by A Lonergan
I smiled at his concern. "Yes, he won't hurt me..." Physically, I finished in my head.
Cal squeezed my hand before he pulled away and headed toward the castle. We were in the pasture, and I was surprised we hadn't seen any of the unicorns.
Then I remembered my lizard friend, and it all made sense. He landed heavily infront of Sterling and let out a breath of smoke in his face. Sterling sputtered, and I let out a giggle. I still hadn't named the beast and felt terrible about it. I hadn't a clue of what to call him.
"Mischievous beasty," I snickered under my breath. The overgrown lizard slowly blinked at me, clearly not amused.
"So, you're finally ready to come home?" I expected bitterness and resentment, but his voice was nothing of the sort. He seemed genuinely curious.
I thought for a second, taken back by his new attitude. He had never spoken to me so nicely. Apparently, this was a sterling from a different realm. He had to be. The Sterling from the Earth Realm didn't have a sincere bone in his body. Sterling waved his hand in front of the mirror in an arch gesture, and it shrunk.
He pocketed it and took a step closer to me.
"Yes, I'm ready to come home. Though I'm not entirely sure where home is." I made a move toward the castle, and my dragon friend took flight.
“It's at the compound with us." His voice matched his body language, and I wondered where the change had come from.
"I'm not so sure about that." My voice had taken a cold edge.
He stopped walking beside me. "Why not?"
I could have laughed. I almost did. "You have to be kidding me." I shook my head and continued on my way. I hoped he got lost.
He jogged to keep up with me." Okay, okay. I'm sorry."
I didn't stop walking. Each of my steps just continued to get more aggressive as I went. "And?"
"And I shouldn't have treated you like I did."He kept up with my long quick strides, but when he got to close my dragon swooped down to remind Sterling that he was still watching.
"Yeah," It was all I could say. I wanted to forgive him, but I also didn't know if this was some kind of ploy to get me to come back.
“Someday I'm going to make it up to you." He muttered as we entered the castle.
The guards eyed us suspiciously. It was one thing to have one Earth Dweller, but two? I patted the armor on one as we passed by, "Don't worry, we'll be out of your hair soon enough."
He didn't respond, just stared forward. Dragon followed on light feet behind us. I had an idea that Wyna would be in my room waiting for me. We hadn't had time to talk or visit since she had brought me here, but she was always off on royal assignments. I didn't know if it was true or if Cal had been trying to keep me to himself. It didn't matter now.
Sterling kept close to me, and Dragon kept extra close to him. It made me want to giggle. I pushed the double doors open to my room and Wyna was perched on my bed.
Her smile got wider when her eyes landed on Sterling."Cal is such a liar. You are gorgeous." She completely ignored me and flew straight to jerk face. When she finally acknowledged me, I could have died. "And you didn't want to go back to this, why?"
“He may be gorgeous, but his personality sucks." Sorry, not sorry. His lips went from amused to grim very fast. I shrugged. All I spoke was the truth.
Wyna's eyes were huge. "I can't believe you would speak to him this way." She turned to Sterling. "You can leave her here and bring me home instead."
Well, then. "I'm going to miss you too, Wyna."
"Please, tell me that you will visit. " She flew back to me quickly and landed on my shoulder.
"Depending on how the mirror works, I would love to." I was being honest too.
I had come to love all the differences in this world compared to my home. I loved Cajun food, but there was nothing like the food here or the people.
Wyna pointed to the bed. Sitting at the foot was a leather backpack similar to the one dragon had destroyed. I smiled, it was a wonderful parting gift.
She clucked her tongue. "In case you ever need a reminder of your time here, just reach into your pack, and my magic will do the rest.”
I wasn’t at all surprised that Armia skipped out on seeing us off, though I was surprised that she missed how good looking Sterling was. Wyna made a comment about it before the thought even popped into my head. It made sense. She seemed like the type to like a good bit of eye candy, Wyna’s words. Cal kissed my knuckles and let us be.
The mirror leaned up against the wall in my rooms, and my dragon had shrunk to size to be able to go through. Sterling pressed his palm against the glass, and the reflexion started to ripple, looking fluid. He poked his head through and then popped back out.
“I needed to make sure we were going to the right place.” He gave me a sheepish grin. I couldn’t return it, he was acting too sweet for my comfort.
“I think it would be fun to randomly pop in somewhere.” I gave him a Cheshire grin and cocked my head to the side. “Dinner and a show.”
He didn’t even crack a smile. Ahh, the facade was almost over with. “Come on now, we don’t want any interruptions.”
I stepped through the fluid material, and my body swayed. I felt myself tilt and the world went sideways. I recognized the library as the room went dark. Strong arms caught me, and I let myself fade peacefully into the water like substance I seemed to be caught in.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sterling
I was almost a second too late. Freya’s small frame collapsed into my arms. Her red locks fanned out around her face and almost touched the floor. Her eyelashes fluttered, but her eyes didn’t open. Her thick eyelashes fell against the freckles under her eyes. Her dragon blinked slowly and licked his teeth, almost as a warning. Ayre rushed forward and waved her hands in front of the mirror, the water like substance turned to tar. My mother was the next one in the room.
“They will come for her. You must know that.” My mother rushed forward and tried to take her from my hands. I pulled away, not keen on the idea of letting Freya go just yet. There was something comforting about being able to touch her. I didn’t know why, but I enjoyed it. Her presence, where it had bothered me before, it now soothed me.
“There isn’t much we can do about that,” I brushed a few loose strands of her hair from her forehead and swallowed hard.
“She is the only one that can dethrone Sariah.” Ayre paced back and forth in front of us.
“I know,” I said.
My mother cocked an eyebrow. “Is there something you need to tell us?”
“I met with Sariah.” I looked down at the look-alike in my arms and felt my stomach starting to hate me. Nausea was the best indicator of my nerves. “She told me that I was the only way to get Freya back.”
My mother’s eyes grew dark. “Is that so? How did she think you were to do that?” My mother pushed the doors open to the study and lead me to Freya’s bedroom. She wasn’t a big girl, but my arms were starting to fall asleep, and as much as I longed to hold her, I knew I couldn’t wait for much longer.
“I don’t know. I think her homesickness and my reacting was simply a coincidence, but honestly, I wouldn’t put it past Sariah to have pulled some elaborate scheme out of a hat.” When I entered Freya’s bedroom, I was relieved with the fact that my father had been thoughtful and actually positive about the situation. He had been more proactive than I had and had either ordered her an entire bedroom set or had used magic. He loved to spend money, so I was sure he had done just that. I laid her down on the soft green bedding and smiled.
She looked like a picture perfect sleeping beauty, and I was confused as to why I hadn’t seen it before. I had been so adamant on hating her that I hadn’t realized her potential with magic or her beauty. I had poisoned my own mind with my bad thoughts. Her dragon cuddled up to her, and when I went to say something about it, his nostrils started to smoke. Ayre just stared at the monstrous beast in shock, her mouth hung open slightly.
“That thing is v
ery interesting. Are you sure we should leave them alone?” My mother asked.
In response, the dragon shot out a bit of fire into the air, daring her to do something about it. My mother put her hands up in surrender, and we closed the doors. I leaned against the dark wood and peaked in the window to make sure I could still see her. Sariah would be making her appearance soon, this had no doubts about.
“What do you think Sariah will do?” Ayre asked us both. I didn’t say anything for a moment, too wrapped up in my own thoughts to even think on hers.
My mother was the first one to speak, “She is very sneaky, but she loves the praise of her accomplishments. She will want to take credit for her daughter being back in the city, or rather just this realm.”
“There is much to be discovered about the Mirror Realm,” I said, quietly.
“If anyone knows anything about the Mirror Realm it will be Madam Shriek.” My mother muttered.
“Why does it keep coming back to her? I see a cycle here that I don’t like. First the dragon egg and now she knows the most about the Mirror Realm?” I said, incredulously.
“Would you rather speak to her or your father?” My mother crossed her arms over her chest, and her eyebrows pinched together in anger. “Your father didn’t give her the dragon egg and isn’t a seer. On top of that, it’s probably still a good idea to at least bring him up to speed, to get his input on the situation.”
I peeked through the window and watched as Freya rolled over and blinked her eyes open. “I’ll let Freya decide that. She seems to have found father’s soft side.”
My mother’s face relaxed a tad and her lips quirked up gently. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Ayre shoved me away from the door and rushed to her friend. She didn’t have a care in the world as she held Freya close. Her eyes were squeezed shut as if Freya would disappear if she opened them. Like she had the best dream, and she couldn’t dare to wake up from it. When they pulled apart, it was like they had never separated. Their friendship picked up right where it left off. Their faces lit up, and their hands went flying as they both quickly filled each other in on what had happened while Freya was away.
Freya’s eyes flicked my way, and her face fell. I looked to the worn floor panels and walked away from them both. There was no use in trying to be a part of something I was not.
My mother caught up with me. “You can’t expect her to be warm to you. In fact, you can’t really expect anything from her. You messed up.”
“So, what do I do?” I turned away from her and looked out to the compound.
“You take it day by day and make it right. She will never forget what you did or what you said, but you can try to earn her forgiveness.” My mother’s hand trailed down my arm, and she took my hand in hers. “You can be a wonderful person when you want to be. Start choosing that side of yourself and she’ll see it. It might take a while, but she will.” She squeezed my fingers before she left me there to ponder her words.
The compound was quiet, though that wasn't unusual for a weekend. Many of the witches that lived in New Orleans weren't from here. They had been drawn here by our essence, and many of the others were here for sanctuary, from their own people or past covens, for whatever reason. We didn't ask army questions. I was sure my father knew much more than he led on too. He had his ways, and his magic was much different than any other witch I met.
My father didn't have a Magi. He wore many ornate pieces of jewelry, and it threw everyone else off. Everyone in the coven figured one of the many rings he wore was his magi, but I had seen him remove every single item from his skin. It would have caused him pain like no other to remove a magi. Like Ayre had told Freya. My mother had changed the subject any time I had brought it up. Ayre laughed it off like I was speaking crazy. I probably was. I didn't speak about it to anyone else, but as I paced my room, I had this growing thought. I tried to push it from my mind. I pressed my palms into my eyes, groaning in frustration.
I was acting crazy. This was crazy, but I did it anyway and shoved my bedroom doors open. I held my fist up and attempted to knock. She had put up thick orange curtains, and I couldn't see into her room. I held my breath and took a step backward. Then the double doors swung open and there she was. Her hair was braided away from her face, and she was wearing pajamas. I went to smile but realized she was scowling, so I continued to take a step back again.
"Can I help you?" She crossed her arms over her chest, closing herself off.
"Uh," My mouth went dry. I had never had issues insulting her or being mean. "I just wanted to talk to you about the Mirror Realm, it seemed very different."
"Different is an understatement," she said, coldly.
"Look, I'm not the enemy here." I held my hands up in surrender. "I just want to talk."
She bit her bottom lip and let her shoulders fall. "Fine," she mumbled.
"It's mostly about my father," I said.
She narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't want to get in the middle of your family issues."
"It's not like that." I paused. "They don't use magis in the Mirror Realm, right?" I barely remembered hearing that in one of her conversations with Cal, but I needed to know.
"They don't have magis, no." She sat on the corner of her now empty bed. The dragon nowhere to be seen, but the balcony window was wide open. I wondered how much time we had before he returned. I figured my best bet was to stay close to an exit, just in case.
"My father doesn't have a magi either." I let it process for a moment. Her eyes got wide. "My mother told me to talk to him about the Mirror Realm."
She nibbled on her lip for a minute. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Do you think he's from the Mirror Realm?"
"I'm not sure, but its suspicious. " I leaned against the wall and tried to keep my eyes off of her. A few strands of hair had escaped the knot on her head and were framing her face now. My fingers itched to brush the frays of hair behind her small ears.
"You don't have a good relationship with your dad, do you?" She pulled a pillow from the head of the bed and hugged it close to her chest.
I shook my head. "Not entirely."
She frowned. "I'm sorry, I wish I had known my father."
Guilt surged through my body. Here I was having stupid animosity with my father, and she had never met hers before. She probably would never get to know him. I wasn't sure who he was either.
"I wish I could help you know who he is, but that was before my time." I shoved my hands into my pockets. "Well, before the time I remember."
She nodded and sat back. "You've always lived in the compound?"
I looked away from her and looked out to the night. I could barely see the night stars, but they were there; just distant. "Yes, I've never left New Orleans. My mother is the High Priestess, so she leaves on business often, but we are always required to stay home. It's safer here."
Freya gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry I've been cold, you have been nothing but nice to me since I got back..." She trailed off and closed her eyes. My mouth went dry, she was good. She was the kind of good I didn't deserve.
"There is absolutely nothing you need to apologize for. I don't deserve this small talk. My character was despicable. I don't know why I reacted to you that way." I scrubbed my hands down my face. "But I never plan on acting like that again. I am the one that is sorry."
A crash had me jerking my head toward the doorway where Ayre stood with her mouth agape. Two broken mugs were at her feet. The brown contents splattered on the doors and the bottoms of her light pink leggings. She waved her hand dismissively, and the pieces started to put themselves back together above the ground.
"Did he just apologize?" Ayre let the mugs do their thing as she came farther into the room. Her magic doing all the work for her as her mind processed what was happening.
I rolled my eyes. "The theatrics were cute when you were a toddler, but they're just plain annoying now."
She stuck her tongue out at me, and the softest of gig
gles had me whipping around. Freya had her hand over her mouth and the prettiest mischief twinkling in her eye.
Ayre let out an exasperated huff and rolled her eyes. "Fine, you two get cozy, I'll go and make some more hot chocolate." She cocked her hip and looked at me. "But when I get back you better be gone. Freya promised me a Harry Potter marathon, and she swears they're good. I don't need you around sucking all the fun."
"She secretly enjoys me spending time with you." I snickered.
"I don't believe you at all." She laughed.
I shrugged and was about to say something when she beat me to it, "How did you know they didn't use magis in the Mirror Realm?"
We were starting to get on better ground, I didn't want to destroy that by lying. "When we repaired the mirror, we were able to watch you."
Her face turned almost as bright as her hair. She stood up from the bed quickly, marching toward me. "You watched me?"
"Not entirely." I moved my weight from one foot to the other, afraid she was going to hit me again.
I wondered if I should wait it out and help her simmer down or flee.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Her hair was starting to lift from her shoulders.
"I was obsessed in the beginning. I had driven you away. I was the reason for everything. All I could think about was fixing the situation. Being back in my parent's good graces." Her eyes softened as she looked up at me, but her hair continued to float." Then I saw you. You were brave and fearless and nothing I had played you out to be. At every single turn, you proved me wrong."
"And then what?" She took a step back.
"And then my mother and Ayre put it into perspective, and I stopped." I bit my lip. "After that, I only watched to protect you. Sariah started a new game, and I don't want to scare you, but I was afraid."
"Is that when you decided to come for me?" She twisted a strand of hair around her finger, and her Magi caught the light just right, sending thousands on red sparkles onto the wall.
