Fantasyland: Midnight Soul Part 39

I stood there and waited.

The clouds swirled languidly.

I waited longer.

Nothing but clouds.

Over time, I noted it was actually quite mesmerizing in a relaxing way.

But after more time elapsed, I noted it was also quite boring.

All right then, maybe it didn't work.

I started to turn away, seeing the tinge of blue in the room starting to dissipate when suddenly, the entire room turned jade green.

My eyes flew to the mirror and I saw Valentine's reflection there, not my own.

"I'm impressed," she declared.

I'd done it!

"This delights me, my sister," she stated. "It would seem you do have some instinctual understanding of how to harness your power."

It seemed I did.

Excellent.

"I'm pleased you're delighted," I replied.

"Though, I have things to do," she told me. "And although I'm communicating to you on the astral plane, it is taking my attention and I wish my attention on something else at this moment. That something is very good at waiting. But I'm in the mood not to do the same. So you had something to share with me?"

"Yes," I replied. "I've informed my brother and Noc, and neither delayed in sharing it with the others that I will return with my brother and sister-in-law to their home, await the birth of their child and then journey to your world."

This reminded me I hadn't spoken of any of this to Josette, including the fullness of understanding the parallel universes (something I knew she understood, of a sort, considering the twins wandering around the palace, something I had not gotten into with her in any direct way).

Not to mention sharing with her I had magic.

I needed to rectify that first thing in the morning.

"But I must also note, where I go, if my maid agrees to go with me, she goes as well," I added.

"Of course," Valentine murmured. "I'm pleased this has progressed."

I nodded. "And in an effort not to keep you, I shall also share that I'm agreed to learn how to use my magic and absorb what you stripped from my mother but only on the contingency that you a.s.sure me it is not tainted with her malice."

"Magic is never dark, Franka, only the bearer of it makes it so."

I found that most interesting.

"So you have no fears with that and I'll set up the ceremony as soon as I'm able," she carried on.

That made me somewhat anxious.

Valentine sensed it, even through a mirror.

"It will be glorious, Franka, and you will savor the memory of it until your dying breath."

I lifted my chin. "Then I look forward to it."

"As do I," Valentine replied. "Is there more?"

Outside of wondering what an astral plane was, there was not.

I could ask that later.

"No, and I thank you for coming to me."

"To receive this news, it was my pleasure. Goodnight, cherie, and you know I feel this way, but I will say it again, you chose rightly."

With that, she faded from sight and her magic receded from the room.

But I stood there staring into the mirror that was now just a mirror.

And I did it hoping she was correct.

The next morning, first thing, before my breakfast tray even came, incongruously and in a way that would make my mother apoplectic and my father spit fire, I sat cross-legged on my bed opposite Josette, who was in bed and cross-legged as well.

I did this sharing with her I held magic and informing her of how my future plans had changed and that I desired her to change hers with me.

"It's unlikely we'll be able to bring Irene," I finished. "Though, it's my understanding things are much different there so it's also my understanding we won't need her."

Josette simply sat still and stared at me.

"Josette," I called.

She blinked but said nothing.

"Josette, my dear," I called again, reaching out and wrapping my fingers around hers.

The instant I did, hers twisted and captured mine.

"We'll not have an adventure, we'll have an adventure," she breathed. "And how exciting! You're a witch!"

There were many witches in our world so I really had no concern she'd react badly to me being one.

But I was so worried that she would refuse to undertake something infinitely unknown with me, the light I did not see was budding in her eyes bloomed, and I fancied it lit the room with its brilliance.

"You'll journey with me?" I queried to confirm.

"Anywhere, Franka." Her hand held mine all the more tightly. "Everywhere."

My heart felt light and thus, as I was learning happened, my mouth started moving.

"I don't know what caused you to gift me such loyalty, Josette, but what I want you to know is that it means much to me."

"My position means there were scars I could a.s.sist you with your clothing to hide from others, but you couldn't hide them from me," she shared readily.

"I don't..." I shook my head. "How did that gain loyalty?"

Josette studied me with curiosity, asking me, "How would it not?"

"Many people have many scars for many reasons."

"And all of them I admire," she returned. "But you most of all for you lived your life and you did as you pleased and whatever caused those scars did not beat you. My father prized strength and taught my sister and me to do the same. He was himself so strong he refused to believe he could not save his family from icy waters. He didn't stop believing, even dying because of it. This makes me sad. But that sadness has never cobbled me because I'm far more proud that he was that man and he died displaying that strength. And I didn't allow it to cobble me for I knew if my father knew I had, he'd be disappointed in me. So," she shrugged, "that's it, I guess."

After this, it was I staring at her.

"Oh no," she whispered. "Are you going to become a simpering ninny? Because...you mustn't, seeing as if you do, I will."

I sniffed and pulled my hand from hers, declaring, "Certainly not."

She grinned.

I curled my lips up at her and then stated, "I'm hungry, Josette."

"Of course," she replied, jumping off the bed.

"Josette?" I called, and she stopped her dash to the door and turned to me. "Tell them to prepare a tray for you as well. I wish to share breakfast with you this morning, and every morning I take it in bed in future. When you bring mine up, ask one of the other servants to bring up yours."

Her eyes grew very large. "But...Franka, I...they'll...this will be quite shocking to the palace staff."

"And I care about this because...?"

This did not grant me a grin but instead a wide, bright smile.

"I'll be back," she declared.

"I'll be here."

The door closed behind her.

I looked to my lap.

"Finally," I murmured. "It's all sorted."

I drew in a breath and lifted my head to let it out.

And then it was me whose mouth spread into a wide, bright smile.

Chapter Eleven.

Wired Valentine Valentine was sitting, her legs crossed, in the darkened apartment, Circe's cat in her lap, a long-haired ginger with intelligent eyes (as all cats were considering they were spirit creatures and had long since been smart enough to allow themselves to be the familiars of witches).

She'd timed it precisely.

Enough time had pa.s.sed where she remained aggravated.

Not enough time had pa.s.sed where she could get exasperated.

She wasn't angry any longer. This, she found, her lovely companion had the power to curb by performing so beautifully and being quite capable of giving as well as receiving.

For this, Circe was lucky.

She was also lucky that Valentine heard the lock click and the door open before Valentine had to wait any longer.

"Really? You sit in the dark waiting for me?" Circe asked.

This greeting was not a surprise. Valentine knew better than to think she could sneak up on a witch.

"You're blocking me." Valentine found herself in the annoying position of wasting energy to share something that didn't need to be said.

The door closed, a switch was flipped and several of the lamps in the relatively-attractive-but-spa.r.s.ely-furnished room illuminated.

Really, Circe should use some of her treasure, something Valentine had noted she hadn't touched, simply to decorate.

But the witch could actually purchase a home, if she so desired, one that provided far superior accommodation than...this.

Valentine did not declare these thoughts aloud.

She watched Circe toss her purse into a chair and then cross her arms, leveling her eyes on her sister-witch.

"You're doing something that needs to be blocked," she finally replied.

"I'm simply looking after you, cherie," Valentine lied.

"I've been in this world for some time, Valentine, I hardly need looking after."

Valentine lazily flipped out a hand as she suggested, "Why don't we look at it as a mother bear taking care of her cub?"