Chapter Four #2
“That is a cute story.”
“I thought it was a little sleazy, but sure. How about you?”
“Me?”
“What was your origin?”
“Oh, my parents were mages who participated in a star summoning. They felt that they were the chosen couple in the middle of the orgy, and when my mom got pregnant, they were excited, and the warlocks and mages and witches started watching me for signs of greatness. I refused to show them anything, so they guessed that the star was inside me, and when I was fourteen, they tried to match me with a warlock to bring it out. You are aware of what I am describing, yes?”
Ambera looked grim and nodded. “I want to hug you so badly right now.”
Bethany smiled. “I would probably freak out. I am not that good with physical contact. My parents weren’t huggers. Anyway, I blinded them all with my stellar magnificence and made a run for it. A few days or weeks later, I met Orvis. She got me safe.”
She smiled. “Then, a decade and a half going from shelter to shelter and keeping off the radar, and here I am. Outed by a new job.”
“It’s for the best. You are having a change of state.”
She nodded. “That is true. I suppose I would be better off if I didn’t donate the majority of my earnings to shelters to hide me from my family.”
Ambera blinked. “What?”
“I worked as a contractor for the shelters, and they kept the majority of my earnings, and I kept enough to get a reliable car and basic food and clothing. They fed and housed me, so it was a fair trade.”
“You have been on your own this whole time?”
“Yes. Finding work has been the toughest. Not having my high school diploma made things tricky.”
“You didn’t have the chance to finish?”
“Nope. They registered me at one school, and three warlocks cracked it open. So, I hid. School is a priority for me as part of my semi-retirement.”
“You want to retire?”
“I want to rest. Being hunted sucks.” She sighed.
Ambera nodded. “I can see that.”
They drove through the city and pulled up in front of a boutique that looked serious. There were no dresses in the window, which gave Bethany the idea that he did a lot of custom work.
Ambera was smiling with excitement, and Bethany unbuckled her seatbelt when Tyler opened the door. He held the door and stood to the side as she got out, and then Ambera was at her back and urging her through the door.
The assistant smiled at Ambera. “He’s ready in the back. Good morning, Ms. Kadabra.”
Ambera smiled and walked Bethany to the back, where they met with Cale, who looked her over.
“I have to ask, do you have a second form?”
“Um. Yes.”
“Can you show me? If you need magical expansion, it is best I know before I start.”
“Oh. Um. Okay.” She unbuttoned her shirt, unzipped her skirt, and stepped out of her shoes. She grew four inches and let her wings sprout.
Cale smiled. “Not a harpy. The horns give it away.”
She looked up. “Oh. Right.”
“So, what are you?”
“Unidentified. In the summoned star category.”
Cale blinked. “Oh. Right. How do you want to dress?”
“Comfortable?”
Ambera chuckled. “She will be at Stovos’s party.”
“I will be performing. I am going to be wearing silk and leather.”
“What about after your set?” Ambera smiled. “Delphine has room at her table.”
“Um, I will be tired and sweaty.”
“Tough. It’s a party, and there are people there who can protect you from the warlocks.”
“Like who?”
“The master warlock, for one?”
“Oh. Um, I don’t have...”
Ambera stepped in front of her and frowned.
“This is my treat, remember. Delphine was making money before she left the house. She’s invested and saved it all over the city and around the world.
She dumps it on me, so I want to spend some of it now and then.
She has presented me with a lovely target. That would be you.”
“Ah. Right. I am wishing our third was closer to draw your fire.”
Cale blinked. “Third?”
“We were all pulled together. Landed in bodies on the same night. Grew up at the same time in different places, different ways.”
Cale nodded and started measuring. “I will make outfits that can go from normal to expanded.”
There was a jingle in the front of the shop and some quiet words.
The assistant came to the back with starstruck eyes. “Miss Halla is here.”
Ambera paused. “Halla? Elf Halla?”
The assistant nodded slowly. “She has some orders that she’s picking up.”
Ambera looked to Bethany. “Excuse me. She’s my ex’s sister. Also, an excellent friend.”
Ambera darted into the front room and squealed. There was a low laugh and a lot of high-speed speech, and then Ambera was hauling an elf through the doorway.
The woman had a riot of black curls with gold bands studded through them and walnut-coloured skin. She wasn’t the airy elf that Bethany thought of. This woman was designed to run through forests and speak to creatures.
“Halla, this is Bethany. She’s a friend of Delphine’s.”
The elf extended her hand with a smile. “Pleased to meet you.”
When Bethany’s hand touched hers, the elf grinned, and her eyes flicked black.
Bethany gasped. “How old are you?”
Ambera said, “Halla is one hundred and seventy-five.”
Halla smiled. “The day before the breakup with Ambera and my brother, there was an accident. She came to my side, and he found that unforgivable. He found a new mistress, and Ambera was there when I woke up, still friends after everything.”
Ambera nodded. “She was in a helluva accident. Her car was crushed, and she had sword wounds running through her, but she recovered well after they got her back.”
Bethany saw the slight smile. “She didn’t come back alone. Did she become a more intent friend afterward?”
“Yeah. How did you know? There were weeks of rehab, but she was up and almost like a new woman after a while.” Ambera smiled. “The head injury changed her personality a bit.”
Bethany smiled. “I’ll bet. How have you been, Elodie?”
“Pretty good, Wylda. You look a little tense.”
“I have been on the run for a few years. You look shockingly humble.”
“Just running errands for the light court. Still locked to them until I get a dispensation for killing my husband.”
Bethany blinked. “What?”
“Oh, yes. He killed poor Halla and was very surprised that Elodie was now running the body.”
Ambera blinked. “You two know each other?”
Elodie smiled. “I am the dark star, but my initial impulses after returning to my wedded situation caused difficulty. Poor Enmar was not ready for what walked through his door. He will be missed. The wife-beating bastard.”
Ambera blinked. “Wait, you are now Halla?”
“No. Do you remember how Halla was timid and wore long sleeves? How you were always worried about her until the brain injury made her aggressive and fearless?”
“Y-yeah.”
“The night that you got Delphine started, I landed in Halla’s body the moment before she died. We exchanged information, and I helped her leave her body to join the dance of the stars. In a few thousand years, she will burn bright as a soul star herself.”
Ambera teared up. “She’s gone?”
“If you are talking about the wounded elf before that night? Yes. If you are talking about the elf that you met for herbal tea while I let you smell my latte during your pregnancy, that lady is right here.” She pointed her thumb at her chest.
“How... how did you get here?”
“Oh, well, Wylda and I were playing and singing with Delphine, and then we all got a hard tug toward the earth. Mages snagged Wylda, you got Delphine, and the child I was supposed to join passed, so I had to seek another. I found an elf dying in a car with blade wounds running through her. We talked while emergency services arrived, her soul mostly out of the fading form. In the trip to the hospital, she invited me in. She said it wasn’t the strongest body, but it was average for an elf, and it was injured, but I could fix that.
She warned me about Enmar, and I was ready.
He thought I was dead. I had them call my brother Veeso, and he sent you instead. ” She smiled. “And here you are.”
Ambera laughed, but there were tears in her eyes. “Halla was sweet and quiet. You were controlled rage.”
“And a snappy dancer.” She grinned.
Another hug caught Elodie.
Cale was staring. “So, you are really a star?”
“Yup. I just jumped into an empty body, not an infant. It makes for a different perspective, and I had to learn fast.” She looked to Wylda. “Are we going public?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Excellent. I have some elves to kick. Please excuse me.” She looked at Cale. “The dresses?”
“Oh, sure. These are for the court?”
“Yup.”
“When can I make one for you?”
“When they pay folks in prison.” Elodie chuckled. “Thank you for the garment bags. You may hear from me in the future. I have to kick some pointy-eared asses.”
Ambera frowned. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“Nope. These are my in-laws. They are going to try and kill me, so I would rather not have potential hostages with me.”
Wylda smiled. “I could go with you.”
“No. I don’t want them to know your face. You did a good job with your name, but you can’t hide from me, Wylda. You never could. You suck at hide and seek.”
A bemused Cale handed over a bunch of garment bags. “They are labelled.”
“Wonderful. This will be my last visit here for others.”
“I look forward to working for you, miss?”
“Elodie. The summoned dark.”
“Elodie. It was an honour to meet you finally.”
“Oh, don’t peak too soon, Cale. Now, I am off to be a shit disturber. Ladies, happy shopping.” She bowed low, and shadows wrapped her tight. A moment later, she was gone.
Wylda looked at Cale. “So, that was my travel buddy. I must tell you, I am feeling remarkably more cheerful about my future right now. Can you let Delphine know that Elodie is here and my name is available again?” She said the last to Ambera.
“Of course. Why don’t you?”
“I don’t have her number.”
“Oh. Right.” Ambera texted and sent the message.
There were a handful of heartbeats, and the response came through, read out loud by Ambera. “Woo fuckin’ hoo. Tonight, we have s’mores!”
Ambera laughed. “Delphine loves s’mores, but she always tries to put the flaming marshmallow onto the crackers, and then she smashes the chocolate on and breaks it into molten goo.”
Cale smiled. “Cute childhood memory.”
“That was two weeks ago.” The proud mother smiled.
“Oh. Well, I suppose I have a lot to look forward to.”
Ambera gasped. “Is Sallen expecting?”
“She is.”
“Congratulations.”
A weird vibration went through the floor, and Wylda grinned. “Feels like Elodie has put her foot down.”
Cale looked at her and said, “Right. Back to choosing clothing.”
The vibration repeated a few times, and Wylda was giggling. It wasn’t her fault. She was ticklish.