And their ethereal beauty. “Are you saying that someone might be interested in me because I could spring my powers on an unsuspecting target?” Lorenzo nodded. Something dawned on me then. Lorenzo had been suspicious long before he had found out what I had done at the market to free the boy or before he had seen the golden rings in my eyes. “How did you know that I was different?”
He licked his lips. “When I handed you the microphone on the first night you played here, we touched, and I sensed the magic within you.”
I, too, had sensed magic. Pushing the thought away, I sat up straight. I needed to focus. “So demons and fae can tell I have magic if they touch me?”
Lorenzo focused on his glass of brandy. “Perhaps, perhaps not, better not to test it until you have full control of your abilities.”
“Control? I’m not going to train how to manipulate others.”
“Do you want to hide forever? Never daring to find out what you are?”
“No, but—”
“Then, you need to train.”
“How?”
“I’ll teach you.”
In a whisper, I asked, “What if I can’t learn? What if my powers aren’t strong enough, and I’ll have to hide forever?”
A muscle ticked in Lorenzo’s jaw. He leaned forward. “I won’t let that happen.”
The corners of my lips curled upward. “Thank you.” I didn’t know how he did it, but I appreciated him always believing in me and having my back.
Lorenzo emptied his glass. “Let’s go to Acacia’s.”
I bit my lip. “Actually, there’s something else we need to do first before it gets dark.”
He tilted his head in question, but I just stood up and motioned for him to follow me. In the corridor, I grabbed the bicycle Mrs. Flanagan had given me. “I need to learn how to ride this.” At his incredulous look, I clarified. “For my job at the post office. Otherwise, I’ll never manage to deliver all the mail in time.”
He opened his mouth, and for a second, I thought he’d say I didn’t need the job or that learning how to ride was too much of an effort, or that he didn’t have the time to teach me.
But Lorenzo wasn’t like my ex, Victor. Lorenzo believed in me, he lifted me up, so all he said was, “And you really think a demon is the best teacher for this?”
A laugh bubbled out of me, washing away my tension. “You teleport. It’s similar to riding a bike, right?”
Lorenzo chortled as I pushed the bike out onto the street.
3
24th July
The soles of my feet were on fire as I pushed the empty trolley back to the post office. I had managed to deliver all the letters before noon. To be precise, five minutes to noon, but I still thought it was impressive how much I had improved in one day and that I had been able to stay on my feet for so long despite the physical exertion Lorenzo had put me through the day before.
My fear that riding a bike would break my neck or at least end up in a serious injury hadn’t come true. However, I had fallen several times, leaving both my left and right sides covered in bruises. Thankfully, I hadn’t torn any skin, but I was certain that would come once I dared to ride the bike over the cobblestone streets or other uneven terrain or went a bit faster.
I sighed. As much as I wasn’t looking forward to it, I would have to swing my behind back into the saddle after my shift was over. But first, I’d grab an hour-long nap on my back, trying not to roll over onto either of my aching sides. Just thinking of the bike sent a stab of pain through my lower back and into my thighs. The seat was not only uncomfortable but also crazily small. I pressed my lips together. I was making excuses, and I didn’t have the luxury to do so. I had to learn how to ride. My job depended on it. On the bike, I would be twice as fast, even with all the stops to get on and off the bike.
“I’m back, Mrs. Flanagan.” I waved as I stepped into the post office.
Mrs. Flanagan glanced at the clock. “Not too bad. Looks like tomorrow, you’ll be ready to take the second load as well.”
I forced a smile. “Of course.” If I could take a draught right now that increased my stamina overnight, I would.
“How’s the bike riding coming along?”
“I practiced yesterday, and I’ll do some more today.”
She nodded in approval. “You should ride the bike tomorrow, even if you’re scared. The longer you wait, the bigger your fear will get.”
I nodded while imagining how cumbersome it would be to push the bike through the city if I was too chicken to ride it. I had to find a way to learn it before tomorrow. How I was supposed to balance not just myself but also the several pounds of post remained a mystery to me.
Knowing that worrying would get me nowhere, I waved goodbye to Mrs. Flanagan. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Keep on practicing,” she called back.
I stepped outside and halted in surprise. Lorenzo was leaning against the post office, the shiny, red bike standing next to him.
I cringed. “Can’t I take a nap first?”
Lorenzo shook his head. “Sorry. This is the only time I can do this.”
Resigned, I grabbed the handles of the bike and took a deep breath, then pushed myself up on the bike, trying to remember what I had learned yesterday. Engage my core, trust my feet, and don’t swerve the handlebars too much.
I started off well enough, pushing the right pedal hard, then the left one, keeping my upper body steady. All was going well until I realized we were heading straight for the market. “I can’t ride in between all those people. I’m going to injure someone,” I yelled, not daring to glance over my shoulder to see where Lorenzo was.
He appeared next to me, his teleportation coming in handy for teaching me how to ride a bike, yet also annoyingly highlighting how much control he had over his body and how little I had over mine.
“So make a turn,” he suggested.
Carefully, I turned the handlebar to the left, managing to stay on top of the bike. I smiled until the wheels began to bob up and down. Cobblestone. I had gotten myself onto a cobblestone street. “I can’t do this.”
“You’ll be fine,” Lorenzo said in a maddeningly calm voice.
I slammed on the brakes and jumped down to the ground, my heart hammering.
Lorenzo gave me a few moments to compose myself. “Half of Arcadia is paved with cobblestone. I’m afraid you’ll have to master this.”
“But if I fall...” It would hurt a lot, way more than falling on an even street.
“If you fall, you’ll get back up, and I’ll be here to help you.”
Not wanting to appear like a baby, I inhaled deeply and pushed myself back into the saddle. The first few feet were so bumpy, I was certain I would fall off, yet I managed to stay on, probably due to every muscle in my body working to the maximum. Then something tiny darted in front of me.
A mouse. Harmless, especially since she got out of my way quickly, but enough for me to get distracted and lose my balance. I fell sideways. My hip groaned in protest as it hit the ground hard.
I gritted my teeth together, holding in the cry that worked its way up my throat.
Lorenzo removed the bike from me and held out his hand.
“Are you able to move everything? Are you bleeding?” he asked once I was up on my feet.
My muscles felt sore, but otherwise, I was fine. My pants and top were still in one piece, and there was no blood to be seen. “No, I’ve only added to my collection of bruises.”
He chuckled. “At least, your sense of humor is back.” He pointed at the end of the alley. “I want you to turn left and then make another left.”
I propelled myself back onto the bike and executed two nice turns, ignoring trash that was blown into my path. It was only after my second turn that I faltered, realizing the next street was going downhill.
Lorenzo appeared next to me. “You can do this. You’ll be fine. Remember to break gently but consistently.”
With clammy palms and a t
ight stomach, I allowed the bike to descend. I could do this. I had to.
“Nice and steady,” I whispered underneath my breath as the bike gained speed going down the hill. I pumped the brakes, taking care not to push too hard or abruptly. I was doing it. I was almost at the bottom of the hill. Tension seeped out of my body. That wasn’t too hard.
Then, out of nowhere, a tabby cat jumped into my path. Instead of scurrying out of my way, it plopped down, stretching out and covering the whole road. There was no way around it unless I drove into the wall. I needed to brake, but I was going too fast to do it smoothly.
“Go away, kitty! This is not a good place to stay,” I sang while pumping my brakes hard.
The cat blinked at me and jumped out of my path, just as I came to an abrupt halt. The back wheel lifted, I slid forward and squeezed my eyes shut, preparing to tumble forward. Strong hands gripped the bike and pushed it back down. Then Lorenzo lifted me out of the seat and carried the trembling mess I’d become to the side of the road.
Gently, he put me down on the ground and knelt in front of me. “You’re fine. The cat is fine too.”
“I almost ran over it.”
“But you didn’t. You handled the situation really well.” He pushed a strand of hair that had come loose from my ponytail behind my ear. “And you remembered to use your voice.”
“Are you sure I didn’t simply spook it?”
He chuckled. “I’ve seen plenty of people yell at cats without the cat doing anything. You didn’t terrify the tabby into submission. Your singing compelled her.”
I nodded. Acacia had magicked away the golden rings in my eyes yesterday, but my voice was still here, and while its abilities terrified me, I wouldn’t want it to be taken away. It belonged to me. It was a part of me. I would learn how to harness its gifts, no matter how hard it would be.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
I looked up. The wind blew back Lorenzo’s silver hair, revealing the strong features of his face. His nose and chin, particularly, looked as if they were hewn from marble, and yet despite the strong lines, there was no harshness.
“I would like you to be my manager if the offer is still on the table.”
A gorgeous smile spread across his lips. “It is.”
“And I would like to use my voice to find our missing Queen Ella by entering the national singing competition.”
Lorenzo studied me. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “It’s the only chance I have to get close to the king and his court to find out what has happened to Queen Ella.” The national singing competition was held by our kingdom every year. Anyone could register to participate. The winner was determined over several rounds and got to perform for the king and his court. The winner also received a private audience with the king. With Lorenzo’s help, I was confident I would ask the right questions to help us discover what had happened to our queen.
Lorenzo helped me to my feet, my legs still unsteady. “We’ll have to hurry to register then. The deadline is today.”
I felt my forehead wrinkle. “How do you know?”
A wry grin spread across his face. “Because I hoped you would want to use your voice to help your kingdom. I didn’t want to push you into the national competition, but I hoped you would suggest it on your own and would allow me to accompany you.”
He pointed toward the top of the hill we had just come down. “Ready to work those legs?”
“Yes.” If I could go downhill, I certainly could make it uphill.
Going uphill felt like I was dragging a baby elephant behind me, but at least, the exertion stopped me from worrying that I would fall. After what felt like forever, we finally reached the top, and the few streets I cycled down until we reached Daydream were child’s play.
“Well done. You’ll be a pro in no time.” Lorenzo placed his hand between my shoulder blades, and warmth trickled through me. My lips tingled, and my body ached to lean into his touch. I pushed away the sensations. It didn’t matter how attractive I found Lorenzo. I could never go down this path. He was my manager. He was my landlord. He was my partner in the mission to find the missing queen. I couldn’t jeopardize all that by entering a romantic relationship with him.
Putting a lid on my feelings, I walked into Daydream to find Tia and Mikka laughing behind the bar. Mikka put a piece of celery into a tall, scarlet drink. “And this is how you make a Bloody Mary,” she said proudly.
Tia clapped, then waved as she noticed me.
I rushed up to my friend and hugged her tightly. “You gave me such a fright. I had no idea where you were.”
Tia wore a sheepish look on her face. “Sorry about that.”
“Did you go two whole nights without sleeping?”
She returned to behind the bar to clean the cutting board and throw away the leafy pieces of the celery stalk. “I stayed over in Mikka’s room. It’s next door to ours.” She didn’t look up as she spoke.
Well, I guess that solved the mystery of who was staying in the third room. But why was Tia looking so guilty?
“I’ll draft a quick contract,” Lorenzo said, heading into the direction of his office. “We need to have something in place before you sign up for the competition.”
“Please do.” If someone found out about the special properties of my voice, I would be much safer if Lorenzo could accompany me everywhere as my manager.
Tia’s forehead furrowed. “What competition?”
“The national one.”
She whistled. “Wow, you’ve gone from not wanting to perform in public to wanting to perform in front of the king in one week?”
I twisted the end of my ponytail. “I guess so.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean it in a negative way. I’m proud of you. You’re making so much progress.”
“Thanks.”
Mikka pushed her elbows down on the counter. “What will your shtick be?”
“What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you watched any of the previous competitions? To impress the judges, it’s not enough to have a good voice. Your performance needs to be full-on, and you should have an easily recognizable public persona.”
“I see.” Now that I thought about it, I did remember that last year a girl had been rumored to always perform with animals. Living in the orphanage, I hadn’t had the opportunity to see any of her performances, but I’ve heard that she even had a lion in one of them. Another candidate was a sprite who always brought plants to her performances and made them bloom and grow vines around her as she sang.
I was about to say that I didn’t have anything like that when an idea came to me. I smiled at Mikka. “Perhaps you could help me?”
Mikka pointed at herself. “Me?”
“You’re an ice demon.”
She nodded, and Tia shifted from foot to foot, as if the conversation was making her uncomfortable.
“Would you be willing to incorporate some ice into my performance?”
Mikka’s white hair fluttered like it was being moved by an invisible wind, and her black eyes sparkled like obsidians. “I would have to train and know your cues, but yes. If you’re allowed to get help from someone else.”
Lorenzo returned just then, holding a sheet of paper. We filled him in on our plan. “I like it,” he said, then handed me the paper. “This is very rudimentary. We can draw up a more detailed contract later. Read over it and make sure you’re fine with everything.”
Tia took my arm. “Can I speak to you for a moment?”
“Sure.” I followed her across the room.
“I think it’s great how you’re taking the initiative, but what’s the rush? Why are you suddenly all in?” Her eyes were filled with concern.
I bit my lip. Should I tell Tia of my suspicions? Yes, she was my friend, she deserved to know. “Do you see the sculpture over there of Queen Ella?”
She followed my pointed hand. “What about it?”
“Doesn’t she look familiar?”
“Of course. We’ve seen paintings of our queen in magazines, newspapers, and on our money.”
“No, I mean, don’t you know someone who looks really similar to the queen?”
She just stared at me, wide-eyed.
“Doris, the woman from the kitchen.”
Tia put a strand of her blue hair into her mouth and chewed on it, thoughtful for a moment. “Now that you mention it, there are similarities. But how does a maid from the boarding house have anything to do with the queen?”
“I’m not sure, but before the queen met our king, she was a maid too, working for her horrible stepmother and stepsisters.”
Deep creases formed on Tia’s forehead. “What are you saying?”
I sighed. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Doris showed up around the same time our queen went missing. I think Doris knows something. Unfortunately, she’s refusing to talk to me.”
“She’s a mute.”
“No, she isn’t. I tricked her into humming a song.”
Tia stared at me blankly. “How did you do that?”
I hated keeping secrets from my friend, but I also wasn’t quite ready to discuss my voice. So all I said was, “Apparently, the golden rings around my eyes aren’t the only weird thing about me.”
Tia opened her mouth, but I shook my head. “Not now.”
She nodded. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I glanced down at the contract Lorenzo gave me. “The deadline to sign up is tonight. I need to hurry.”
Tia nodded. “As long as you’re sure you want to do this, I’m fully behind you.”
I smiled at my friend. “I’m done hiding and letting people like Madam run Arcadia. Our kingdom is crumbling from within. It needs us, and I want to be a positive force within it.”
“Have you taken the gondola before?” Lorenzo asked once we left Daydream.
“No.” I never had a reason to. As beautiful as it seemed to travel the city by the water, it seemed a wasteful pastime, inappropriate for someone of my station.
Halia: Daughter of Cinderella Page 12
