All That Glitters

by Dawn Ibanez

  “What is she talking about?” Kalina asked.

  He smiled at her. There was something about her that drew him in. He wouldn’t think too much on the direction his life was going to take. He made his choice. Now it was up to Kalina to be either his salvation or destruction.

  CHAPTER 6

  "Did we really need to come back here?" Kalina asked. She held the book Esme gave her close as Ryan drove to the garage of his apartment building. "You could have dropped me at my apartment. I would have been fine."

  His amusement was obvious. He shook his head and waited for the gates to open. "Whoever is after you will check there first."

  "I thought you said I was safe."

  "From Xian, yes. From the person that sent her after you, no." He found a parking space and pulled into it. "There are too many variables when it comes to your safety. I won't let you risk it."

  She traced the markings on the cover of the book. Lashing out at him wouldn’t do any good. It felt like that was all she had been doing. Reacting to everything that was thrown at her. Kalina would have to learn how to survive if she was going to rebuild her life. “And you think it’s a good idea for me to move in with you? What about my stuff? My clothes? If I can’t get to my apartment because you’re scared that someone is after me, what am I supposed to do about that? Wear yours?”

  Ryan turned the car off and looked at her. “You can make your own clothes. It’s a basic spell. Have no worries, you won’t have to try and get into my pants.”

  “What part of I’d rather have my own stuff is so hard for you to grasp?”

  He reached for her and lifted a pink lock of her hair. “And what part of you need to find a different outlet for your magic is so hard for you?” Ryan released her hair and got out of the car.

  Kalina fingered the same lock of hair. She didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. She climbed out of the car and saw him leaning against the rear door. “I don’t really mean to be this difficult.”

  “Yes, you do.” Ryan smiled when she started to glare at him. “You haven’t worked through your hang ups and still believe you’re going to be like your mother. That takes time.”

  She pressed her lips together and started to walk to the elevator in the corner. He didn’t have to constantly analyze her. It also didn’t help that most of the time he was right. Kalina called for the elevator and cradled the book in her arms close.

  “Unfortunately, we don’t have that sort of time.” Ryan held out his hand. “Xian gave us two months. Whoever sent her after you is probably trying to reorient themselves. That gives us even less time.”

  Kalina looked at his hand. “What are you going to teach me?” she asked. It was a loaded question. They both knew it. She didn’t want to become dependent on her magic. Not the way her mother was.

  “To survive.” Ryan smiled again. “And possibly how to have fun.”

  She stepped back. “I know how to have fun,” she said quickly. When he chuckled, she shook her head. “I don’t understand you.”

  He nodded as the elevator arrived. “That is my own tragic backstory,” he said as he motioned for her to step in ahead of him. When she turned to him, he waved her off. “Tales for another day.”

  As Ryan pressed the button for his apartment floor, Kalina saw something moving in the reflection of light. She shivered as she felt something cold slither down her spine. Without thinking, she stepped closer to Ryan. “What’s that?” she asked.

  His arm went around her shoulders. He looked out between the doors and frowned when they closed. “What did you see?”

  Kalina closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. She wanted to think she was being foolish. She probably was. She shook her head. “Shadows in a window. And then I just felt cold.” There was no reason for him to think she was starting to go crazy. And it probably was simply paranoia.

  Ryan took the book from her arms and tucked her body close to his. Kalina leaned into his side and continued to breathe him in. The scent of pine and cloves tickled her nose. There was also a hint of something akin vanilla on him. He leaned his head closer to hers. “Are you sniffing me?” he asked playfully.

  Kalina pushed him away. She felt her face warm as she looked into his eyes. She hadn’t noticed how green they were. “I work with candles and scents.” The argument sounded pathetic to her own ears. Ryan’s laughter would be the least of her problems if she continued.

  They reached Ryan’s floor and Kalina followed him down the hall to his apartment. She kept going over the events of the day. “Why would my hair suddenly start changing?” If it was just her magic reacting to her emotions, she would have had a head full of pink hair years ago.

  Ryan slowly exhaled. “I have some idea. Have you lost anything you’ve had for a long period of time? Like a necklace or a pair of earrings?”

  Kalina reached up to her ears. The earrings her father gave her before everything went crazy were still in her ears. She then reached for the necklace she always wore. As she pulled the jeweled charm out of her shirt, she showed him the crack in the stone.

  Ryan blinked as he looked at the necklace she held. “Where did you get this?” he asked.

  Kalina caressed the stone and sighed. “My mother said it was given to her by a midwife when she was pregnant with me. She was told that it would always give me luck.” She looked at him. “What is it?”

  Ryan opened the door to his apartment and stepped to the side. “Let’s take this inside,” he said lowly. “Do you want anything to drink?”

  She wanted answers. “I’m fine.” Kalina walked into the apartment and took her shoes off. She smiled when Ryan’s cat ran straight to her. She picked the cat up into her arms and rubbed under her chin. As the cat started to purr, Kalina paced around the room. “You think this stone puts some sort of dampener on my magic?”

  “You’re starting to catch on.” He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. “You sure you don’t want one?”

  Kalina rolled her eyes and turned her focus to the skyline visible from the window. “I hate beer,” she said lowly. “The smell is like a precursor to someone vomiting.”

  “Are you speaking from experience?”

  She shook her head as a smile crossed her face. “Carly and I went to a frat party when we were in college. She drank so much I had to threaten to call her father to get us if she didn’t come back to our dorm. Once we were safely back, she started to throw up all over the place. I think I could still smell beer in the curtains a month later. After that, neither of us drank beer.”

  “So, you’re the good-girl type? I would have never guessed.”

  Kalina looked at him. “What would you have guessed?” she challenged.

  His gaze seemed to see way more than he would ever tell. “That was sarcasm, my dear. After everything that has happened to you today, I wouldn’t be surprised if you would have drunk yourself into oblivion. But, at the same time, I’m not surprised that you don’t drink either.”

  She snuggled Pizazz closer. The chill she felt in the elevator returned. “I didn’t say I didn’t drink. I just don’t drink beer. There’s a difference.”

  Ryan laughed. “True. I was not specific enough. My apologies.” He intercepted her path and took his cat away from Kalina. When she opened her mouth to protest, he stood. “As for your pendant. That was a power dampener. Used for only the most dangerous and powerful. I’m actually a little surprised that you have one.”

  Kalina took her necklace off and felt a strange tingling in her hands. She placed the jewelry on the coffee table and looked at it. As she rubbed her hands on her pants, she felt her magic trying to rise.

  “Don’t try to fight the tingling,” Ryan said. Kalina looked at where he sat calmly drinking his beer. “Let it flow through you.”

  She nodded as she ran her hands through her hair. In an instant, her normally dark brown hair was a vibrant magenta. Kalina ran over to a mirror hanging on the wall and fought back a scream. “How do I change it back?”
/>
  “The same way you changed it.”

  “That isn’t helping.”

  Ryan placed his beer on the coffee table and joined her where she stood. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Relax.” His voice was soothing as he slowly massaged circles on the back of her neck with his thumbs. “You can’t just simply say abracadabra and poof, your hair is back to normal. You have to pull the magic into you and direct it.”

  Kalina rubbed her hands against her legs again. She jumped when she looked in the mirror and locked eyes with Ryan. “You’re too close.”

  He released her and took two steps back. “Alright. Turn your hair back.”

  She closed her eyes and concentrated. Normally, when she infused her magic into her candles, she would have to be at peace so she could guide happiness and tranquility into her work. There was no reason this wouldn’t be any different. She ran her hands through her hair again, praying that the color would return to normal.

  Ryan’s laughter made her eyes snap open. “We’ll have to work more on your hair styling skills.”

  Kalina looked in the mirror and screamed. Her hair wasn’t pink, but it wasn’t brown either. Her hair now sat on her head in a bright lime colored afro. “This is not funny,” she screeched.

  Ryan continued to laugh. “This really is.” He went back to his beer and took a drink. “Try again.” He pointed his bottle at her. “And don’t try and tell me you’re too tired. Magic has been leaking off you for the past two hours. You have more than enough energy.”

  Kalina rolled her eyes as she quickly ran her hands through her hair once more. The green turned to orange, but at least it fell around her shoulders in waves. She sighed as she tried again. The orange turned to blue. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Try and concentrate.”

  “I am,” she nearly growled. She rubbed her hands together and gazed into her own eyes. In her reflection, Kalina saw a small spark of light in her eyes. She swallowed as she heard a child’s laughter. “Who is that?” she whispered.

  “Kalina?” Ryan questioned.

  “Kalina! Come here, Baby,” her mother called.

  Kalina stumbled back from the mirror and fell to the hardwood floor. She scrambled back from the wall and screamed when strong hands lifted her up. “You’re okay.” Ryan helped her to the sofa. Within moments, he had a glass of water in his hands. “Drink. This may help.”

  “Why did I hear my mother?” she asked.

  Ryan touched the side of her face. “What?”

  “In the mirror. I heard a child laughing, and then I heard my mother calling me.” Her eyes filled with tears. As much as she loved her mother, she hated her just the same. “What are you trying to pull?”

  He shook his head. “No tricks. I don’t know what happened.” He looked at the mirror again. “But I know someone we can talk to.”

  Kalina shook her head. She was tired of talking to people. Everyone wanted to talk when she simply wanted answers. She drank some of the water before putting it on the coffee table. “Where can I sleep?” she asked. Kalina looked up at him, she saw the hesitation on his face. “I’m tired, and I’ve been through a lot. Please, I just want some time alone and to rest.”

  Ryan held out his hand and helped her to his feet. “I’ll show you to the guest room.”

  Kalina followed him through the apartment and down the hall. She lifted a lock of hair and was relieved to see that it was once again brown. “Were you going to say anything about my hair?”

  He looked over his shoulder. “It looks lovely brown.” He turned to her fully. “But I think I like the pink.”

  A laugh escaped her. She shook her head as he leaned against a door frame. “You’re going to be a pain in the ass just because you can, aren’t you?”

  He nodded. “Probably.” He gestured to the closed door next to him. “You can stay in here. If you need me, I’ll be across the hall in that room right there.” He pointed to the door across the hall. “You’ll be safe here. Trust me.”

  She opened the door and entered. Kalina inhaled as she looked at the luxurious design of the room. It was something straight out of a magazine. Everything was either charcoal or cream colored. The duvet on the bed had a marble pattern. It was a far cry from the sedate pastels she had in her own apartment. Kalina turned to Ryan. He hadn’t moved from the wall, but his eyes watched her closely. She swallowed under his scrutiny. “Let’s not get this twisted,” she said. “I don’t trust you.”

  That amused smirk crossed his face again. “Then why are you here?”

  It was the question of the hour. Kalina could have easily stayed with Esme and the witches. She could have swallowed her anger and found where Carly was staying. But something kept her with this stranger. “I trust the witches less than you.”

  “There’s always your friend.”

  “I need to keep Carly out of this.” Kalina refused to put Carly in harm’s way. And if what Ryan said was true, Carly would dive into danger headfirst. “It’s safest for her.”

  He approached her. She stood still as he reached forward and gently played with a lock of her hair. “That’s true. But trust me when I say you are more useful alive, whole, and in full control of your magic.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Ryan was going to have to watch himself around her. While she posed as the perfect house guest, his mind was focused on thoughts of Kalina. He was beginning to understand that she was going to be force of nature when she came into her true self. He sat on his sofa nursing a cup of coffee in one hand. His other was idly stroking Pizazz along her back.

  The cell phone on his coffee table lit up. He frowned as he saw Elena’s name show up on the display. He reached forward and picked it up. “What do you want?” he asked.

  “That was so rude. I reach out just wanting to see how things were going with your little witchling.”

  “You never just reach out.” Elena was nothing more than a power-hungry gossip. And Ryan would have to make sure she and Kalina were never left alone. Not for some time. “Especially when you have no stake in what’s going on.”

  “You’re right. I have nothing to do with Faust’s infatuation with the Benton girl. But I’ve heard something interesting from my mirrors.”

  Ryan sat up straighter. Kalina saw something in her reflection that scared her. He needed to know what that was in order to help her control it. “What?”

  “There is some sort of secret around the girl. And one of my mirrors is throwing a fit because her name is out in the open.”

  He stood and started to pace across the living room. “If you start speaking in riddles, I swear I will strangle you.”

  She laughed. “There are those that want her for her power, others want her for what she could be to Faust. And there’s another player that wants her because of you.”

  Ryan stopped moving and looked out of the window. “Because of me?”

  “You’ve brokered a lot of deals through the centuries, Goblin. Some of them had happy endings, some didn’t. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that you pissed someone off, and they want to get to you, through her.”

  It was a tactic he would have used. It was also something Elena would have no worries of doing herself. “Where do you stand in the grand scheme of things? Are you my enemy or ally?”

  Elena’s laugh was light and practiced. She was hiding something, but then again, she always was. “I swore allegiance to Faust. As long as he wants the girl, he can have her. She’s of little concern to me.”

  There was more to it than that. Ryan knew that as well as he knew his true name. “Why warn me?”

  “Did you miss the allegiance to Faust?” Elena sighed. “A happy little devil will let us all live a lot longer than an angry one.”

  Ryan couldn’t argue with her. Faust made a name for himself by making bargains and general fear. “Did your mirror give any names?” He had to know who to protect Kalina from. But there was one person he could suspect.

  “No.”r />
  He frowned. “Are you pouting?”

  “I am a queen,” she nearly snarled. She had been pouting. Elena inhaled deeply before continuing. “As I was saying. I don’t have any names. But the mirror did say your curse will come to fruition if you aren’t careful.”

  His curse was his own business. He didn’t need Elena and her mirrors butting in. “I will deal with that when the time comes.”

  There were strange sounds in the background of the call. “What is that?” Ryan asked.

  “Something is going on with a mirror. I’ll be right back.”

  Ryan rubbed his fingers together. He could open a portal to Elena’s mansion and be at her side in seconds. He looked to the hallway and inhaled. Kalina stood there rubbing her arms. “Are you alright?” he asked in a whisper.

  “There was something in the mirror again.”

  He walked to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “There’s only one person I know that’s good with mirror magic.”

  “That’s a thing?” She looked at him with curious eyes.

  He couldn’t stop the smile that crossed his face. “Many things are things,” he said before turning his attention back to the phone. “Elena.”

  “Come here. And bring the girl,” Elena demanded.

  Ryan’s eyebrow arched as she disconnected the call. “The queen demands our presence.”

  Kalina stepped back and shook her head. “Queen? I can’t go meet a queen. Do you see how I’m dressed?”

  He took in her appearance. She still had on the baggy jeans and colorful shirt she wore yesterday. Elena would eat her alive for that alone. Ryan snapped his fingers and her clothes changed. She now wore a fitted pair of black jeans and a magenta halter top. Her feet were encased in ankle-high boots with a small heel. It was nothing like Elena herself would wear, but it was better than what Kalina originally had chosen.

  She looked at him, fury obvious in her gaze. “Where are my clothes?”

  “They’re in your room. That set is free. You’ll thank me when you meet Elena.” He held out an arm and waited for her to take it. When she touched his elbow, he waved his hand and created a portal. “Just step through. We’ll be in Elena’s mansion across town.”