Door in the Garden of Shadows

by April Canavan

Mykah slept a deep and dreamless sleep. By the time she woke up, it was the afternoon of the next day. Putting her hair into a messy bun and slipping into sweats, she opened her bedroom to get something to eat and nearly jumped out of her skin when Peyton and Maddox were sitting on her couch watching a movie.

  “You two just made yourself at home, I see.” Smiling because she really was glad to see them, Mykah was happy they hadn’t decided to leave after everything the night before.

  “What do you expect. We can’t leave you alone. You’re like a baby bird. Thinking you’re going to get a human job and all that shit. We exist in our own society, living alongside the humans but not together.” Peyton then proceeded to break it down for her. “You shouldn’t live here, in the middle of the human world. What you should do is move to one of our neighborhoods. The humans live in essentially a ghetto. What happens if you can’t control a spell you’re working on? Or if you summon something and they see it? They’re going to freak out and call the cops. Or worse, they’ll videotape it and put it on YouTube. We don’t need that drama.”

  Mykah didn’t want to let go of her apartment. It was her safe place and had been for the last five years. “So what? I just give up this place? I pay the rent a year in advance.”

  Maddox was lying in Peyton’s lap, and the werewolf was playing with his hair. Turning to look at Mykah, he piped in too. “That’s the other thing. Why are you actually paying rent on anything? You have power for a reason. You should be using it.”

  “I don’t like abusing my power. I feel like I should be contributing to the area that I live in. Be it financially or whatever.” She waved her hands in the air, wanting them to just agree with whatever she wanted to do, but she should know that her friends wouldn’t let her get away with it.

  “Then move to our town,” Peyton said. “We own all of the land, and it’s protected magically. You can find a way to contribute there without going completely native.” She and Maddox had bought what equaled to the size of a small city and turned it into a safe haven for the magical beings that wanted to live among the humans, but still wanted to maintain their independence.

  “I don’t know.” She really didn’t. It would be perfect. She could learn how to use her powers, and she would still be around her friends.

  Maddox seemed to sense some hesitance, “You can’t isolate yourself from the magical community, princess.” He sat up on the couch to actually engage in the conversation.

  The movie wholly forgotten, Mykah turned it off so they could continue their conversation.

  “I know. I just want to be able to do this on my own.” She knew that there was nothing wrong with wanting to be independent, but now she was starting to have doubts about cutting everyone out.

  “You can’t though. That’s his point.” Peyton motioned to Maddox, “I can’t do it on my own and neither can he. None of us can. Part of being magical is the need to be near our kind.”

  Mykah knew that they were right. She couldn’t be successful on her own. She had no experience really living in the human world, let alone thriving. “You’re right. I just don’t know what I’m doing.”

  “That’s what you’ve got us for. Now let’s get going. You can stay with me.” Maddox pushed himself off the couch and unsettled Peyton as he went. “No messing with my kitchen. I know better than to trust you anywhere near my appliances.” Laughing, he gently patted her on the shoulder and walked outside.

  “You know, that vampire of yours is going to have a hard time letting you go.” Peyton watched the spot where Maddox had just disappeared through. “You never get over real love. It fades a little, but it never goes away forever.”

  “Why haven’t you ever opened that door again?” She didn’t need to motion to where Maddox had gone because Peyton never tore her eyes away from it.

  “Because. I’m the last female werewolf in my family. Eventually, I’ll find a mate, but it won’t be him.” She said it with resignation, and Mykah saw that there was no changing the werewolf’s mind.

  Understanding that sometimes protecting the magical world meant sacrificing the chance at happiness, Mykah knew better than to say anything else. Instead, she picked up her cell phone and put it in her pocket before they left. Glancing around at the apartment that she had spent so much time in, she realized that it had never really been home. Sighing to herself, she wondered if she would ever be able to find a place to call home again after the Malice Court.

  Following Peyton out the front door, she asked, “Is Maddox going to use his magic to get my stuff moved, then?”

  “No, princess. I’m going to show you how to summon it yourself. That’s the point of learning how to use your magic. You’ll be able to do it yourself.” He smiled and rubbed his hands together, “This is going to be a freaking blast. I can’t wait to show you how different our magic is compared to the natural magic of the fae.”

  “Woot,” Mykah wondered if he could sense her sarcasm, but any and all playfulness evaporated when he transported them in the next moment.

  The house that they appeared in front of was stunning, to say the least. Looking around, Mykah thought she could be standing in any residential neighborhood. It was brisk outside, and she rubbed her arms for a second to warm up. Once she was acclimated, she took in her surroundings. There were trees in the distance, and grass covered the lawns of every house. There was a sign in the distance that said ‘Welcome to Gilcurry,’ and it made Mykah feel as though she was. Sidewalks separated the houses and the road, making it almost impossible to tell that they were in a magical neighborhood. Until she saw the people wandering about. Children who were obviously shifters were walking around with parts of their bodies changed into animal parts. Little girls with red and orange skin, fire elementals, were running around playing tag. It wasn’t only children, adults were wandering around as well. Teenagers practicing spells on the edge of the woods, fathers teaching their children how to shift.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Mykah found herself in a mecca, the perfect community of mixed magical beings. No one was fighting, no one was trying to hurt the people around them. There were rose bushes. Everywhere. Euphoria filled her soul, and she gently touched the rose petals on the nearest plant. Where she would have felt magic flowing over her skin in the past, now there was nothing. Mykah’s heart broke a little at that moment, with the realization that everything she had ever known about herself had changed.

  Rather than wallow in self–pity, she threw herself into her studies. Peyton taught her how to control her emotions. Maddox showed her everything he could about magic. Granted, it was a crash course, but still. He tried. Sending her home with tome after tome of magical history and lore; he was giving her everything he could to keep her busy at night. Her days were filled with practical lessons and how to create spells with just a thought.

  The days slipped by, and Mykah felt more comfortable with every passing hour. She joined in teaching the children what she could about fae lore. Teaching them about balance, and what would happen if they broke the balance without thought to the consequences. She was contributing, and if there were times when she would stare off into space and ignore everything around her; the people around her cared enough not to say anything.

  She had learned how to summon her belongings. She could transport herself and was learning how to take others along for the ride. She could even project herself into people’s minds. Her power was growing every day, but she felt like something was missing. The flowers no longer bloomed to make her happy. Vines didn’t reach for her as she went past them. She couldn’t tell if a tree was thriving or on the verge of death. She had lost all power over nature. As time when on, she began to realize that missing that part of her didn’t make her any less fae.

  Mykah watched the dance that Peyton and Maddox did on a daily basis. Both of them caring for the other, and yet they couldn’t be together. It hurt her just to see the secret looks they shared when no one else was watching. The way he touched her, as tho
ugh Peyton was the most precious thing in the world to him. Except, there was never anything more. Maddox’s eyes would flash with jealousy every time a male werewolf was around. Peyton would walk away if a witch asked for Maddox’s assistance. They were miserable, but they couldn’t tear themselves apart from each other.

  She thought about pushing Tyler away and making the decision to live for herself. The choice that took him away from her. She regretted it, every single day. But it wasn’t like she could just pop in at the Blood Court and apologize to him. She was stubborn, and at some point, it became a battle of wills that she refused to lose. Not once, since she had come to Gilcurry, had he even attempted to contact her. It wasn’t that there were no vampires around. There were. Mykah had met them. As soon as they had realized who she was, they had made a polite retreat. She knew that they had been warned against intruding in her life, but she couldn’t figure out why the marshmallow would care.

  With every day that passed, Mykah felt more human. She could feel her hold on nature slipping away to the point that it didn’t bother her when the trees didn’t sing for her. She was also growing tired. Her heart grew heavy, and sometimes she couldn’t force herself to get out of bed. It would fade over time, and everything would be better for a while. During those times, she could almost imagine the trees moving for her, telling her a story of happiness. Those feelings would fade and with them the memory of the way they made her feel disappeared.

  After she had been in residence for a few months, one night Maddox told her that he was going to be having company and that she should make herself scarce. Unwilling to do that, and because she was still the same nosy girl she had always been, Mykah cast a spell around herself to make sure that no one could detect her. Then she just waited around for whoever it was that was coming to show up. Minutes turned into hours, and right when she was sure that no one was coming, she felt the shift in the air.

  She shivered as the temperature dropped at least twenty degrees. She didn’t have to see the snowflakes that had started falling in the house, nor did she have to feel the wind pick up to know that Winter was making an appearance. Running away wasn’t an option. She had stuck herself in the corner of the room, where the light was least likely to fall on her. She was still a little insecure about her ability to turn invisible, and staying in the shadows offered a tiny bit of additional protection.

  As Winter finished transporting into Maddox’s living room, Mykah held her breath trying not to draw attention to herself. A dark gray dress clung to her figure, ending above her knees. The witch was wearing a pair of strappy black sandals, and her hair was curly and down today falling to the middle of her body. She looked tired, but Mykah knew better than to doubt anything about the ancient witch.

  “Maddox. You summoned me?” She didn’t stand on ceremony. Instead, she folded herself onto the couch in a comfortable position.

  Maddox glanced toward the front door before looking back to the witch, “We need to talk about the princess.” Even thought Mykah wanted to punch him at that moment, she didn’t make a sound.

  Slowly letting the breath that she had been holding out, she regulated her heartbeat and prayed that her spell would hold until Winter was gone.

  Winter raised an eyebrow, the question in her eyes obvious. “What about her? I thought you had her education under control.”

  “I thought I did. But there are some things I don’t know how to teach.” Maddox put his head in his hands, and if Mykah weren’t so upset at him for having secret meetings about her, she would feel bad for him.

  “Like what? You’re the elected Warlock King.” Winter shook her head, “And even though I don’t like to admit it, you deserve the title.”

  Maddox looked up from his hands, and Mykah tried to stay calm while she waited for whatever he was about to say. “Winter, I don’t know anything about how to control natural magic. You should know that hers is returning.”

  An inaudible gasp escaped Mykah’s lips, but there was no sign that either of the two magic users had heard it. Winter’s head twitched for just a moment, but there was no other indication that anything was wrong.

  “Jessica and I hoped this might happen.” Winter summoned a drink, and once she was done with it, she went on. “I take it there’s still no sign of her immortality returning?”

  “No,” Maddox answered. “She’s still human. Yet her soul burns brighter than any other’s. She’s not meant to be one of us. I think it’s eating her up from the inside, the magic is devouring her human form.” He looked around the room, and Mykah saw a bleakness there.

  It was the same look she had attributed to his feeling depressed about not being able to be with Peyton. Now she knew she was wrong. He wasn’t worried about his relationship with the werewolf. He was concerned about Mykah’s survival.

  Winter was silent for a few minutes before she said anything, and when she did, it was very contemplative. “It might be time for her to make the change.”

  Maddox looked at the witch, and apparently, he understood something that Mykah wasn’t because he got very defensive. “Mykah wouldn’t return to the Malice Court, and she wouldn’t go with Tyler to the Blood Court. Why do you think she’ll change her mind now?”

  “Because Mykah knows she doesn’t have a choice. If the decision is life or death, she’s going to choose life.” Winter looked directly at her.

  She could see through the spell, right into Mykah’s heart. The witch was right. If it were a decision between life and death, she would choose life every day of the week.

  “Winter, you can’t do this. There’s a reason that you’re not part of our world anymore. You cannot go around deciding who deserves the right to that type of power.” Maddox was angry, and all Winter did was give a sly wink at Mykah’s hiding spot before turning back to the warlock.

  “I didn’t ask your permission, child. You should remember who you’re speaking to.” The warmth in the room was gone in a heartbeat, and if Mykah had taken a breath, there is no doubt that she would be able to see it on the air. As it was, frost was forming along the walls and surfaces in the room. With a wave of her hand, Winter had encased Maddox in a block of ice. “I’ve been alive longer than any other witch. Hell, I’ve been alive longer than most magical beings. If I say that it’s time, then you should probably prepare yourself. Because it’s time.” Getting up from her seat, she waved her hand once more, and the block was gone. The chill in the air was gone, and then the witch took one last look at Mykah and disappeared too.

  Mykah, who was still pretending that she wasn’t there, was hoping that her spell was still holding up. She didn’t dare to breathe as she watched Maddox curse the other woman and then storm out of the room. Taking a deep breath once she was sure it was safe, she bolted upstairs to her room and decided it was time to take things into her own hands. It seemed that Winter wanted her presence to be kept a secret from Maddox, and that meant that she wanted to say something.

  Maddox had said that her natural power was coming back. It made her blood pulse through her veins just a little faster, and a piece of her missing soul seemed to fall back into place. Smiling to herself, she came to the conclusion she should have reached in the first place. She needed to spend time in the Blood Court. Mykah knew that her decision had nothing to do with the fact that she would be forcing the marshmallow to be in the same place as she was. Technically, it was a point for her.

  Deciding to give the witch a little bit of time before she just appeared, Mykah laid down to take a nap. She needed to be refreshed when she took on her marshmallow. The smile still shining on her face, she closed her eyes and let go.

  “Are you ever going to admit that you love her and go after her? Or are you content to just send spies to make sure that she’s not with anyone else?” Jackson threw a piece of popcorn at his head, and Tyler didn’t care enough to catch it before it pinged him on the forehead.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tyler refused to look at him. He let hi
s eyes slide over the room.

  Sarah’s library, a place that they had all congregated on more than one occasion. It had oversized chairs, couches, and a warm fire burning all the time. After Winter had announced that she was heading to the human realm and vanished, Sarah and Jackson had started talking about the princess, while Zander had given him an apologetic look but said nothing. It wasn’t like he had left Mykah, he had offered her everything. She had just thrown it back at him and run off with those friends of hers to Gilcurry, a magical settlement. He should just come to terms with the fact that if he wanted to see her, he was going to have to go there.

  Jackson, who had evidently been rooting around in his head, decided to interrupt his thoughts. “Yeah, and we’ll just pretend that I can’t read your mind. Good choice. Idiot.”

  “You know what, pipsqueak? We can’t all have a happily ever after.” He rubbed the star on his wrist absently, “I didn’t walk away from her. I asked her to choose me.”

  “No, Tyler. You asked her to give up her life before she ever had a chance to live it,” Sarah spoke quietly from her seat at the table.

  “I don’t know what that means, Sarah. She doesn’t have her fae immortality, I offered her forever.”

  “Tyler, don’t be obtuse. She’s fae. They are the epitome of natural magic. Vampires go against everything that is natural, and you wanted to turn her into one without giving her a real option.” Sarah wiped her eyes, and Tyler felt like a dick for making his queen cry. Before he could say anything to her, she went on. “I can tell you, from someone who had that choice stolen from her, that what Mykah decided doesn’t surprise me.” Of course, Sarah’s ex–husband had turned her into a vampire without her knowledge.

  “I love her.” Instead of making him flush with embarrassment like he thought it would, saying it filled him with pride.

  The smile on Sarah’s face showed precisely what she felt about his admission. “I know you do. You let her go. That was the most unselfish thing you could have done for her.” She reached out and grasped Zander’s hand with her own.