Yes, I’m still sad about our breakup. But there’s nothing I can do to change his mind. If he wanted me, he would’ve fought for me. I’m not saying it doesn’t hurt. It does!!! And there’s no way in hell I’ll be dating another guy anytime soon. But I can look. Admire the view that is Leo. Right? Right!
I’ve sent notes via magic to my parents as well as Snow and Gabe, telling them where I am. Quilla, my fairy godmother, agreed to deliver them. I have to keep telling myself time is different here than in Sharra or on Earth. They will be fine. I’ll be fine, and according to Leo, I can stay here a year and it will only be a day in Sharra. I’m counting on that!
Dear Mom and Dad
This is to let you know I’ll be in Polonias a while. Not sure how long. It could only be hours your time, but I didn’t want you to worry. It’s a world somehow connected to Earth, but not a part of Earth… Yeah, it’s all very confusing. The thing is, I mentioned Polonias to Mom at breakfast this morning and I’m sure from her comments she already knows about it, which means you probably do too, Dad.
If I’m wrong, talk to Adam Henry. He can explain everything to you.
Please know I’m safe. And thank you so much for all the love and support you’ve given me over the years.
All my love,
Cindy
Dear Snow
Just wanted you to know I’m in Polonias. If I can’t make it back in time, please have someone cover my classes for the day. You know how much I love teaching; I wouldn’t abandon my classes unless it was serious. But I’ve met someone. And before you freak, it isn’t Leo. I can’t move on from Gabe so easily. It’s a girl by the name of Polly. She’s adorable. Weirder than you. She’s a flower and a girl. Like an actual effing flower. She grows from the ground. She’s also the heart of Polonias and I have to help her.
Please help Heather and keep an eye on Sera for me. Both girls need extra attention and I’m sorry I’m not there to give it, but this is really important. I feel it deep in my heart and soul.
Take care. I may be back in a few hours, but wanted you to know what’s going on, just in case.
Hugs,
Cindy
Gabe
Gabe,
I’ve written several letters today. Yours is the hardest. Mostly because I know why you broke up with me, thanks to Snow. It hurts that you didn’t feel like you could tell me the reason. I get it. There’s a new law in place for the chayot: no interspecies dating. Fine. I would’ve understood. Maybe you didn’t love me the way I believed. That knowledge hurts, but whatever. It’s done. I’ll be supportive and stay out of your way. Hell, I’m not even on Earth anymore, so you’re safe from my wicked witchy ways.
If you’re curious about where I am, talk to Professor Pops about Polonias. He has some answers.
Take care of yourself.
Cindy
Dear Diary
I’ve been in Polonias a week already. The land is beautiful, if not a little old-fashioned. Imagine living a hundred and fifty years ago. There’s no modern technology in the land. No cell phones, microwaves, or cars. It isn’t because those things can’t be created. They can. Instead those things don’t exist because they aren’t necessary.
Everything happens with magic—because of magic. It’s as much a part of this world as the grass, the many moons, or the violet-blue sky. This past week has been quite the lesson for me and when I return to Sharra, I’m going to add my newfound knowledge to the curriculum. My students need to know and understand what a gift it is to be a part of magic and also, as beautiful as it can be, that magic can be deadly, too.
It’s a little weird watching the people here in Polonias use magic for everything. The first time Cook prepared a meal, I nearly fell over. Eggs, milk, butter, flour, and salt flew through the air and into a large bowl, all on their own. Then a whisk mixed the ingredients. When it was finished, the bowl rose into the air and poured the batter into a pan. The pan went over to the oven where the oven opened, and the pan slid inside. The whole time, the cook used magical words to make the items do as she commanded instead of manipulating them with her hands. It made me wonder why there couldn’t be fast food created by magic. I told Leo what I was thinking, and he laughed. “Magical fast food. You might be onto something, Cinderella.”
I still hate it when he uses my full name, but let it slide that time.
There is more to Polonias than I first realized. Each day I see something new, something different. I have to tell you, I feel at home here. I don’t know if that makes sense. It’s like I’ve finally found the place I belong.
The people are kind and seem interested in getting to know me. Except the king. He is genuinely perturbed by my presence, even though I believe he sent Leo after me. My only guess as to why he would do such a thing is he hoped I would say no. Either way, I caught him giving me dirty looks more than once, although I’m not sure what I did to offend him.
Since my arrival I spend a lot of time with Leo. We hang out every day. He’s very kind and good-hearted, not to mention beyond gorgeous.
More than once, I tried to magic a mirror so I could talk to Snow in Sharra, but it didn’t work. When I told Leo he explained it’s because while Polonias is tethered to Earth; it isn’t part of the planes or realms within the planet.
My magic doesn’t work the same here either. Like using different languages in different countries, magic requires different words depending on where I am. I tried to use Luminous to produce tiny stars in my room, like I would on Earth. Instead, I lit up the whole castle, bright as a Christmas tree. Woops!
Then there’s the people and the creatures. They dress the way you might expect in a fairytale. The men wear trousers and the women wear skirts and gowns. All of the animals can talk, including the tiniest insect—at least, that’s what Leo told me. He also said most of them choose not to speak since it requires a great deal of magic to understand different languages, and they don’t want to be bothered. I might actually believe that last part. So far, the ones who have spoken are grumpy.
Earlier today I encountered a spotted leopard. When I saw her, I screamed with terror at seeing the large cat wandering freely around the city. I ran away.
Leo later shared that the leopard is the records keeper for the land and she lives in the castle. Her name is Violet and she can speak as well as he or I.
Now I think about it, she looked really cute. She walked on her hind legs and wore a brightly colored gown. The funniest part is she keeps a pair of spectacles balanced on the tip of her nose. I’m guessing they don’t fall off only because of a spell.
I haven’t officially been introduced to anyone but the king. Leo says it’s because the people want to have a formal welcome party for me. The party is tonight. I’m hoping the guests will like me.
I haven’t seen Quilla since the first day I arrived. Perhaps it’s because she’s mad I treated her like a magical mail carrier. I don’t know.
Polly is back in the forest, next to her waterfall. She came to the castle with us and stayed for a few days. I noticed she was getting antsy though. Finally she came to me and said she needed to get back to her dirt beside the waterfall.
I was sad to see her go, but I understood. She’s part flower, so it seems like she should need the ground. She also said something weird to me right before she left. She said, “We’re sisters, you and I. There’s a gift I must bestow upon you. Be ready. It’s a gift with a curse, I’m sorry to say.” She looked a little unhappy at saying those words and I wanted to reassure her.
“Sure, Polly,” was how I responded, keeping my voice light even though inside I felt really weird about her saying we are sisters. Also, the “gift” sounds like it isn’t a gift at all, but a total pain in the ass. When I see Polly again, I’ll tell her I don’t want it.
That’s everything. Oh, except one random note, I’ve seen two brown rabbits wandering the castle. One seems genuinely interested in me while the other plays tricks. Last night it dumped a satchel of dirt i
n my bed and the day before it put worms in my shoes. I’ve tried to talk to them, but they hop away before I get the chance. When I get to the bottom of it, I’ll let you know.
Chapter 15
From the depths of a dream, I heard someone pounding on the door. “Come in,” I yelled out of habit before remembering where I was. Quicker than I normally move, I went over to my robe and threw it on, opening the door. A quick glance at the old-fashioned grandfather clock revealed it was late morning.
In the doorway stood Quilla. Hands on her hips, she tapped her foot impatiently. She wore a dress the color of an eggplant, a bright red painter’s hat, spotted blue tights, and pointy black boots. Before I could say anything sarcastic, she walked past me into my room.
“Why didn’t you use magic to open the door? Not that I’m complaining. Stupid allergies. But Polonias is a world full of it. No one cares whether you use it or not. In fact, they expect you to.” She whirred around the room like a bird who drank too much coffee. “You were just being polite, weren’t you?” She sighed before plopping down on my bed, bouncing several times. “Cozy.” Then she gave me a once-over.
My head spun. Quilla always seemed to move in fast forward. I shook off the lingering effects of sleep, working to keep up. She clucked her tongue at my attire, as though I should already be dressed and ready. My robe was split open, showing my blue polka dot boxer shorts and light blue tank.
Quilla wrinkled her nose. “Is that what you’re wearing to your party tonight? It’s,” she paused and sniffed before continuing, “enchanting.”
I tightened the robe around myself and took a steadying breath. “Hi, Quilla. NO, but my party doesn’t start for several hours. Still, it’s nice of you to finally come by and see me. Where’ve you been?” I went to the closet as I spoke. Apparently, it was time to get dressed. The closet was larger than my room back home and filled with hundreds of shoes, underclothes, and dresses. They began arriving almost immediately after I did. Most of the dresses were in various shades of blue, I’m guessing because Leo told the dressmakers blue was my favorite color. I wondered how he knew.
The gowns weren’t as short or as stylish as I was used to, but they were still beautiful. I ran my fingers over the different fabrics, some soft, others stiff. They were all lovely, almost sensuous. I chose one in sky blue, the fabric soft and functional. The shoes I selected were black flats. My reflection in the mirror revealed I looked pretty, but too sweet. It wasn’t my style, even if I did love the color.
I stepped from the closet and smiled at Quilla. “What about this for the party?”
She snorted. “No. No. No.” She twirled her index finger. In the air between us, moving at the same speed as her finger, a tornado of materials spun in a flurry of silvers and blues and blacks.
Before my eyes a stunning dress took shape. The bodice was fitted and a combination of glittery silver and sky blue. The jagged tulle skirt pooled out from the waist like a cloud.
“That’s gorgeous,” I said, reaching out to touch it.
“Th-th—” Quilla sneezed. “You can wear this tonight. I’m sure the dressmakers have plenty of choices in that gigantic closet of yours, but this will be perfect.”
“Thank you.” I took the dress Quilla created from the air and used magic to hang it up in my closet. Another glance in the mirror and I decided to wear the dress I had on for the day. When I returned, Quilla was staring at me.
“What? This will do until my party, right?”
She waved my question away like batting at an irritating gnat. “It’s fine.” She shook her bouncy curls. “What is it about you and handsome men anyway? First that attractive chayot—Gabe, right? And now Leo. “
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I went to the bathroom, thankful the facilities weren’t old-fashioned, and ran a brush through my hair.
“I asked you to come to Polonias way before Leo did, even telling you how important it was to all of the people here, and you refused. A handsome prince with perfect hair and gorgeous eyes asks and, hocus pocus, you’re here.” She paused and I waited, tying my hair in a braid. “I thought you were stronger than that.”
“It wasn’t Leo who convinced me. It was Polly,” I said, pulling the hourglass charm necklace over my head and tucking it under my camisole. It had been sitting on the counter beside the sink. Then I studied my reflection, steeling myself for Quilla’s continual barrage of my character.
She sniffed loudly. “Yeah, right.”
I washed my face before patting it dry and moisturizing. Usually I enjoyed taking the time to do my makeup without magic. Not today. “Compli makus,” I said and my makeup was handled. A little mascara and some gloss.
Quilla still sat on my bed. “Compli makus amara,” I said. The magic moved Quilla into the air as my bed was made. I smirked at her shocked expression. She was the one who told me to use magic. I was just following orders.
“It was Polly and not the crown prince who brought you here?” she asked, floating to the ground and adjusting her skirts.
“That’s right.” I didn’t need to explain my reasons to her. Still, I thought about what she said and wondered if she was right. “Did you want something?” I finally asked.
“Nope. Just wanted to see for myself you were up and about and make sure you had the proper dress for your party.” She crunkled her nose. “See you later.” With a poof she was gone.
“Thank you,” I whispered, wondering if I should go find Leo. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. If it was Quilla again, I would give her a piece of my mind.
It wasn’t. It was Leo, and he looked like a fairytale prince. He wore a burgundy and black jacket, gray pants that hugged his muscled thighs, a matching black belt and boots.
“Hi,” I finally said after perusing his body more than once.
Leo did the same to me, and I blushed.
“Did you tell the dressmakers I like the color blue?” I asked, trying to cover up my embarrassment by fluffing a pillow.
He shook his head. “No. Is it your favorite color?”
“Yes, it is.” I shut the door and we walked side by side down the hall.
Leo smiled and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “What else do you like?”
“All sorts of stuff.” I shrugged. “I hope you’re here to take me to the kitchen, because I’m starved.”
He winked, reached out, and took my hand. Everywhere our fingers touched was like ice and fire, burning cold. I gasped but didn’t pull away. The tingling filled my veins. I wanted to ask if he felt it, but I was afraid if the feeling were one-sided, he would think I was putting the moves on him. My heart still clung to Gabe. My emotions for him weren’t so easily erased, even if that wasn’t true of my ex-boyfriend. The chayot leader was an idiot, but I still loved him.
“Breakfast is our first stop. I’ve got a special place in mind for after,” Leo said.
I gently pulled my hand away and quirked an eyebrow. “Are you flirting with me, Leo Loyalor?”
He chuckled. “What if I am?” He started down the steps and I followed, my mouth hanging open. He was blunt. I liked that.
“I—I’m sort of…” What did I tell him? Gabe had broken off our relationship, shattered it to pieces, but… “I’m not ready.”
Leo smiled. “Let’s eat.”
He gave me a quick tour of the castle the day I arrived, but his castle was expansive. Halls intersected each other like a spider’s web. I knew there had to be a spell to help me find my way, but it was too much fun having Leo show me around. I was happier when he was around. Probably because I liked him, but I didn’t allow myself to settle into such foolishness.
I glanced sideways at him. It was true. I did like him, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.
He caught me staring when we reached the bottom of the stairs. “What?”
“Uh, nothing. It’s just I’m glad you’re here to help me find my way around. This place is gigantic. It’s like a labyrinth.”<
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Leo stuck out his elbow. I took it. “You’re most welcome,” he said.
We walked in silence down the hall. After several turns, I knew we were getting closer to the kitchen because of the delicious aroma.
Blueberry muffins. My favorite, I thought, swallowing.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said, as we entered the kitchen and he directed me to sit on a wooden chair.
“I am,” I said, when he sat beside me. Cook, whose name was Mrs. Flamico, brought over a platter of muffins, some creamy butter, and bacon. “Thank you,” I said, taking one of the muffins and placing it on my plate. With my knife I spread the butter until the muffin was covered. I broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth.
The edge was crisp and the inside moist. “Mmmmm,” I said, closing my eyes. “It’s perfect.”
Leo chuckled. “Mrs. Flamico makes the best food.”
I glanced at the cook and caught her face burning with embarrassed pride. “Stop it. Your compliments won’t get you thirds,” she said, bringing over a big plate of scrambled eggs and potatoes. She set them in front of him, and Leo dug in. I had a feeling she would give him fourths if he asked.
“So what are you making for the banquet tonight?” Leo asked her between bites.
She waved a hand at him. “It’s a surprise. You’ll find out.”
Leo smiled and stuffed another forkful of food in his mouth.
Deadly Witch: Cinderella Reimagined with Witches and Angels (Seven Magics Academy Book 4) Page 8