by J. M. Stengl
“I hope so.”
Ellie spun to face Omar. She could not read his expression through his mask but sensed waves of uncertainty and hurt. “Omar,” she breathed, and his expression brightened, for in that one word she revealed her feelings for him.
“Dance with me?” His whisper was a plea.
Ellie laid her hand in his and waited for the music to start. Other couples joined them on the floor, but Ellie saw only Omar. He looked amazing in a tuxedo, its snowy collar and cravat bright against his dark skin; and his eyes glittered through the eye-holes of a simple domino. She did not expect him to dance as well as Briar, but it didn’t matter. She was thrilled to dance with him no matter what!
Having no dance card, she had no idea what to expect, so when a trumpet played the first notes, she nearly laughed aloud. A salsa dance? This should be interesting.
But when Omar spun her into a firm hold then began to sway with her to the beat, his eyes locked on hers, she quickly adjusted her expectations and followed his lead.
Dancing with Briar had been fun; this dance was a taste of heaven. Omar danced the salsa with grace and confidence, Ellie’s full skirts swished around her legs and his, and the sultry music seemed to move their bodies with its power. They danced around each other, apart then together, touching and releasing, their eyes locked between spins. Ellie felt as if a lost part of herself had returned, and the sensation was marvelous. Once again, the other dancers circled to watch, clapping and shouting to the rapid beat. And when Omar laid her back over his arm for a spectacular finale, she stared up into his eyes sparkling through his black mask and felt fully alive.
The cheers and applause were even louder this time, and when they straightened, held hands, and took a bow, Ellie realized that every human in the room had gathered to watch that dance. In all her years at Faraway Castle, nothing quite like this had happened before.
But then the band swept into a waltz, and couples rejoined them on the dance floor. Omar gave her a questioning look, and she turned to take his hand and begin. This time they simply waltzed like everyone else, and it was possibly even better. She felt like thistledown in his light clasp, airy and free. His dark eyes studied her face, yet she could not guess his thoughts. Had he learned how to hide his emotions from her? No one but the Gamekeeper—and Briar—had successfully done so before.
“What are you thinking, Omar?” she asked. “You look so . . . intense.”
“I am thinking how incredibly beautiful you are,” he said in his silky voice, and Ellie’s knees nearly melted. “Why did you decide to come tonight?”
She lowered her gaze to his tie. After an uncomfortable moment, she said, “I always wanted to come with you, but I was afraid.”
“Afraid? Of me?”
She shook her head decidedly and felt her ponytail swish over her bare shoulders. “Never of you. Of your parents, of your people, of . . . of Madame Genevieve. And a little afraid of myself. There is much you don’t know about me, Omar. To be honest, there is much I don’t know about myself.”
“Isn’t that true of most people? We are always discovering who we want to be and who we truly are. Our actions reveal our hearts, and I find your heart even more beautiful than your face.”
He had danced her to the side of the dance floor nearest the garden doors. Taking her by the hand, he walked her through the throng of guests and out onto the wide deck. There, beneath the stars, several other couples sat together on the low wall or embraced, oblivious to their surroundings. Omar led Ellie down a set of steps nearly hidden beneath arbors covered in flowering vines and into a narrow garden that bloomed in glowing, magical splendor thanks to Rosa’s rare gift. Carnations, phlox, moonflowers, and lilies blended rich scents into a heady perfume. Hand in hand they wandered the garden paths until Omar found an unoccupied bench beneath a vine-draped pergola. He pulled off his mask, laid his jacket on the bench to protect Ellie’s gown, then sat beside her.
“Ellie, you already know, but I must tell you again: I have never loved anyone the way I love you. You are everything I most admire. You are strong and independent, yet gentle and generous. You think of other people before yourself and never seem aware of your own beauty and charm. I love watching you with my younger siblings and can easily imagine raising a family with you. You use your magical gifts to benefit others, not yourself; and you even demonstrate love to hobgoblins and brownies, creatures few people notice, let alone befriend.”
He paused and swallowed hard. “I ask now if you would consider marrying me and moving to my country. If you would rather that I stay in the north with you, I will do it. I would almost prefer that, particularly during summers. We could return here for holidays, or you could even work here if you like. I believe you should develop and use your magical gifts, and I don’t think you would be happy living an idle life. Please say you will think about it, Ellie.”
She might have broken into his speech had she been able to find her voice. His loving words had choked her up completely, and now she had to release a gasp like a sob before she could speak. “You are the dearest . . .! Omar, you say the kindest things, but why would you wish to marry a nobody like me? I . . . I round up cinder sprites for a living! You could have any lady or princess at this resort.”
“Not one lady or princess at Faraway Castle or anywhere else has ever captured my heart the way you do. I was a lost man from the time you poured lemonade down my back. I had noticed you before then, but only from a distance. Once I looked into your eyes, there was no turning back. You are not a nobody; you are more of a ‘somebody’ than anyone else I know.”
Her heart overflowed with joy. Omar loved her! Wanted to marry her!
Yet reality could not be ignored.
“Your parents will never accept me,” she said, her voice breaking. “How could I live with the knowledge that I had separated you from the people you love most? There would come a day when you resented me for it.”
He shook his head, taking her hand in his. “Never. Even if it came to that—which I don’t believe it will—you are all the family I need. With you I feel more . . . more truly myself than ever before, because you accept me as I am. And I thought—I hoped—you might love me as I am and continue loving me as time passes, even as we grow old together.”
Ellie could hardly think. Twice she tried to speak but failed. Omar simply held her hand and wooed her with his eyes. Which was a very effective technique in the soft moonlight.
“Omar, I . . . Marriage is a very serious proposition, especially since your parents disapprove of me. I admit that I . . . I can think only of you . . . Truly I feel as if a moment never passes without my thinking of you, imagining what you would say and how I would answer. I can think of nothing I would like more than to grow old with you.” She squeezed his hand and swallowed hard. “You tempt me so!”
She sounded almost angry, but he smiled in response. “I sincerely hope so. Not all temptation is evil, you know.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “You needn’t give me a promise tonight. I don’t want to pressure you into a decision you will later regret. Come to me freely or not at all, my dear.”
She nodded and gulped again.
“But may I think of you as my girlfriend, for lack of a better term?”
Again Ellie’s heart seemed to swell in her chest, restricting her breathing. She gave a short nod before she could think of possible consequences.
He sucked in a shaky breath and sat back on the bench, then blew a few breaths in and out. “Thank you,” he said so quietly that she might have missed it had she not been watching him. “This is more than I dared hope for!”
Ellie could not imagine why he would feel so nervous and concerned. She was the one being honored beyond reason!
“May I tell my parents that we are . . . seeing each other?” he asked. “They will need time to adjust to the idea. I sincerely believe they will love you once they get to know you, just as the children do. I suspect my mother has alread
y been considering the idea, and my father has a tender heart beneath all his adherence to tradition.”
Even the mention of his mother sent a flood of apprehension over Ellie. She didn’t think she could bear it if the gentle queen were to look upon her with disapproval. But when Omar rose and extended his hand to her, she took it and gave him a quivering smile. In the moonlight he could not see her expression clearly, but he must have felt the tremors in her hand, for he looped it through his arm and pressed it close to his side. “Ellie Calmer,” he said in a meditative tone. “My girl. My intended.”
Ellie melted all over again at the sound of her name in his charming accent. They returned to the castle at a quick pace, hardly noticing the night’s beauty, so absorbed were they in contemplation of the future. As they climbed the deck stairs, Ellie glanced up at Omar, and his smile nearly blinded her.
Just as they approached the ballroom door, Ellie heard a terrible crash followed by screams, shouts, and a general panic near the buffet tables. A wave of panicked people, male and female, flooded the dance floor, caught up the dancers in its current, backed up around the doors, then began to pour outside, still shouting in horror.
Ellie heard snatches as people rushed past: “. . . hideous!” “ . . . crawling all over the floor!” “ . . . cake and pie and . . .” “ . . . thousands of them!” “. . . never believed the rumors, but . . .”
“Oh no!” she moaned. “Geraldo!”
Ellie let go of Omar’s hand, rushed to the side of the deck, climbed over, and jumped to the ground three feet below, heedless of her rustling gown. From there she dashed to the service door, opened it with a wave of her hand, and began to work her way around the outside of the room toward the buffet.
A frightful sight met her eyes as the tables came in sight. One had collapsed, and it and the surrounding floor were covered in small humanoids swarming like rats over pies and cakes, slipping and falling in the mess, and fighting tooth-and-nail for the most delectable selections. She spotted Geraldo atop a flattened chocolate cake, beating off competitors with butter knife and fork.
Around this pitched battle scurried brownies wringing their hands over the chaos, desperately trying to clean up the mess but beaten back by hobgoblins protecting their booty. Ellie paused to catch her breath. Her spray bottle was in her backpack . . . somewhere. But on this night when she felt magic flowing through her veins, just maybe she could resolve the situation with her voice alone. She had to try.
Fixing her gaze on Geraldo first, then letting it drift from one hobgoblin to another, she spoke in a calming tone. “My friends, you know that theft and disturbance are not allowed in the castle where you live so comfortably. You have deliberately shown yourselves to guests, which is also strictly forbidden. Do you truly want to find yourselves evicted and sent away? Stop quarreling at once and help the brownies clean up the mess you’ve made, and I will do my best to calm the humans and make them forget this disaster.”
When she first began to speak, Geraldo dropped his weapons and shoved his fingers into his big ears. The others also tried to ignore her. But she firmed her tone and injected more power into her voice, and one by one they stopped quarreling. By the time she spoke the last sentence, every hobgoblin looked up at her with sheepish expression and sorrowful eyes. Geraldo held out longest, but at last he hung his head. “I am sorry, Miss Ellie and Madame Director.” His withered chest rose and fell in a sigh. “We will help clean up the mess.”
Only then did Ellie realize that Madame Genevieve stood behind her, observing all. Her grim, accusing expression might have intimidated Ellie at another time, but just now she still had work to do. She was uncertain how long the hobgoblins’ change of heart would last, so she hovered nearby during the clean-up. The ugly little creatures proved true to their word, and between brownies and hobgoblins, the floor was spotless in amazingly short order.
“Great work, Marielle. We’ll help them remove the heavy items,” Briar paused to say in her ear. Ellie blinked, but he moved away before she could question him.
She heard Omar say to Briar, “I didn’t know the little people could be seen if they chose. Remarkable!”
Little did he know how disastrous this could be for the resort, and for Ellie herself. If she couldn’t calm the non-magical guests, they might leave Faraway Castle in horror and never return—and she would quickly be out of a job.
Omar and Briar set a sack of shattered china on top of the broken table, then lifted it between them and carried it out of the ballroom. The brownies cleaned and straightened everything behind them, and soon no evidence of the catastrophe remained.
Except for the confused humans milling like sheep in the ballroom and gardens. They seemed dazed, Ellie thought as she surveyed the room. They had heard her voice while she spoke to the hobgoblins, but although their panic had ended, they were still cowed and fearful. Had she caused this? If so, she didn’t know how.
Ellie threaded her way between guests to the garden doors, which seemed the best place for projecting her voice to everyone in the gardens as well as the ballroom. Again she took a few deep breaths and focused. “There is no need to fear; all is well.” She felt her magic wind its way about the room as she spoke. “Some greedy little ones tried to steal the cakes and pies while no one was looking, but they have apologized, and the mess is cleaned up. Nothing important happened. Set your minds at rest, forget your fear, and enjoy this amazing Summer Ball!”
Nearby, people blinked and looked around at each other, their faces brightening into happiness and anticipation. The band members picked up their instruments, laughing at themselves for panicking over nothing, and their leader started them out on a lively polka. Several couples began to dance. To Ellie’s surprise, Omar’s parents were among them.
Just as she turned to see if Omar had returned, a sharp voice cut through the music and the buzz of conversation. “That girl in the purple gown, there by the door—it’s that cinder-sprite girl! It’s Cinder Ellie! How dare she come to the ball! She is part of the staff, a hired servant!”
It was Lady Raquel, her haughty face twisted with disgust, one perfectly manicured finger pointed directly at Ellie. People nearby turned to stare, some confused, others shocked, a few offended.
While Ellie stood frozen, Lady Gillian stepped forward and ripped the mask off her face. “Imposter!” she shouted. “I know how you’ve been stalking Prince Omar, and now everyone will know the truth about you.”
Other voices rose in accusation and protest. No one knew that Ellie had just saved the party, for all memory of the incident was now gone. How had she managed to remove their memory? Would she be in trouble for using her power to meddle with people’s minds?
And then Madame Genevieve appeared beside her. Although she stood near to Ellie, she spoke in a carrying tone for all to hear: “Ellie Calmer, your position here at Faraway Castle Resort is hereby terminated. You have abused your position, broken many rules, neglected your responsibilities in pursuit of personal advancement, and used magic in excessive and unlawful ways. You must pack your possessions and leave the grounds at once, or I will summon the proper authorities.” Her voice held vindictive satisfaction.
Why did this woman hate her so? Ellie wondered.
All around her she saw accusing faces, expressions of shock and condemnation. Where was Omar? Nowhere in sight. Would he condemn her too?
Horror and humiliation smothered any defense she might have made. She turned, pushed and shoved her way outside, and ran down the deck steps leading toward the side garden gate. Just as she reached the ground, she stumbled and one of her slippers fell off. But she ran onward, hopping and limping, until she reached the gate. Only when safely on the service road did she stop to pull off the other shoe before limping to her cottage. Once inside her house, she leaned her back against the door, dropped the slipper, slid down to sit on the floor, covered her face with both hands, and tried to process events of the past hour.
The Gamekeeper’s final wo
rds echoed in her mind: “I ask only that you allow nothing to destroy your joy tonight.” But how could he have anticipated such a calamity as this?
Omar and Briar carried the table outside, dumped the sack of broken plates into a garbage bin, then left the table propped outside a shed for later repair. The yard was dark, for none of the festive lighting extended to such practical places. “That was exciting,” Briar commented dryly. “Ellie’s power is impressive, but she needs further training to control it properly. Tell me, Omar, is there magic in your family?”
Omar glanced up, brushing off his hands, but Briar’s face was too shadowed to read. “Why do you ask?”
“I’ve noticed a few things,” Briar replied. “You’re able to see magical creatures that normally hide themselves from humans.”
“That started after I chased Tor to the island. I first saw brownies and hobgoblins in the dining room, and then brownies in the stable. I even met a toadstool fairy. Everyone can see cinder sprites, unicorns, and the lake serpent, can’t they?”
Briar opened the side door and motioned for Omar to enter the Castle. “Most people, at most times. Where magic is concerned, it’s dangerous to generalize. More to the point, I believe it is safe to say that a siren spoke to you while you were on the island.”
“I don’t recall it.” Omar frowned. “Do you think the siren blocked my memory of talking with her?”
“No doubt. Sirens seem to be adept at manipulating memories.” Briar again waved Omar inside.
Omar stepped through the doorway but turned back to address the other prince. “You have magic, don’t you? I can sense it, just as I sometimes sense Ellie’s.”
“Yeah, I have some. My sister and I both inherited magic from our mother.” Briar gave Omar an amused grin and held up his hands. “I need to wash before we return to the ballroom. I have an announcement to make tonight.”