Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Samson walked in. “We are coming into port.”
Greg nodded. “Sorry, Father, I have to go. I need to make sure your boat doesn’t suffer any more damage at the port.”
“Well, at least you made it to Novosvillas. You can all stay at the house. Anna will be there to greet you.”
“Won’t you be there?”
“Of course not. I’m in the capital, organising things with the council. Why on earth would I be in Novosvillas?”
Greg sighed. Novosvillas was the city his father was meant to oversee and where their home was but of course his father wouldn’t be there. Preparing for Mellissa’s arrival in the capital was more important. His father had never been the sentimental type. The fact that he hadn’t seen his son in months didn’t matter, but a small part of Greg had hoped he would have been there to greet him. “Very well, Father. Sorry to disappoint you, but thank you for your generosity and allowing everyone to stay at the house.”
“Don’t think that apology will get you out of disciplinary action when you finally make it to the capital, and that includes your cousin.”
The device stopped glowing as his father hung up on him. He chucked the communis at Samson and made his way back up top. Samson followed.
“Why do I have a disciplinary?” he asked.
“Because you reported to Lady Gabrielle.”
“But that’s what we were meant to do.”
“My father is just in a mood. The council won’t approve it.”
Since Greg had been below deck, the dark of the night had really set in. There was a cold chill in the air. As Yuri pulled them into port, Greg admired the twinkling lights of the city. Snow covered the ground and all the rooftops. In the distance, the clock tower stood tall. A smile spread across Greg’s face. He was home.
Mellissa
The market bustles with life. There is an array of fruits and vegetables on display. I pick out a pair of juicy-looking plums and pay the stallholder. I hand one to my companion. He frowns, his grey eyes narrowing on the fruit.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
He shakes his head, as if waking from a dream. “No, just thinking how much this place has changed.”
I take a bite of my plum. It’s the sweetest plum I’ve ever tasted. “In what way?”
“There are just so many humans.”
“It was all part of my father’s plan to integrate them into our society, to live in harmony.”
“But why? They have no magic, no purpose.”
I take a step back. “Every being has a purpose.”
“What use is a human if not as a servant?”
“They have many skills. They think differently than us and are very creative. It was a human that designed our streetlights.”
He frowned. “But they are still run by magic.”
“Yes, but they found a way to make it work. Humans are great builders and bakers. They make the best sweet bread.”
“Sweet bread?”
“Yes,” I exclaim, “you must try some.”
“Must I?”
I take his hand and run to the human bakery, dragging him behind me. I buy a basket full of sweet bread and hand him a roll. He sniffs it before taking a bite.
“Okay, I guess the human sweet bread is good.”
I awoke on something hard with no memory of how I got here. The last thing I remembered was talking with Matt by the railing of the boat. My head was throbbing, and my mouth was dry. Everything was quiet and still. Where was everyone? I rolled over and hit the floor with a thud. What I’d been laid on was not very wide. I groaned as I dragged myself off the floor and slowly made my way above deck.
It was dark out. How long had I slept? Stars twinkled above, and the moon was just a sliver in the sky. I shivered at the frosty wind. The boat was tied to a wooden post in line with a bunch of others. We docked, and it seemed everyone had left. Wrapping my arms around my body, I wandered around the boat. They couldn’t have all gone. I let out a sigh of relief as I spotted two figures still on board. They were both wearing dark blue robes and stood looking toward the water. I caught a glimmer of blond hair under a hood and red under the other. “Matt!” I shouted. “Greg!”
They both turned. “You’re awake.” They said in unison.
“Yep.” I ran my hands up and down my arms. “Can one of you tell me what happened?”
Matt shrugged. “You, like, totally went crazy for a moment and knocked yourself out.”
My jaw dropped. “I did what?” is what I tried to ask but instead I made a series of weird squeaks.
“That’s the really, really simplified version,” Greg said. “You must be cold. I’ll go get you a cloak.”
“Nah, it’s all right,” Matt said. “She can have mine. I always run warmer than most.” He took his cloak off and chucked it over my head. “I was only wearing it because it made me look like an adventurer.”
I pulled the cloak down and readjusted it on my shoulders. “Thanks. What’s the more detailed version of what happened?”
Greg gestured off the boat. “Let’s join the others, and I’ll explain on the way.”
I nodded, hugging the cloak tighter to my body. Greg led the way off the boat. We crunched through snow that appeared to have fallen recently. As Greg explained what happened, with Matt chiming in every so often, images flashed through my mind. I cringed at the memories: trying to jump off the boat, calling on the trees to attack, screaming and flailing about. Matt had been right about me going crazy. The farther away we got from the dock, the more densely populated the place became. We walked past house after house, all varying in size.
“I’m sorry about everything,” I said. “And your dad’s boat. I will figure out how to fix that.”
Greg shrugged. “There’s no need. I’ve already hired a guy to fix it. It will be good as new in no time.”
Matt put his arm around me. “Don’t worry about what happened. We all have magic mishaps—usually as toddlers, but you’re late to the party.”
I could have died of shame. Basically, according to Matt, I’d had a tantrum like a toddler and almost sunk the boat. I hid my face under the big hood of the cloak, hoping neither of them would notice how embarrassed I was. We turned a corner to a crowded street. So far, our walk had been quiet. Hardly anyone had been about, but not here. This part of the city was bustling with people.
Greg pulled his hood lower and tugged at mine. “Both of you stay close. Wouldn’t want to lose each other in the crowd.”
The street was lit by bright floating orbs. They were like lampposts but without the posts. We passed row after row of shops and restaurants and bars packed with people. There was what looked like a library and a big clock tower in the centre of everything. This was just like a big city back home, except everyone seemed to be staring.
“Where exactly are we?” I asked.
“Novosvillas,” Matt replied. “Changeling territory. I think it’s their biggest city.” He turned to Greg. “Is that right?”
Greg nodded, but his eyes didn’t move from the path ahead. He’d picked up the pace, and Matt was practically dragging me to make sure we kept up.
“This place seems to have some decent nightlife,” Matt said, side-eyeing all the pretty girls we passed. “Once I drop you off at the house, I might come back out.”
“I can give you a list of all the best places to go,” Greg said, his gaze still straight ahead.
“What do you mean? You’re not coming with me? You would be the perfect wingman.”
“Someone needs to keep an eye on Mellissa, and your sister has already managed to convince Samson to take her around town.”
“Of course she has. Tell your cousin to be careful around my sister. She’s toxic.”
Greg smiled. “Will do.”
I must have hit my head hard when I lost consciousness. That actually sounded like a friendly conversation. Matt and Greg were getting along. I h
ad to make the most of this.
“You know, I’m not a baby. I don’t need a sitter. You two go out and have fun.”
They both looked at each other and laughed. “Notice how she didn’t offer to come out with us?” Matt said. “So antisocial, this one.”
“Cut her some slack,” Greg said. “It’s tiring work destroying boats.”
“But she got to nap for the rest of the boat ride!”
I was stunned into silence. They were making fun of me. I missed when they’d hated each other. The streets grew quieter. We were out of the centre and back in a residential area. The houses on this side of town were massive. All the houses had long walkways and gated entrances. We kept walking eventually stopping at one of the gates. This house was surrounded by a wall. The gate was silver with bars with animals, such as cats, monkeys, and birds, climbing them. There was an intercom on the wall next to the gate. Greg pressed it. A woman’s voice answered.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Greg said into the device. There was a beep, and the gate opened. I followed Greg down the long path, staring at the beautiful gardens. They seemed to go on forever. There were all sorts of plants—some I’d never seen before. The house itself was magnificent. It was like those old manor houses in historical movies. A fountain sat in the middle of the path. As we walked around, I gazed at my reflection in the water.
“Wow, this place is awesome,” Matt said. “I can’t believe you live here.”
“Wait, this is your house?” I asked.
“Technically, it’s my father’s,” replied Greg.
When we reached the house, a woman stood in the doorway. She was an older woman. She had grey hair and wore a black suit. She took Greg in her arms. “Master Gregory, you’re back. When your ID card was swiped and you were nowhere in sight, I was so worried. Samson explained everything, but still.” She ushered us all inside. “Quick, get inside where it’s warm.”
“You don’t need to worry about me, Anna,” Greg said.
We stepped into a large foyer. There was a massive staircase in the centre that split off into two. I wished I hadn’t let Greg stay at my house. Compared to him, I lived like a tramp.
“Oh, you have been gone for so long.” Anna squished Greg in a hug. “I’m glad you’re back. It hasn’t been the same without you.” She released Greg from her grip and gasped, putting her hand over her mouth as she laid eyes on me. “Is this her?”
“Yes. Anna, this is Mellissa Hail, keeper of the Heart Crystal. Mellissa, this is Anna. She is my father’s assistant. Everything would fall apart without her.”
I held out my hand to shake hers. “Nice to meet you.”
She took my hand and bowed. “It’s an honour.” She clasped my hands. “My child, you are freezing. Go warm yourself by the fire, and I will bring you something to eat.”
She took our cloaks and ushered us into a room on the right, shutting us in. This room was enormous. There was a curving sofa in the middle of the room positioned in front of a blazing fire. On either side of the sofa were two matching armchairs. Just one of those armchairs would have taken up half of my living room. Matt plonked himself down in one of them, putting his feet up on the coffee table.
“Awesome,” he said, looking around the room. “I could get used to this.”
I sat on the sofa at the end closest to Matt. Greg sat at the other end of the sofa. “Are you all right?” he asked. I nodded. All this fancy stuff was making my head spin. Matt had said Greg was practically a prince, but I hadn’t thought about what that would look like in reality. Greg really was from a different world than us.
Anna came back in with trays of food hovering in front of her. She placed one down in front of each of us. “Eat up. Once you are finished, I will show you your rooms. The other guests have already settled in. Of course, Gregory, you will find your room as you left it.” She curtsied and left the room with a smile that filled her face.
I picked up my tray. I had no idea what it was. It looked like some sort of stew and smelled amazing. I guzzled it down. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was until I started eating. The door swung open, and in strutted Victoria, wearing a short, tight red dress and strappy heals. She struck a pose in the middle of the room.
“How do I look? Amazing, right?”
“Like you’re going to freeze to death if you leave the house,” I said.
“I’m an ice warlock. The cold doesn’t bother me.”
“Those shoes are not suitable for walking in the snow,” Greg said.
Victoria stamped her feet. “Well, you two aren’t exactly fashionable. Matt, what do you think?”
He shrugged. “What they said.”
“Wow,” came a voice from the doorway. Yuri stood with her mouth open, staring at Victoria. She was also dressed to go out but not in anything as tight or revealing as Victoria. “You look amazing, Miss Victoria.”
Victoria put her hands on her hips. “Now that is how you pay a compliment. Now, where is Samson? He promised to show me all the best places.”
“He is in the dayroom,” replied Yuri.
“Why does this house have so many rooms?” Victoria marched to the door. “Oh, Mellissa, are you coming with? I have a dress you can borrow.”
“Um, thanks, but I’m going to stay in. Unlike you, the cold really bothers me.”
She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Suit yourself.” She strutted off. Yuri bowed to all three of us separately before following.
I stared at the empty doorway. “Wait a minute.” I turned to Matt. “Did Victoria just ask me to go out with her?”
He nodded. “Yeah, she did. Strange. I’m not sure what’s come over her.”
“Probably just the lack of better options,” said Greg.
“Harsh, but good point,” I said. Still, it’d been nice of her to offer. Maybe Victoria wasn’t as cold as I thought. She had given me some pretty good advice not so long ago, and she’d stopped me from jumping off the boat earlier. Apparently, there were many layers to her. I’d just not looked deep enough to see what was beneath her icy surface before.
The next day, I awoke refreshed. My room was amazing. The bed was a huge vintage four-poster. There was an en suite bathroom with a clawfoot bathtub, which I had a long soak in the night before. Anna had brought me a heated bathrobe. She was the best assistant ever. Then I curled up in bed and slept like a baby. Even my weird dreams hadn’t bothered me. Once I was dressed, I skipped down the stairs. After searching five rooms, I found Greg at a table in the kitchen.
“Morning,” I said, taking a seat opposite him. “Where is everyone?”
“Still in bed. Want tea?” He got up and grabbed some mugs out of a cupboard, making the tea before I actually answered.
“I’m guessing they got in late,” I said.
“You didn’t hear the ruckus they made when they came in last night?” I shook my head. “Lucky you.” He handed me a hot cup of tea and sat back down with one of his own. “Victoria and Yuri decided to go swimming in the fountain. When I finally got them out and in the house, I discovered Matt walking around naked. When I told him to go back to his room, he challenged me to a dance off. I wish I could burn the memory from my mind.”
I almost choked on my tea as I burst into laughter. “Yeah, Matt has a thing about nakedness when he’s had a drink. He becomes some sort of a nudist.”
“You’ve seen him naked too?”
“Who hasn’t? He ran across the school car park butt naked last year. Apparently, I challenged him, which I really don’t remember doing.”
“Wait, did you also run across this car park?”
“God, no. I’m not an idiot.” We both laughed. My ears twitched at the sound of a beep. A few seconds later, there was another one.
Greg perked up as if he could sense something. “Hey, there’s this bakery that does the best pastries. I’ve missed it. I think we should go pick some up for breakfast.” He was up in a flash. Taking my arm, he led us to the fro
nt door. He shoved my boots in my hands. As I was putting them on, a cloak was wrapped around my shoulders.
“Why the sudden rush?”
“Oh, no reason.” He’d pulled on snow boots and a winter coat. He opened the front door. “Shall we?”
I took the arm he held out to me, and we left the house. Just as we reached the fountain, there was a loud bang from inside. I heard a cry and then another and another. The others were waking up, and they didn’t sound happy.
I tugged at Greg’s arm. “What did you do?”
“I may have rigged a magical wake-up call for the others. I needed to make sure they got up in time to be ready for when the sleigh arrives.”
“That’s why you rushed me out of the house. They are going to think I was in on it.”
The front door flew open. Victoria was still in her dress from the night before, but now, it was covered in blue and green paint. Her teeth were gritted, and her fists were clenched. Greg grabbed my hands. “I suggest you teleport.”
“Where?” I asked.
“Anywhere from our walk last night.”
I pictured the route we took last night and teleported.
Gregory
Greg was pulled through white light and thrown out into the snow. He hit the ground with a thud, and Mellissa smacked into his back. She rolled off him, and he turned so he was looking up at the grey sky. They both lay in the snow for a couple of minutes. People stared and whispered behind their hands as they walked by the pair. They must have looked odd. “Sorry,” Greg said, finally breaking the silence. “It is possible I was annoyed with them for their antics last night when I set up the alarm, but I should have told you what I’d done.”
She sat up and glared down at him. “Yes, you should have. It is freezing out here, and I’m covered in snow. These pastries better be good, unless that was another lie.”
Greg got up, shaking snow from his body. “That was definitely the truth, but whether we get them all depends on where you teleported us to.”
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