by L. Danvers
I cupped the back of my neck. “Um. Yeah. I’m needing to refresh my wardrobe. I don’t even know where to start.”
She eyed me curiously for a moment and then proceeded to ask me a few questions. When she felt she’d gathered enough information, she scooped up items from every corner of her shop—shirts, dresses, jeans, skirts and even a few pairs of shoes. I thanked her for her help and returned to the dressing room hall around the corner of the back of the shop.
Grace was primping in front of the mirror, this time in a completely new outfit.
“Love it,” I said, nodding with approval before she had a chance to ask.
“Me, too.”
I slipped into one of the dressing rooms and tried on the sundress first. It was bright yellow and made me feel like sunshine was radiating from me. I tilted my head to the side, thinking. The dress fit well. I just wasn’t sure if it was me enough.
I didn’t even know who I was anymore.
Next outfit: white blouse, black leather skirt and knee-high boots.
Cute, but still not me.
Another attempt: black tank top with an olive jacket and jeans. I tilted my head to the side. The fit was feminine, but it was still comfortable. Something I could move in. Run in, if needed. It was sad that life had come to that: picking outfits based on how easily you could flee—or fight—in them.
And yet, it was an important consideration.
Lifting my chin, I ran my fingers through my hair, tousling it as I made sure I looked good from every angle.
Yep. This was me. Feminine, but not frilly. Tough, but not in your face about it.
Nodding to reassure myself, I popped my head out of the dressing room and waved to catch the shop owner’s attention. Noticing me, a smile stretched across her face, and she sauntered over. “Found something you like?”
“Yes,” I said, stepping out so that she could see the full outfit.
Her cheeks dimpled as she nodded in approval. “It’s a great look.”
“Could you help me find some more outfits with this sort of style?”
“Absolutely.”
Grace and I must have spent an hour or more in that shop, but by the time we were done, we each had a full week’s worth of outfits—shirts, pants, shoes, accessories and all. After we paid, we went ahead and changed into one of our new looks.
Grace looked like a runway model. She was tall and thin and had the personality to rock any look. She’d gone with all black today—jacket, jeans and knee-high boots.
We also picked out a few fun things for ourselves—my favorite being the matching compact mirrors. They were bright gold with intricate swirls etched on the lids. They looked like something you’d find in an antique shop, not a boutique.
We walked out of there with our heads held high, laughing together. Feeling beautiful and forgetting, even if for a moment, all the chaos of the days before.
But the relief was short-lived. Because a crowd had gathered around an electronics store down the street, and the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach told me I probably knew what they were doing.
Sure enough, by the time we reached the horde of strangers huddled together, we saw that the news was on. Grace and I slinked over to see if there were any new updates. As we forced ourselves into the center of the crowd, two guys behind us started speculating.
“It’s a government cover-up,” the guy in the gray hoodie asserted. “Has to be. Who else would have the technology to keep a place like that hidden? They’re acting like they had no idea that place was there, but come on. How could they not know?”
The guy next to him shook his head. He scratched his scraggly beard before folding his arms across his belly—right above his Ancient Aliens T-shirt. “No way, man. It has to be aliens. Think about it: they could have landed here and wiped away our memories of them.”
The guy in the hoodie scoffed. “Then why don’t they just wipe our memories again?”
“Who says they aren’t planning on it?”
Grace and I exchanged a knowing glance. Although, to be fair, the reality that supernaturals inhabited Crescent Cape wasn’t all that more “out there” than the idea that aliens had set up a post there. I wondered if aliens were real, too. I’d have to ask Julian about it. At this point, nothing he could say would surprise me. For all I knew, Sasquatch was out there, too.
Grace shifted uncomfortably as the group started blurting out various conspiracy theories—crazy things about spies and wars. One even suggested magic was at play. They started getting more incensed, arguing and even pushing one another as theories and accusations grew rampant. “Let’s get out of here,” Grace muttered under her breath. And she pushed her way through the crowd. I followed right behind.
Neither one of us said a word the entire way back to Ben’s.
Aiden
I slinked my fingers between Victoria’s as we strolled through downtown Quarter Square, and she gave my hand a squeeze. It was cool outside—not quite cold enough to justify the gloves she was wearing, but people were too busy discussing the news to notice her out-of-place attire. The spell Grace had performed using the leaf from the Silverleaf sapling had halted the process of Victoria fading into oblivion, but the skin along her hand and forearm was faded to such a degree that defied rational explanation. Hence, the gloves. Things would get easier for a while as we moved into the cooler months, but by April, they would get harder to explain.
But, as far as obstacles we were facing went, it wasn’t a huge one. I was certain we’d come up with some sort of explanation. Or maybe there was another spell that could help her...
“Would you care for a drink?” I asked as we stepped over a crack in the sidewalk.
“Aiden, it’s not even Noon.”
I chuckled. “I meant coffee.” I gestured toward the coffee shop to our right. When she slowed down to a stop, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window’s reflection. I looked as disheveled on the outside as I felt inside. Straightening my posture, my jaw set. Slouchy wasn’t a good look on me.
“Coffee sounds lovely.”
I held the door open for my beloved Victoria and followed her inside. A bright-eyed barista greeted us with a warm smile even though she was busy with a customer. I studied the girl as she cheerily took orders and filled them. She exuded pure happiness, and when it was our turn in line, I couldn’t help but grin at the name on her tag: Joy. It suited her perfectly.
Victoria placed her hands on the counter and leaned in. “What do you recommend?”
“Is this your first time here?”
Victoria nodded.
Joy tilted her head and thought on it for a moment. “You can’t go wrong with a cappuccino. And you have to try one of our maple pecan scones. They’re to die for.”
Victoria glanced at me over her shoulder, silently seeking my input. I nodded and told Joy we’d take two of each. After I slipped her the money—including a generous tip in appreciation of her welcoming demeanor—Victoria and I found a table for two next to the window.
Victoria rested her hand on her chin and tapped her fingernails along her cheek. “So...”
“So...” I replied.
I took her free hand and stroked my thumb along the back of her glove. A smile graced her face. She made eye contact with me, and I held it. Part of me wanted to tell her I was ready to leave everything behind. To start over. To leave and never look back.
And yet...
Crescent Cape was my home. Yes, I’d seen the world a time or two. But I’d spent nearly a thousand years ruling over the lands not far from here. And all at once, my world had turned upside down.
Victoria cleared her throat. Quietly, she spoke. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Releasing a breath, my lips curved into a smile. How could I stay upset when I had this beautiful creature sitting across from me? In some strange twist of fate, Princess Bianca had made a terrible miscalculation. She thought awakening Victoria from her eternal slu
mber would drive a wedge between me and Danielle. Perhaps it did. But what did it matter? She wasn’t my person, and I wasn’t hers. Yes, the feelings I’d had for her were strong. But it had been so many years since I’d loved anyone, and I hadn’t realized how those feelings paled in comparison to what I felt for Victoria until she was returned to me.
Victoria was the epitome of everything that was right and just and good. She was humble and had this gentle strength about her. She had loved me when I thought I was unlovable. And she loved me still, after everything I’d done.
Was I wrong for not giving her a chance at a better life?
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, then released her hand and sat back in my chair as Joy brought our order to our table. Victoria took a bite of the scone and moaned in delight, urging for me to try mine, too.
Instead, I sipped from my drink. “What do you want to do, Victoria?”
Eyelashes fluttering, she shrugged.
“I mean it. You’ve told me over and over again that you’d follow me anywhere. And believe me, I appreciate that. But you haven’t once told me what you want.”
She sighed, pushing her plate away. “Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
Her chin lifted. “I think we should leave. I know it’ll be hard. I know you’ll miss your siblings. But now, there’s not anything we can do to help them. Without your powers, you’re a liability.”
My eyebrows lifted.
“I’m sorry. But you said you wanted to know how I felt.”
Fair enough.
She played with the ends of her blonde hair while she thought to herself. “We could have everything we ever dreamed of—the life we were supposed to have before—”
“Before Julian ruined everything.”
She dipped her head. “He loves you, you know.”
I laughed.
“He does. And I know you love him just the same.”
And she was right. Despite the numerous times my brother had let me down, screwed me over or gone off the deep end, I loved him. And I always would.
Victoria’s eyes sparkled with hope. “We could get a house somewhere. It doesn’t have to be too far from here—enough distance to get away from all of this,” she said, waving her hand to signify the chaos all around us, “but close enough that we could visit from time to time.”
Maybe she was right. Maybe I was making the idea of leaving a bigger deal than it needed to be. This didn’t have to be goodbye forever. It wasn’t like we couldn’t come back after things settled down.
And anyway, I was more than ready to start a life with her. That’s all I’d ever wanted. All she’d ever wanted.
I was an idiot.
What was I waiting for? How many people got second chances like this?
“Marry me,” I blurted out.
She gave a coy smile. “I’m sorry?”
“We’ll leave this place and start over wherever you want. But first, marry me. Here in Quarter Square so my family can attend.”
Her eyebrows drew together skeptically. “Are you certain?”
“Victoria, I waited lifetimes to find a woman like you, and I loved you for lifetimes after you were gone. And I love you as much now as I ever did.” I smiled, and she batted her eyelashes to flutter away the tears that were starting to form. I leaned in closer still. “I know you feel the same. Of course I’m certain. We’ve waited long enough, haven’t we?”
Her cheeks flushed. Suppressing the giddiness bubbling up inside of her, she nodded aggressively. “Yes. Yes, let’s do it.”
VICTORIA AND I SPENT the entire afternoon dreaming and planning. We decided to have a courthouse wedding followed by a small reception at a nice restaurant. Victoria assured me that a simple wedding would suit her fine. The wedding was just a day, she assured me. It was the marriage that she was excited about.
Our first mission was to secure a restaurant. We planned to get married Thursday—it would be enough time to tie together some loose ends, and it was a random enough day of the week that we could secure a venue without much of an issue.
It took us three tries to find a restaurant in Quarter Square with a private room, but we found it. It was a secret little spot I never would have known was there had another restaurant owner not suggested it as an alternative.
Olive and Gin was a high-end establishment situated right on the corner of the main intersection in downtown. But in order to get to it, you had to enter through an unassuming door that looked like it led to a dinky storage room rather than a five-star eatery. Inside was a rickety staircase, but once we went up and entered the restaurant, we were transported to a place that looked like it was straight out of a magazine.
The rich, brick walls housed floor-length windows that spanned along one side, revealing a breathtaking view of the bustling town below. The combination of dim lighting and grand chandeliers was as romantic of an atmosphere as one could hope for.
I leaned over and whispered into Victoria’s ear, “Not bad, huh?” I gave her a wink.
“Not bad at all,” she said, patting my chest.
After chatting with the manager and sampling a few appetizers, we went ahead and made reservations.
After that, we stopped by a bakery, a flower shop and even a dress boutique. I reminded Victoria that it was bad luck for a groom to see his bride’s dress before the wedding. She laughed at that. “We certainly don’t need any more bad luck now, do we?” she said.
So, I waited on a bench outside while she picked out a wedding dress.
I reclined, resting the back of my head against the cool window, smiling at nothing in particular. I felt... happy. It was pitiful how foreign that emotion felt to me. But if this was a glimpse of what my new life as a human would look like, then I had a beautiful life to look forward to with my soon-to-be bride.
My eyes had grown heavy by the time Victoria finished—so much so that she startled me when she rested her hand on my shoulder. “Aiden, are you awake?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, dragging my hand from my forehead to my chin, forcing my eyes to widen to appear alert. “Did you find a dress?”
She pursed her pink lips together, cheeks flushing. “You’re going to love it.”
“You’d look beautiful in anything, my dear.”
She handed me my credit card, and I extended an arm to carry her bags for her. My arm buckled when she handed them over—I hadn’t expected them to be so heavy. She chuckled and shrugged sheepishly, then hooked her arm around mine.
It was late afternoon, and storm clouds were now gathering in the sky. Victoria and I picked up the pace, wanting to get back to Uncle Ben’s before the rain came. His house had just come into sight when an alarm blared from the phone in my pocket, making me jump.
Perplexed, Victoria’s eyebrows rose. “What’s happening?”
I fished the phone out of my pocket and checked the notification on the screen. “Breaking News: Another stretch of land has been uncovered off the coast of Portugal.” I lifted my head to the sky as the realization set in.
“What is it?” Victoria pressed, inching closer.
“The Kingdom of the Silver Seas...”
Danielle
The windows rattled as thunder clanged outside. I peered through the blinds. Sheets of rain poured from the dark sky.
At the twist of the doorknob, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Aiden and Victoria entered Ben’s home. They were drenched, and puddles were forming beneath their feet, collecting on the tiled entryway floor.
“Whoa,” Ben said, jumping up from his recliner. “Let me get you some towels.”
They nodded half-heartedly. Victoria pulled her soaked blonde tresses back and twisted them, releasing the water from their hold. Meanwhile, Aiden was wiping the water out of his eyes. “I guess you got the alert, too,” he said to us.
“It was hard to miss,” Julian muttered.
Everyone’s phones had buzzed at the exact same time. Grace and I had hovered over Jul
ian’s shoulder to see what was going on, and as soon as he’d finished scanning the alert, he turned up the volume on the TV.
Sure enough, the television soon showed satellite images of the latest “mysterious location.” Given that it was off the coast of Portugal, Grace put the pieces together before I had the chance to say anything. She offered me a sidelong glance, and I nodded with understanding.
I chewed on my thumbnail, eyes now glued to the screen. This was the second kingdom to be revealed, and I wondered how long it would be before the humans figured out that these hidden locales were indeed kingdoms home to supernatural beings. The conspiracies were already beginning to form in their minds. They were arguing over the possibilities about what those places were. Fighting over them, even.
And the Kingdom of the Silver Seas... it was so disconnected from the world. You had to pass through a portal housed inside a cavern to even access it—at least, that was the case when it was veiled by magic. And the only way in or out of there was by boat. What were the supernaturals there going to do? Stay and hope for the best? Flee while they still could? Were there enough boats in the kingdom for everyone to get out of there?
My lips pressed together as my gaze dragged toward Xander. The way he was looking at Grace suggested he knew what was on her mind, too. That her father was behind this. And that this might still be just the beginning of what Reed Carlisle had in store.
I scratched the back of my neck. I found their relationship strange. Sometimes it was hard to tell whether Xander and Grace hated each other or...
“Here you go,” Ben said, tossing Aiden and Victoria two fluffy blue towels. The pair immediately patted their skin, doing what they could to soak up all the excess moisture. “Did you two have enough time to think things through?”
Aiden looked at Victoria and sighed before focusing his attention on the TV. “I don’t know that it’s the best time to talk about this.”
Ben shook his head and chuckled. “Are you new here? If you haven’t noticed, there’s never a good time. If you wait until everything is perfect before you decide to start living your life, then I’m afraid you’re going to be waiting a very long time. You don’t have forever anymore, you know.”