“I’m really tired, can we talk tomorrow?”
She picked up her glasses from the coffee table and slid them on, focusing on me. “Please tell me, after almost eighteen years, I don’t actually have to start parenting?” she groaned.
“I’m sorry I missed dinner.”
“It’s not just about dinner. This handsome stranger shows up here this morning, and then I don’t see you for the rest of the day. I tried calling you on your cell phone and it went straight to voicemail like a gazillion times. It’s like you just…vanished.”
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what else to say.” Actually, I could think of a million things to say.
“You know, I never used to worry about you…but right now…you remind me of... me,” she said with distain.
“Is that such a bad thing?” I wanted this conversation to be over. I was tired and getting defensive. I started to walk up the stairs when she raised her voice.
“The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, Swayzi. I do know a thing or two about falling head first for a handsome stranger.” She glanced at Daylan’s leather jacket that hung loosely off of my body.
“Linda, that’s not what this is.” I turned away and continued up the stairs. Linda got up and followed.
“Then what is it? You used to tell me everything and suddenly now you’ve decided to become a teenager?”
The old hardwood floor creaked beneath me when I reach the top of the stairs. “I’ve just had a long day. I promise I’m not becoming a jerk teenager,” I pleaded, now standing at my bedroom door.
Linda stomped her way up the stairs. “Raise your right hand and promise on Coldplay never breaking up that you are not becoming a teenager that I have to parent.”
I raised my right hand. “I swear on Coldplay never breaking up that you will not have to parent me.” I smiled wryly, rolling my eyes.
“Good,” she sighed. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
I opened my door, and Linda squeezed my hand. “Talk tomorrow?”
“Yes, tomorrow. Love you, mom.” I hugged her.
Over my shoulder, she saw Penelope already passed out in my bed. “Do I need to call Mr. and Mrs. Rune?” she whispered.
“No, it’s okay.”
“She’s not drunk, is she?”
“No, Linda, really, we’re both fine.”
“Okay, tomorrow then.” She smiled.
“Tomorrow.”
I watched her go to her own room before I stepped into mine, closed the door, and sighed. I draped Daylan’s jacket over my chair and peeled off my soiled clothes and put on the first tee I found in my drawer. It was a Pittsburgh Steelers tee I stole from Tyler one year when Linda and I painted our house.
I was twelve years old when Linda and I painted my room. For some reason, I had decided that I hated the color pink, and when Linda told me to pick any color I wanted, I picked an awful Easter Egg purple.
That night, we stayed up until three a.m. painting my bedroom, listening to old music and laughing. The image of Linda singing “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls into her paint brush was permanently burned into my brain. Though the color was hideous, I never wanted to paint it again for fear of losing those happy memories. I scratched at the purple paint still on Tyler’s tee-shirt and I smiled.
Penelope had helped herself to some pajamas. I had to physically push her over to get into the bed. I thought after the day I had, I would have too much to think about to sleep, but exhaustion won the second my head hit the pillow.
The next morning, the tiny hairs on the back of my neck were standing straight up when I had this strange feeling that someone was watching me. My eyes shot open to find Penelope laying close enough for our noses to touch.
“Morning,” I grunted.
Her eyes wandered over my face. “I never thought it was possible to see one person change so much in such a short time,” she said, almost talking to herself.
“Change? How?” I turned on my back and brushed the hair from my eyes.
“You’re healthier. It’s like a special potion has been injected into your veins. You seem more confident too”—she paused—“and happy.”
“Confused is more like it,” I said.
“About?”
“Everything. Daylan, Tyler. You, I’m definitely confused about you. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.”
“Maybe I can answer some questions,” she offered.
I leaned on my elbow and looked at her. “You were sent here to watch over me?”
“Yes.”
“Are your parent’s witches too? Your siblings?”
“They aren’t my parents or siblings, actually,” she admitted warily.
“What?” I sat up. “So, who are they?” I was dumbfounded.
“They’re distant family members.” She sighed. Her answers were vague. I suspected she wasn’t telling me everything. I felt betrayed.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I feel kind of stupid. I just thought we were a lot closer than this,” I said sharply.
“We are. Yes, our friendship isn’t conventional, but I love you, Swayzi. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and I’ve lived a long time.”
“A long time? Wait, how old are you?” I asked.
“Ugh, I don’t know. I’ve lost track. Five hundred-ish years—”
“What?! I can’t believe this!” I fell back onto my pillow and covered my eyes.
Penelope pulled my arm from my face. “As a witch, when you become of age your powers surface. As long as you practice magic on a regular basis, you don’t age,” she explained.
I opened my eyes and looked at her. Her dark brown hair looked almost black in the bright sunlight and her brown eyes were hopeful as per usual. But as I searched those eyes looking for something familiar, I didn’t see anything I recognized.
“So, you don’t actually have to go to school or work at the café or at the farmer’s market on Sundays?”
“I don’t have to go to school. That was more of a front. But I work at the café because I do need money to live. As for the farmer’s market, that was my deal with the Rune Family to earn my keep. It sounds a lot worse than it is, like I betrayed you in some way, but it was never like that. I was always looking out for your best interests. I wanted to keep you safe.”
“But why?” I couldn’t understand why anyone would go through so much trouble for me.
“You’re going to save the world one day, Swayzi Solasta,” she said. Her statement was so matter-of-fact, it terrified me.
“No pressure,” I joked.
“I’m serious. How you were last night, when you took charge at the café like that—that is what I’m talking about. I saw the royalty in you, the true heir to the throne of Empress. I always knew you had it in you, but you never let it out until now.”
I thought of Daylan and the way he smiled with approval when I began taking control. How even though I doubted myself, I could look at him and know he believed in me.
“I don’t understand, Penelope. I’ve been so sick. I could have died. Didn’t you fear you were wasting your time?”
“I did everything I could to keep you as healthy as possible. But magic-wise, there’s only so much I can do. We were hoping you would make it to your eighteenth birthday, in which case, you would be of age to take the throne.”
My eighteenth birthday was in a few days. I touched the necklace around my neck, thinking of my father. If only I could talk to him, I would have so many questions.
“We?” I prodded further.
“I’ll tell you all about that when the time is right.”
“Fine. But can you at least tell me more about you?”
Penelope obliged, telling me about where she was born in Italy, how she grew up, and all about her past as a witch. Her life had been incredible.
“What do you know about Daylan and his family?” I couldn’t hide my curiosity. I needed to know more about him.
“I knew his father, Hawthorne. He was good at his job protecting the King, very loyal but strict, never trusted easily and always had a backup plan. He’s a very strong, solid faerie. I imagine he is still like that.”
I pictured Daylan as a child, a tired boy learning to fight until sundown. My heart ached for him.
“So, Tyler.” She raised her eyebrows, changing the subject. “I thought that would have happened years ago. Why now?”
“He kissed me,” I hesitated. “Oh, I wanted to kill him. I couldn’t believe he would risk our friendship. But then it felt”—my cheeks flushed—“it felt like we had kissed countless times before—it felt right.” I held my pillow over my face and groaned. “I don’t know what to do. I love him so much it hurts. He knows me better than anyone. And when he kisses me.” I let out a scream into the pillow. “Can you imagine what it’s like realizing how unbelievably hot your best friend is?”
“You don’t actually expect me to believe you didn’t realize how hot Tyler was,” she teased.
“Of course, I knew he was attractive. I mean—look at him.” My eyes bulged at the thought of him with his shirt off. “I just didn’t give myself permission to actually…you know…appreciate him in that way.”
“You and Daylan, though. The connection the two of you have is scary.”
“I know. It’s incredible.”
“No, Swayzi. Look…faeries—they have a way of making you feel like you’re the only person in the world—trust me, I know. I wish I had the time to explain how dangerous they can really be. I suppose you saw a taste of that last night. You need to be careful.”
“I know he’s dangerous. I can feel it. But that’s part of what is so intriguing. He’s different and mysterious, and I like that I don’t know him completely. He opens up a new world—literally. But I trust that he would never hurt me. Isn’t that enough?”
I wanted so badly for it to be enough, but somewhere deep inside a voice told me Penelope was right, that I couldn’t ignore her warnings. Still…
“He’s beautiful, Penelope. I mean, he’s basically an angel. Who can say that they love an angel?”
“You love him?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
“I don’t know…I mean…I think so. I imagine if love at first sight is actually possible, this would be it. I get caught up when I’m with him, like I want to completely lose myself in him. When he touches me, I feel excited and scared all at the same time. Seeing him fight yesterday, seeing what he was really capable of—I know he’s dangerous. He almost seems out of reach—unreal. He’s probably lived ten of my lifetimes. How could I ever catch up to that?”
I was rambling, trying to make sense of it all. But saying the words out loud had a profound effect on me.
I did love Daylan.
But I loved Tyler, too.
“How could I ever choose between them?” I questioned myself.
“You don’t,” she said sternly. “Just be honest. Tell them both how you’re feeling, and if they don’t want to wait for you—they aren’t worth your time.” She shrugged.
This moment between us reminded me of what our friendship had been before I learned Penelope was a witch. It reassured me that maybe our friendship could be saved.
“Good idea. Be honest,” I said.
Before I got dressed for the day, I paused in front of the mirror, wearing only boxer shorts and a grey Calvin Klein sports bra. My hair fell loosely over my shoulders, brushing my hips. The wavy curls were full with a slight glow from the morning sun shining through my bedroom window. My cheeks were rosy like they had been pinched, and the circles typically under my eyes were almost completely gone. For the first time in years, I actually looked my age.
I ran my fingers over my collarbone and down my rib cage and touched my hip bones that normally stuck out jagged, but today I could barely feel them at all. I pinched the skin below my belly button, relieved that there was something to pinch at all.
I snickered until it turned into a belly laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Penelope asked. “Nothing, it’s just…” I couldn’t contain my laughter. Seeing my body this healthy was something I had dreamt about my entire life. How had I not noticed this the day before? Or the day before that? I began weeping grabbing and pulling blissfully on every part of my body.
Penelope stood behind me looking into the mirror, seeing what I saw. She wrapped her arms around my waist, her hands settling over my belly button, and her chin rested on my shoulder. “You look beautiful.”
I took a long, deep breath, feeling my lungs contract evenly. I put my hand to my chest and closed my eyes as I listened to my steady beating heart. Daylan’s presence was the reason for this new life. It was a miracle, and it made me crave him more. I wanted to feel this good forever.
Penelope let me revel in my new-found health before she brought me back to reality. “What are you going to do about Linda?” she asked.
I sighed.
Linda’s heart shone brighter than anyone I knew. Her flighty personality always bordered on immature but that was part of her charm. She seemed younger than her years, naïve almost, but I envied her ability to find happiness in the darkest of times. For some reason, I had an unshakeable urge to protect her from Empress. That world would crush her; I could feel it.
I wiped my tears away. “Right now, nothing. I already told Tyler, and I shouldn’t have. I don’t want Linda in the same danger.”
“Life goes on as usual?” Penelope asked with a tinge of skepticism.
“Yes, as much as possible.” I forced myself to be confident. I had never lied to Linda before, and my shoulders sagged a little knowing I would have to.
“Speaking of normal,” I added, “Tyler asked me to go to the Halloween Dance with him this weekend.”
“I know.” She grinned.
My face flushed. “You heard?”
“Of course, I heard,” she said almost jumping up and down, a little too excited. Penelope was definitely on Team Tyler.
Faeries and witches have a strained relationship, and I could tell she didn’t want me with Daylan. Daylan, on the other hand, seemed more open to creating an alliance with Penelope. His only suspicion of her had to do with the fire at the café.
“Hey, I know this is kind of a weird question,” I asked, “but did you start the fire at the café?” I was tired of all the lies. I wanted everything out in the open.
She hesitated for a moment, surprised at my question. “Before I knew who Daylan was, I thought he was dangerous—that he was after you in some way. I tried to get you to stay at the café, but when you left, I had to do something to get you away from him.”
“Penelope, that was dangerous! Not to mention it is Linda’s livelihood,” I scolded.
“The insurance company covered the cost, didn’t they?” she asked nervously.
“Yes, but that didn’t cover the downtime. We’ve been closed for over a week.”
“I’m sorry. I kind of panicked.” She bit her lip anxiously.
“My insurance claims from over the summer have been denied. Linda owes a ridiculous amount of money, and I’m worried about her. She was talking about taking out a second mortgage on the house.”
“Oh, Swayzi. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“From now on, if you’re concerned for my safety in any way, just tell me. Whatever it is, I can handle it. No more lies.”
“No more lies.” She nodded in agreement.
“Come on, let’s get some coffee,” I offered. We left my bedroom holding hands and went downstairs.
“Good morning, ladies.” Linda smiled while reading the newspaper, drinking a cup of coffee. She was dressed in jeans and a dress blouse, and her hair was reasonably tamed.
“You look nice, Linda.” Penelope grinned, helping herself to a cup of coffee.
“Social services making a house call?” I teased her.
“Very funny. I have an appointment at the bank this morning, and then I�
�m headed to the café to finish everything up. The reopening is tomorrow,” she said cheerfully.
“That’s great.” My eyes met Penelope’s from across the kitchen. I could tell she was remorseful about the added expense she had caused. I knew how she felt. Knowing Linda was under financial strain because of me made me feel terribly guilty.
“I wanted to talk to you about something before I left,” Linda said, looking excited but nervous.
“Okay, good or bad?” I poured a cup of coffee and braced myself.
“Good. I spoke with Doctor Cooper, as well as Principal Austen. All of us think it might be time for you to return to school.”
“What? No. I’m not ready for that yet.” I had bigger concerns than finishing high school.
“Swayzi, your health has taken a turn for the better. I’ve been watching you these past few weeks, and it’s unbelievable. Your movements are swifter, your cheeks have more color and you have all this energy. When was the last time you took one of your pain killers?”
I didn’t answer because I wasn’t sure.
“Maybe it’s time you got back into your regular routine. You could graduate with Penelope and Tyler like you’ve always wanted to,” she encouraged.
“I can get my GED and help you out at the café,” I argued. How could I even think about something as mundane as graduating high school when the fate of the world was resting on my shoulders?
“Just think about it, okay?” Linda asked before she finished her coffee. “I’ll meet you at the school at three o’clock for Tyler’s swim meet,” she said, ruffling my hair when she passed me.
“I’ll think about it,” I promised.
“Bye, Linda!” Penelope shouted as Linda shut the door. “She’s seriously the best person to ever live.”
“She really is.”
After breakfast, I pulled the pre-paid cell phone from my pocket and dialed one of the five numbers. “Glad to see you figured out how to answer the cell phone,” I teased.
“Your confidence in my technical skills is astounding,” Daylan quipped.
“It’s not just your technical skills I doubt in this human world. Your sandwich-eating skills rank somewhere below a three-year-old’s. A smart three-year-old, mind you, but a toddler nonetheless.” I could feel his smile on the other end.
Empress Unveiled Page 15
