I went upstairs and found Millie sleeping soundly when I entered her room. A small table light was left on and it dimly lit her room. I looked down at her and watched her breathe in and out softly. I decided to let her sleep and went to my room.
Sitting on the bed, I grabbed a pillow and brought it to my chest as I thought of Phillip. “I wonder.” I said aloud, remembering what Charles had told me about getting into Phillip’s head. I closed my eyes, concentrating.
Nothing.
I fell backward on the bed, frustrated. I closed my eyes and tried again. Then, an image flashed through my mind. I could feel his presence around me as I had when he was in my dreams.
Phillip?
I held on to his essence for a fleeting moment and then it faded. I sighed as I lay on my bed, thinking about him and how much I missed him.
There was a knock on the door. “It’s Millie. May I come in?”
“Sure.” I sat up on the bed. She still looked tired as she walked into the room. ”How are you feeling, Millie?” I got up and helped her sit down. She heaved a sigh and said, “I am okay, I just feel like a beached whale right now.” I laughed at her description of herself. “Oh, you’re not that bad yet.”
“Alixia, don’t be mean.”
“I am just kidding.” I gave her a hug and looked down at her belly. I could see the baby moving. I put my hand on her stomach and said, “Boy that was a pretty good kick.”
“Yes, this little baby is really active at night.”
“No wonder you look so tired.” She patted her belly. “It’s worth it.” Millie then smiled up at me with a pinched brow.
“What? Why are looking like that at me?”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Phillip?”
“Oh, that. One reason is it’s only been a short time that Phillip and I have been seeing each other. But there is another reason I didn’t tell you.”
“What is that?” I exhaled. “Because I didn’t want Madame Cecilia or Mother to be privy to it until I was ready.”
“What’s that got to do with you not telling me?”
“Millie, Madame Cecilia can read your thoughts.”
“Oh, I forgot. So what does your mother think of you and Phillip?”
“I don’t know. Really haven’t talked about it yet, and I don’t know if I want to.”
“Alixia, you should. Here, help me up.” I took her hand and pulled her up. “Thank you, my back hurt in that chair.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s all right. Now, what I wanted to say is Lucida is very wise. You should talk to her about your feelings toward Phillip. She will guide you down the right path. She helped me with Henry and look at me now!” I put my hand over my mouth to cover my smile.
Millie rolled her eyes. “I don’t mean physically.” She said.
“I know, I am sorry.” I said holding in my laughter.
“Anyway,” Millie smirked, “what I was trying to say is your mother helped me with making the right decisions when it came to Henry. So talk to her.”
“Okay, I will.”
She kissed my cheek. “I can’t stay up anymore. I am going back to bed. I will see you in the morning.” She yawned and waddled out of the room.
I went to the bedside table and turned on the radio. A love song was playing. I grabbed my pillow and started swaying to the music. Turning around to dip, I looked up. There was Mother.
“How long have you been standing there?” I threw the pillow and went over and turned off the radio.
She smiled and said, “I just walked in. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” She came over and hugged me. “I came in to say goodnight, I’m going to bed.” She kissed my forehead and started back toward the door.
“Mother, before you go, can I talk to you about something?”
She frowned. “Alixia, I am not going to talk about Marcus tonight.”
“It’s not about Marcus, it’s about Phillip.”
“Oh.” She sat down in the chair. “What is it you want to discuss?” I took a deep breath.
“Do you see Phillip as part of my destiny?” She focused on me and said with a smile, “Phillip is in it. But there will be someone else—” I interrupted her, “What do you mean?”
“Let me finish, please.”
“I am sorry.”
She exhaled and said, “What I mean is, I see someone else there, too. I can’t put all the pieces together yet. All I know is there’s going to be someone getting in the way when it comes to Phillip and you.” I looked toward the balcony doors, studying on what she had just said. Then it hit me as I said, “I know who it is!”
“Who?”
“Charlotte.” She turned pale. “Did you have a vision, Alixia?”
“No, just my intuition.”
”Alixia…intuition? Seriously, we will talk more in the morning. I’m going to bed.”
“Mother?” She turned around. “I have one more question.”
”What is it?”
“It’s about Phillip. What do you think about us being together?”
She took a step back into the room. “Alixia, just make sure he is the right one. You don’t want to make a mistake.”
“I know, but he wants to marry me.”
She frowned and I sensed her disapproval as I quickly read her thoughts.
“Alixia, you know that wouldn’t be—”
“Don’t worry.” I interrupted her. “I’m not ready to get married yet.”
“Good.” She sighed with relief. “You do have some common sense. But if you want my opinion, I think you’re too young to get married, anyway.” Laughing, I said, “Oh really, you do? Well, I don’t think I’m going to get any older.” Her cheeks reddened a little as she said, “Well, you know what I mean.”
“Yes.” I said, trying not to laugh anymore.
“Anyway,” she hurried and changed the subject, “you should be focused on your trip to France this summer to meet the Dominion. They will instruct you about our beliefs and the lineage of the family much better than I have.”
“There’s more?”
“Yes. For one thing, you will learn how your Grandmother Correa received her powers centuries ago in the West Indies. That’s one of the cryptic secrets only a pure Ambrosine is privy to. That’s why it is important that you take this trip so that you learn fully what it is to be Ambrosine.” She hugged me and said, “Enough talk, though. Goodnight. I love you, Alixia.”
The next day I was busy with Mother’s lists of things to do. I went into the ballroom to make sure the room was set up the way she wanted. I was excited about the Ball. Millie, who was checking the guest list for this year’s event, wasn’t. I knew she was upset she wouldn’t be part of a lot of this year’s Mardi Gras because of her pregnancy.
Sitting down at a table by her, I asked, “So, do you and Henry have everything you need for the baby?”
“I think so. Henry is still working on the cradle, but he should have it finished by the time the baby comes. Oh, that reminds me...” She stood up, stretched and looked at her watch. “I’ll be right back, Alixia.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have to call Henry. I call him about this time every day or he worries about me.”
“Well, you better go then.” She left and I pulled the guest list toward me. Looking at it, I came upon a name that irritated me. I couldn’t believe it!
Why would Charlotte be on the list?
I picked up a pen and crossed her off.
“Where’s Millie?” I heard Madame Cecilia ask; I looked up. She came out of one of the secret rooms and walked over to me. “She’s making a phone call.”
“Oh.” She sat down, picked up a pen and started fiddling with it and said, “I talked to your mother this morning. She told me about your new ability.” I looked at her puzzled. “What new ability?” She smiled and said, “I think she called it ‘intuition.’”
“Oh yes, that ability.” I said teasingly. “That
’s the one I use as a backup plan when nothing else works.”
“It sounds like a good ability to have, Alixia.” She stood. “Anyway, when you are done here, could you meet me in the library?”
“Okay, I should be done here in twenty minutes or so.”
“Good.”
Millie finally returned and I asked her, “How’s Henry?”
“He misses me.”
“He’ll be home soon.” I said sympathetically patting her hand. “Millie, I have to meet Madame Cecilia in the library, so will you be okay finishing up?”
“Yes.” She looked at her list. Then she noticed that all the other names were checked except one had been crossed out. She smiled and said, “I was planning on doing the same thing.” I hugged her and said, “I’m glad I have you Millie.”
Leaving to find Madame Cecilia, a flash of images filled my mind. It was Marcus again…Mother touched my arm. “Alixia, there you are. Come on. Your grandmother is waiting for us.”
We walked into the library. There were two men standing by Madame Cecilia. “There you both are. Lucida, you remember Jonathan Breg?” Mother nodded. “And this is his apprentice, Elliot.”
“Yes, nice to see you again.” Said Mother.
“Bonjour, Lucida. So, this must be Alixia.” They walked toward me and said, “Beautiful girl. We will start the sketching of all three of you right away.”
“Good.” Madame Cecilia said.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “I’m sorry, Alixia. These gentlemen are here to paint our family portrait.”
Before I could respond, Elliot approached me, saying, “Alixia, would you and your mother take a seat right here? Madame Ambrosine, would you stand right behind them.” We did as he instructed. He studied the scene in front of him with an artist’s eye. “Good. What do think, Jonathan?”
“Yes, that’s perfect.” They started sketching us. I leaned over and asked Mother, “Are they part of a family Realm, too?”
“Yes, they’re part of the Northern families’ Realm. They have a studio here in New Orleans.”
“Really, I am beginning to think most of the population of New Orleans is part of some families’ Realm.” I said.
“You might just be a little right about that.” Madame Cecilia said with a devious smile on her lips.
“Are you kidding me?” They all laughed out loud. Mother laughed loudest.
“Alixia, no we are joking.” Mother said. I looked at them, still wondering though.
We finished the sitting for the day. Mother and Madame Cecilia had some errands to run. “Would you like to come with us, Alixia? Mother asked. “No, I’ll just find Millie and see if she needs any more help.”
“Okay, we won’t be long; we will probably be back in a couple hours.”
I watched them leave then went into the kitchen. Sofia was sitting at the table having a cup of coffee. “Bonjour, Alixia.” She said. “Bonjour. I am looking for Millie. Have you seen her?”
“Yes, she went upstairs to lie down for a bit.”
“Oh.”
“Is there something you need, Alixia?”
“No, I was just looking for her to see if she needed help with anything.” I sat down at the table. “Can I ask you a question?” Sofia put her coffee cup down and said, “What is it, Alixia?”
“I know I probably shouldn’t ask you this, but has anyone ever gone to the Dark Side to help someone?”
“Alixia! You’re not planning on going there?”
“No, no.” I assured her. I just wanted to know if anybody’s ever done it, that’s all.”
Relief came on her face as she picked up her cup. ”I’ve never heard of anyone. Don’t you be the first, either.” I moved my chair up. “I am not going to do anything. I was curious, that’s all. So please don’t tell Mother. You know how she gets.”
“Well, I don’t know if I should keep this—”
“Keep what?” I turned to see Millie walking into the kitchen. I bit down on my lip. “I was just asking Sofia not to say anything to my mother about a question I just asked her.” Millie sat down at the table. “What question?”
Sofia looked at me. “Go ahead and tell her, Alixia.”
I stammered, “I just wanted to know something about the Dark Realm, that’s all.”
“Alixia, what are you up to?”
“Nothing, Millie. As I told Sofia, I was just interested if an Ambrosine had ever gone into the Dark Realm to save someone?”
“Alixia, is this about Marcus?” Millie asked impatiently. “No.” I answered. “I was just wondering why no one ever goes after them. I know about Charlotte being Ambrosine and that she has to be dealt with differently, but what about Marcel or any of the other Dark Ones? Why can’t we go after them?”
Millie fiddled with the salt shaker in front of her. “Alixia, there is no specific place to go. They’re like us. They are spread out all over the world.”
“But don’t they have a High Dominion or a Council or something where they meet, like we do?”
Millie hesitated. I could sense she was afraid of what I would do with the information. “Just tell me, Millie, please. I’m not going after them, trust me.”
“All right.” She said with caution. “It’s in the West Indies.”
“What? That’s where our lineage is. How can Marcel’s be there, too?” Millie leaned back, and slowly moved her hands over her belly. “That’s it. All we know is if the Ambrosines seek an audience with Marcel, they go there.” Now I was curious. “So, did his family originate there, too?”
She was quiet. I quickly read both her and Sofia’s thoughts. Millie didn’t know the answer and neither did Sofia. “Alixia, I’ve told you what I know, so get out of my head. If you want to know more you will have to ask Madame Ambrosine.”
I stood up and said, “Well I can’t, not until I—” I caught myself before I said anything about Marcus.
“Not until you what, Alixia?”
“Never mind, I just don’t think it’s the best time right now. And,” I said as a second thought, “Millie, you and Sofia must not say anything to mother about me questioning you about Marcel. Promise me?”
Millie looked at Sofia and then at me, “We will promise you, Alixia. But if you do anything reckless, I will not hesitate to tell them. Am I understood?”
“I won’t. I give you my word. Anyway, I thought you were supposed to protect me.” Millie smiled at me wickedly and said, “Not from your mother.”
Marcus’ Reappearance
Mother called to let me know that she and Madame Cecilia decided to stay in town and they wouldn’t be back until early morning. Millie had already gone to bed and the staff had retired for the evening, so I decided to go to the library to look for anything on Marcel’s family Realm.
Looking down at one of the journal the pages, I froze as flashes of Marcus‘ images went through my head again. I tried focusing on him but they were distorted. Then they stopped. Frustrated that I couldn’t get a lock on the images, I closed my eyes and concentrated, trying to get into Marcus’ mind. I focused on one of his images and said softly, “Marcus, where are you?” Going deeper into my thoughts, I suddenly felt him near me. “Marcus.” I could sense his presence around me. I heard him say my name. Then the consciousness of his closeness vanished. “He’s out there.” I said under my breath as the excitement built inside of me.
But where?
I put the albums back on the shelf. I shut off the light and went outside to sit on the veranda to get some air and clear my head, hoping to get another image of Marcus.
The full moon illuminated the night sky to an almost midnight blue. I looked toward the gardens and thought about Marcus and the first time we kissed. Suddenly, I heard the front door open. Looking over I saw Millie holding her belly. “Are you okay?” I said getting up.
“I am fine.” She replied. I helped her sit down. “I just came down for a little snack, and I noticed you weren’t in your bedroom, so I figured you’d b
e out here or in the library.” Millie yawned. I curled up in the chair next to her. “Yeah, I was in the library for a little while, trying to figure something out, but I needed to get some fresh air and clear my head.”
“What are you trying to figure out?”
“Oh, I was just having trouble translating a few things in the albums tonight. You know how frustrated I get trying to make sense out of all that French stuff.”
“I will help you tomorrow.” Millie said. “What was it you were working on?”
“I was trying to find out some information on Marcel.” She shifted in the chair so she could look at me. In a serious tone she said, “There is nothing of Marcel or his family in those albums.”
“So, where would I find any information?”
“Alixia! What’s this all about? You’re not planning to go looking for him are you?”
“No, I am not going to look for Marcel. I just want to learn more about his Realm, that’s all.” I sighed. “Why does everyone around here think I always have an ulterior motive when I want to find out some information?”
“Oh, don’t play innocent with me, Alixia.” Millie said firmly. “You’re always up to something.” She stood up and said, “Come on, I am hungry. The baby needs a little snack.”
I laughed. “Who needs a snack?”
She smirked. “Okay, I need the snack, but I do share, you know.” I looked at her, a little baffled. She pointed to her stomach and said, “With the baby.”
“Oh, really.” I said. We both laughed and went inside.
The house was quiet. There were only a few lights on as we made our way to the kitchen. Millie went directly to the refrigerator. I sat at the table, thinking about Marcus. She came over with a glass of milk and a big piece of chocolate cake and sat down. “Oh I see the baby has a sweet craving tonight.”
“Yes, he does.” I watched as she stuck her fork in the cake and took a big bite.
We sat and talked for a while about her baby and how much she missed Henry. Then she got tired again and went to bed. I followed.
Lying in bed, I began to think about Phillip. I tried to get in his thoughts again, but something was blocking me. I wished that I could get past it. Feeling restless, I went out onto the balcony. I leaned on the railing and I looked over at the statue. Then I gazed past it, sensing something was out there in the darkness. I jumped off the balcony and headed toward the pond. I stopped as a shadowy figure came toward me.
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