extraordinary, adapting to so many new experiences with backbone and grace. And yet doubt gnawed. I'd lived for centuries while she was still finding herself. Stella was so sure we were meant to be together forever, yet what did someone so young know of forever?
There was only now. I’d waited over 500 years for her. She was mine and I would move heaven and hell to keep her safe—even from me. We would break the enchantment together. Returning the ring to my pocket, I perused the night sky once more, giving a prayer of thanks to have this chance in time to be with her. Wind ruffled my hair and I moved towards the penthouse, already missing her.
About the Author
Amelia resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, son and fur-baby. She can be found writing about imaginary friends, cheering on the sidelines, reading, taking long walks in the woods, visiting bookstores and consuming as much coffee as humanly possible. She loves rainy days and connecting with other writers and readers. You can connect with Amelia in the following ways:
Twitter: @oz_amelia
Instagram: @oz.amelia
