Starlight

by Lauren Jade Case

  “This was you paying back a favour?”

  “Yes. Well, the favour was to be company, not to find out anything.”

  “Those things sometimes go hand-in-hand though,” he told her.

  They stopped at the bottom. The basement walls were laced with magic; it was built to allow no noise or magic to leak out, or vice versa.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, trying again.

  “Archie and Peri needed to talk.”

  “To talk?”

  Something flickered in her eyes. Uncertainty. Jasper became conflicted on whether he wanted to know, but Natalia’s eyes cleared and she sighed. “Peri’s pregnant.”

  Of all the things Natalia could have said, Jasper hadn’t been expecting that. After a few minutes of stretched silence, he cleared his throat. “They definitely needed to be left alone then.”

  At some point, Peri and Archie would’ve married and had children. The two of them were destined to be together, if things such as fate of the Gods were real. So for them to be stepping into that chapter of their life was normal. Besides, every Creature did things at a different rate. It didn’t matter if someone was sixty, forty, or twenty. A lot of Creatures didn’t see old age because of their Purpose and thus tended to fall hard and fast in love – sometimes only once – whenever it happened. So they often did the “growing up and old” thing whenever they could, whenever it felt right for them. That is, if it ever felt right – some never chose or wanted that kind of life, and instead lived to defend and to be free. Either way, there was no right or wrong as everyone was different with what they wanted, how much they wanted, and when.

  Natalia grimaced. “I hope Peri won’t be mad at me.”

  “For what?”

  “Ruining the news for you.”

  Jasper laughed. “I’ll try and act surprised. I’m a master of acting.” He paused. “Speaking of surprises,” he started walking to the back wall, “can you try and act surprised for me?”

  “Are you going to hit me with something? Because I won’t have to act.”

  He smiled. “Do you trust me?”

  She didn’t even breathe first. “Yes.”

  His heart jumped once. “Close your eyes.”

  He didn’t wait to see if she obliged. He went straight to the loose panel in the wall – he and Archie had found it by accident a few weeks back – and pressed his hand upon it. A tingle spread from his fingers up to his wrist and the panel glowed a faint blossom pink until there was a click.

  Jasper snatched what he needed and secured the panel again.

  He turned to find Natalia swaying on the spot.

  She didn’t look out of place in the training room or around other Creatures anymore, not compared to when she’d first arrived. There was now more confidence in her bones, and though her cheeks weren’t dusted with their familiar bronze, he knew she could call it forth. She wore her “I’m a Fairy, bitch” t-shirt, which was both ironic and hilarious.

  Where she was, she belonged. Who she was, it was the truth.

  Jasper smiled, knowing she couldn’t see. There was magic to her that was more than her Fairy essence, and it made Jasper’s heart beat stronger.

  He cleared his throat again and held out his hands. “Open your eyes,” he said, watching her face.

  She did, and gasped.

  Lying in Jasper’s palms was a dagger. The thin blade itself was silver, no longer than eight inches, and the hilt was bronze, the grip a slightly darker shade. The only thing that was bland were the little stones encrusted on either side of the pommel.

  “This is for you,” he announced, offering it out.

  Her brown eyes went to his, their colour drawing him in. “A dagger?”

  “A Fairy dagger,” he corrected. “See these stones?” He held the grip of the dagger and put the blade down, pointing to the stones with his free hand. “They’re more like half shells of crystals. You need to pry them open, add your dust inside, and close them again. Then the entire dagger will respond to you and only you. It will do whatever you command of it.”

  “I just need to add my dust?” She pressed her finger to the blade and, as she tilted it, both of their faces were reflected in the metal. “Can you hold it while I do this, please?”

  He obeyed as Natalia shut her eyes.

  What did it take to raise her dust? He wondered. Sometimes it seemed to come on its own and other times she had to call it. What does she think of?

  Bronze dust was sealed within in minutes and, as the final crystal was pressed back into place, the entire dagger rose to life in Jasper’s hands. It thrummed against his skin, even as he held it out to its rightful owner.

  Natalia touched the grip, curling her fingers around it, and looked up at him expectantly. “Now what?” she asked.

  “You won’t always have to hold it,” he told her, forcing his gaze to the blade and away from her face. “You can command it to, say, stand on its own, and it will.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “How?”

  “The makers of the blade were Witches. They enspelled it to respond to every command once your dust tied you to it. Your magic connects your soul to the blade while the makers’ magic helps it listen and obey.”

  Testing the theory, Natalia whispered “stay” and opened her hand. The dagger sat perfectly in mid-air, an invisible force suspending it. Then she went about commanding it, not always out loud, to do other things. Every time, the blade complied; whether it was to fling itself across the room or to land against the ground, tip up.

  Natalia brought the blade back to her grasp. “Thank you,” she whispered. “But why?”

  “I had it made for you back in Atlantis and it arrived the other day,” he said. “Some Creatures have weapons. Like Peri and her trident. We have gifts, like our magic and your dust, but they’re not always useful. They don’t always work against every Monster, so weapons are a back-up.”

  “So this isn’t meant to be decorative wall ornament?”

  Jasper chuckled. “It could be.”

  “But that’s not its purpose?”

  “Not normally. Though, you could hang it above a cosy fireplace.”

  She looked down at the blade. “What do I owe you for it? It is beautiful.”

  “And deadly,” he reminded her. “But you owe me nothing for it. It’s a gift.”

  Natalia looked up at him and disappeared.

  ◆◆◆

  Natalia waved her hands in front of Jasper’s face. She even waved the dagger, close but careful not to slice his nose off. Not once did he react. He barely even blinked. He only scowled, eyes moving around the otherwise vacant room.

  Several times she looked between her dagger and Jasper, still in awe at getting such a gift, wondering if that was the problem. Had somehow something more than obeying magic that helped Natalia to control the blade been put inside?

  She readied the blade at the end of her finger. “Natalia?”

  She glanced up.

  Jasper seemed to watch her. To be sure, she waved a hand in front of his face again. He caught her wrist mid-wave this time and she gasped. “You can see me,” she whispered in surprise.

  “You may take my land and my sea, but don’t leave me skyless. For all the beauty lies within the Heavens above our heads, of which belongs to Cupid.” Jasper kissed her palm, his lips as light as butterfly wings. “It’s an old poem. Gold told it to me when we first met. I think he had a thing for me.”

  Natalia laughed. “What does it mean?”

  “People used to think the stars were the Heavens themselves. So when Humans saw you Fairies with your cheeks of glitter, they used to believe you had come from Heaven to take them back to Cupid, who owned it all since there was a desire to belong there. They were saying that anyone could take anything from them, but not the sky as that was their ever after destination.”

  “That’s where we get our names.” Natalia’s body shuddered, remembering the strange Monster who had said something similar. She gr
ipped her blade a little tighter and touched her earrings.

  “I think most of our names, like children of the stars for Fairies, or children of the moon for Werewolves, came from Humans at one point or another for some reason. A Human interpretation of us Creatures. They aren’t wrong, except in the case of Vampires.”

  “Because Vampires can walk in the daylight,” Natalia said, recalling the training the Darby’s had given her before the Council meeting. That was a distant, yet haunting, memory now.

  “Though, as they get older, the less they can tolerate the sun.”

  “Maybe the Human that named them came across a really old Vampire.”

  Jasper smiled. His green eyes softened along with his face. His dark hair laid just above his eyes and the tops of his ears and Natalia wanted to run her fingers through it.

  “But the poem stands in regards to you,” he said, pulling her from her mind.

  “How?”

  “Beauty does lie in those Heavens. And I can see it.”

  “You can? How?”

  The tiniest amount of pink flushed his cheeks. “I can see you.”

  Natalia breathed in, her head and heart finally connecting the dots of her subconscious like points and lines on a map.

  She wasn’t shocked as if she’d always known, because she hadn’t – at least, she couldn’t say so. Yet she had thought about Jasper, many times, and there had been sparks of some kind for her in those moments. The dots were those moments, and now string had appeared to finally connect them and show the bigger picture that had been painted. A picture of the possible richer type of connection they shared.

  They both went to say something at the same time, mouths gaping together, when a terrible scream came from upstairs. Jasper and Natalia blinked, and ran upstairs, Natalia acutely aware of how she still held her dagger. As the word “pregnant” echoed in a high pitched squeal, they slowed to a stop on the steps.

  “Immediate threat over,” Jasper joked.

  “I don’t think I could deal with any threat right now.”

  He pointed to her weapon. “You have that now.”

  She looked down at him. “I do, and I can make it do fancy tricks. But I can’t actually use it.”

  “Then we’ll add it to the list of areas you need to be trained in.” He smiled.

  More squeals came and Natalia said, “I suppose we should go up.”

  “I suppose so,” Jasper agreed. “And I suppose I better act surprised.” He grimaced then. “I’m going to be an uncle.”

  “I suppose you better grow up.”

  He faked shock. “Never.”

  “You’re getting old now. Uncle.”

  Natalia grinned and didn’t wait for his response. She rushed up the last steps and pushed open the door to find a hallway full of teary Darby’s.

  She put her dagger down on a nearby cabinet and was invited into the giant cuddle circle by Peri and Archie. So she joined them all with open arms, though her heart still sang out for one person in particular.

  13

  Diamonds and Crowns

  Natalia crept into her father’s room, grinning as she sand over his snores. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday you! Happy birthday, Dad. Happy birthday to you!”

  Her father blinked, groaning until he registered the chocolate cake and lit candles in Natalia’s hand. He flashed her a surprised smile and blew, sending up three wafts of grey smoke.

  “Hurry downstairs,” she ordered him.

  “Cake for breakfast?”

  She grinned back at him from the doorway. “It’s tradition.”

  Natalia managed to cut the cake before the door rang. She pulled it open, finding Noah and Katherine on the other side. Katherine had a black and silver balloon in hand, and a small and sweet present tucked under her armpit. Noah had brought over a white and gold balloon.

  Natalia let them in, her gaze flickering to Noah. “Your braces!”

  Noah beamed, proudly showing off his bare teeth. “All clear, Princess.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since yesterday. I’m officially free. Well, for a week. Then I get my retainer. Plastic teeth for a year.” He smacked his teeth together in a biting motion.

  “Plastic teeth.” Natalia shook her head and took his hand, pulling him through to the kitchen.

  Her dad and Katherine were caught hugging, innocently enough, but they sprung apart, faces flushed. Natalia smiled. He deserved to find love again and this could be it, if he went for it.

  “You two should go on a date,” Natalia said abruptly.

  Katherine laughed, though it sounded full of nervous energy.

  Natalia kept her face stony and hoped it played off. “I’m serious.”

  Katherine glanced up at Natalia’s father, her blush intensifying. “We could?” he suggested lamely. His eyes flashed briefly to Natalia and then back to Katherine. “For my birthday? If you want?”

  Katherine didn’t seem to know where to look. “What—”

  “I’m at the Darby’s after work to practise. So’s Noah,” Natalia said, elbowing Noah when he went to protest. “You can go on your date and meet us there afterwards? Only if that’s how you want to end your evening…” She trailed, leaving the conversation open for the two more adult adults – though part of the idea grossed her out, since it was her dad she was talking about.

  “I’d love to go,” Katherine blurted. She met Tony’s gaze again. “If you do?”

  He was beaming. “Of course!” He coughed, attempting to hide the high inflection of his tone. “We can go for dinner and decide from there?”

  Katherine gave him a swift kiss on the cheek, leaving pink lipstick on his skin. He and shook his head, turning towards his cake. Noah grabbed Natalia’s arm and dragged her gently into the hall.

  “What the hell?” he whispered harshly. “I’m coming to the Darby’s?”

  Natalia shrugged. “I’m sure they won’t mind.”

  “You haven’t asked? That was a spur of the moment decision that I’m being held too?”

  “To get them two,” she pointed at the kitchen, “to finally give in and go out. It’s been years. I’ve spent most of that time watching the tension build and the lovey-dovey eyes being used.”

  Natalia’s mum, Lavender, had died when Natalia was barely months old. Beside the memories her father had to share, Natalia had nothing. But she did have the sadness her father carried. He wanted to move on and be happy again, but he didn’t want to feel like he was disrespecting Lavender, nor did he want to upset his daughter by being with someone new. Natalia knew and understood it all. But he deserved happiness. Her mum was gone, and there was no point thinking over what ifs. She’d made him happy once, but she couldn’t do it now. Katherine could.

  “Plus,” Natalia continued, “You need to be around more Creatures.”

  Noah’s dark eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “Being around me isn’t enough.”

  “Selling yourself well there.”

  Natalia scoffed. “I mean, from what I know, there are very few Humans who actively know Creatures exist. Mostly because Creatures hide since Humans used to hunt them and some don’t care to look, or something.” She tucked her hair back. “My point is, you’re one of the special few who have insider knowledge and opportunity.”

  “Don’t the Monsters hide?”

  “They want chaos. Why would they bother hiding? Though Creatures tend to go around making Humans forget they’ve seen a Monster or cover an incident up before anything happens. That’s a Council rule, or something.” Just like they’d done with Natalia and the Calefaction in her garden, she’d learnt – her entire street had never seen a thing because, to them, it’d never happened, thanks to some Council magic.

  “Do I have a special name? Something superhero-like?”

  “A Watcher.”

  “A Watcher?” he repeated, sounding unconvinced.

  “A Human with the blessing to see into this world by some means or another.
” Natalia smiled to herself, relieved her private tuition, courtesy of the Darby’s, was helpful after all. “So you might as well join us.”

  “You make it sound like a cult.”

  The doorbell rang. “Isn’t it?” Natalia grinned.

  Natalia reached the door and the ominous figure behind it sent a shiver up her spine. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the handle.

  Natalia had to blink twice at the woman on the doorstep. Her hair was long and silver with flowers wrapped into its length. She had rosy cheeks on a circular face and wore a pink strapless dress. Her brown eyes were calm. With a straight back, she stood tall. The light of the hall perfectly illuminated the small silver crown upon her head.

  Everything about this woman was familiar yet Natalia couldn’t place how.

  “Are you going to invite me in?” The woman asked curtly.

  “Why would I let someone in who I don’t know?” Natalia countered, using the door as a barrier.

  The woman rolled her eyes dramatically. “Natalia Primrose, child, it’s me.”

  Natalia was playing no part in anyone’s game. “Who’s me?”

  “Queen of the Fairies and the entire realm? Your grandmother.”

  Natalia blanched. That was why this woman was familiar; part of her was part of Natalia. Those brown eyes stared back every time she glanced in a mirror. She touched that long hair every time she tied it.

  “Oh.” Natalia opened the door.

  “I know you weren’t expecting me. I should’ve sent something ahead.” The Queen didn’t sound apologetic and stepped inside gracefully. “And I had forgotten that you do not know me, as you never knew your mother.”

  Natalia bit her tongue and led the woman through. She knew the land of the Fairies was within this Veil but separated from Earth, like Atlantis was, in order to keep it safe.

  Stunned silence arrived when Natalia and her grandmother reached the kitchen.

  Noah openly gawked, and Natalia slapped his shoulder to get him to stop. Katherine took a step back as if she wanted to move very, very, far away. And Natalia’s father looked uncomfortable as if the last time he’d met with this woman it’d ended badly.