Chapter 21
"And may we carry those scars with grace,"
Seneca tried to shake off the chill he'd acquired while walking to Nora's apartment. He squeezed his hands into fists, trying to shake the tingle of cold, and he shivered as if he were shrugging off a great cloak of cold. Her apartment was always toasty, so he knew he'd be warm soon. Warm and full of Chinese food.
He pressed the buzzer for Nora's apartment and waited for the door to unlock. The entryway was very plain, just a plain bench to sit on or possibly put down bags on while you get the door open, mail boxes, a tiny trash can, a billboard with different community events going on. Scanning through it, there wasn't anything he was interested in. There was a knitting circle advertised, and that made him think of Gloria. He smiled, and then the door swung open, allowing him in.
He pressed the button for the elevator, and once he reached her floor he headed to her apartment. There was something so... sterile about well maintained apartment buildings. They were so quiet in the hallways, and the chairs they displayed in the little pods were never really used, were they? He'd have to ask.
Nora met him at the door, the smell of biscotti and tea were pleasant smells that put him at ease. She already had the movie pulled up on her tv and her copy of the book sitting on her desk. She was clearly just as excited about the activity as Seneca, and he found that he was genuinely happy that he could nerd out about how he felt about a book to someone who had just read it. It was going to be a good evening.
Nora pulled out the menu for the Chinese restaurant from behind her back. "What's it going to be tonight?"
"I'm thinking chicken Lo Mein. Gotta have my noodles," he said as he took off his coat and scarf.
"Those noodles will kill you in the end, too fattening. I think I'll go vegetarian..."
It was going to be a good evening indeed.
~*~
Aquila's lips were tinged blue from the ice she'd been encased in, but she had a warm cup of something in her hands. Gloria had a shade of suspicion that it had some alcohol in it from the eyes she was making at Ashton. He seemed to be the only one she was willing to look at- she wouldn't even look at Gloria. Gloria couldn't fathom all of the emotions she must be feeling currently; embarrassment, anger, vindication? Did Aquila even know everything she was feeling currently? The alcohol wouldn't help with that...
A movie screen was being set up and a projector was being focused on it. Alex was popping popcorn, and Arhun was sitting next to a nauseated Maria. Her spell hadn't had such a simple solution as Aquila's defrosting and she was feeling very woozy after the charm had been lifted.
Gloria stood next to Midshore, people watching. "Which spells were those? Can I learn them?" she asked.
"Minionize and what I like to call Popsicle aren't that hard to learn, you just have to be careful with them. You've always been careful with magic, I know, but..." she shifted. "Something about being around so many young spellcasters makes me uneasy. You left the Islands before you could be fully trained, but even that much is more than most have accomplished. That young man over there hardly knows what he's doing with his magic, it's completely untamed. He's dangerous."
Gloria blushed and scoffed a bit at Alex being called a young man. "I've never seen him use his magic, besides me teaching him how to make plants grow. And Aquila's the same, she uses primarily plant magic. I don't know how that would be dangerous,"
Midshore shifted her weight on her feet. "As I see more and more spellcasters, I find that most can do any spell if they try hard enough, but certain magics come easier to some people than others, and that means they can develop those skills easier than others,"
"Sure, like any talent," Gloria interrupted.
"-Yes. My specialty is restoring souls and healing magic. Everstar's magic is boundaries and concealment. You've always shown a skill for fire, but you've also had the training to be well rounded.
"If these spellcasters with untapped- undirected power are walking around, they could spark at anything out of the blue. They could cause an accident at best and kill someone at worst. Magic is unpredictable, and these two have no idea what they're doing,"
"Not to mention Maria..."
"Don't even get me started on her," she grumbled. "I thought I was here to teach her, only to find her in a fight. I don't know how such a loud soul could hope to talk to spirits, she'll never be able to hear them over her own noise. Sleeping with another girl's interest? I thought you were going to vouch for her."
"No no, I vouched for you and said she needed help. That's what I said." Gloria defended. "I knew she was a mess, just not this much of a mess."
Midshore rolled her eyes. "Very well, let's hope that this endeavor turns into a positive outcome rather than a disastrous one. Though you've only been here for two days and already you have people stabbing each other in the back..."
Ashton was finishing hanging up the sheet across the frame to act as a screen. Gloria made her excuses and sat down in the back row of seating. Maria and Arhun sat in front, along with Ashton joining Aquila once he was satisfied with his work. Timothy joined Miranda once the video was in focus, and Midshore sat in a single chair in the very back. Everyone was paired off in a very heterosexual way, Gloria realized. Too bad Everstar wasn't here to sit with Midshore, maybe Gloria should get up and sit with her-
That's when Alex sat down next to her and held out some popcorn. It smelled amazing and she couldn't help but take it from him. Popcorn was one of her favorite foods even when she was a child. That's when Blake popped into her memory and she tried to shove the thought of him away. He was dead, she didn't have to think of him anymore. She was safe, with Midshore, and more powerful now than she had been back then. She would be able to protect herself- if anything happened. She was alright, nothing was wrong, stop thinking about those blue eyes, think about Seneca. Think about Seneca...
Alex noticed Gloria flinch and her deliberate breathing. "What's the matter?" he asked, becoming concerned.
She gave a weak smile to act like nothing was wrong. "I just was reminded of an old boyfriend," she said, letting out a shaky breath. "It's nothing. I'm ok."
"Alright," he eased. Her discomfort seemed to make him uncomfortable and uncertain of how to proceed. "Bad ex?" he asked.
"The worst, actually. He- yeah, just the worst." she paused while he nodded. "No, no, worse than you're thinking." she said, laughing a bit. "He was the worst. Manipulative, demanding, convinced me to move with him to the mainland and away from the Islands where I grew up because otherwise we were done. He slept with an evil sorceress, he killed my friend, and Seneca, and he forced himself on me," she said, trying to be casual while she looked at the screen. The people on the screen hadn't had to live the life she had, they were just actors. They didn't have her trauma.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "I- I don't know what to say." He looked sheepish, and sheepish was something that Alex didn't do.
"Don't worry about it, I'm ok," she patted his hand. "I'm not some broken flower, it's just something I've had to live through. And I made it out alive. And I resurrected Seneca and Seneca killed my ex, so we're fine,"
"He what?" Alex asked, trying not to shout. Aquila turned around and shushed them, and they both sank in their seats by a few inches. "Seneca killed someone?"
"It's a really, really long story that I'm not exactly comfortable repeating, ok?" Gloria told him.
"Of course, of course," he said as they readjusted themselves to proper sitting posture. Gloria shivered, and Alex put his arm around her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, not pulling away.
"You're cold, I don't want you to be." Alex said as if it were obvious.
"I can warm myself up, but... thank you?" she thought for a moment. "I guess I could use the hug."
"And I am happy to supply." he said, grinning.
~*~
Anwyn sat with her mother on the porch of her mother's home. It was small, only she and Anwyn's father lived there and they had no need for extra room. Liam played on the beach with their children while Anwyn relaxed and talked to her mother.
"The lot we've been through," her mother admired. "You'd have thought they'd have given us a medal. At least you, with all the trouble you've gone through. And you're the best mother in the country, I'm sure of that," she chuckled. The smile slid from her face slowly. "And all the hardship with that damned king, may he rot in hell," she drew out the last three words.
"Mother, that's all in the past. Everyone's safe now, we have a beautiful life. Look at your grandchildren playing! My children! They're not the king's, their mine and Liam's. We are happy. And content! I could ask for nothing more in life than to sit here and watch my children grow up to be happy. Just like you raised us," Anwyn bumped her shoulder with her own.
Her mother smiled. "I supposed it's time to pass the torch," she said. "Let the younger generation have all the fun. Life is short, love. We can only hope to make it out-" she sighed, "unscarred."
"And may we carry those scars with grace," Anwyn said, smiling as Liam rushed to tell one of his children to not eat sand.
Sorry this chapter took forever to put out, I've been adjusting to working full time and relationships and events and it's all been a jumble. But I found new music that made me want to write and I so love writing, so I'm jumping back in!
Bloopers:
^"I'm watching you..."
^Yay awkward hugs!
^I'll be honest, to make this work, she had to steal Alex's popcorn.
^We get it, you like hugs. I also like hugs.
^Big STTTreeetch. Also, if you noticed it was getting brighter, good for you! I ran out of night time and it ran into early morning.
^Anwyn and Lana
^"Ahhh! We're old!!!"
^"Let's both blink a the same time!"
^ The last 3 pictures, I just couldn't get past Lana's expressions! What a funny little girl!
^Ready, dear?
^ And, blow!
^ Otto: "This juice isn't sparkling"
^Lana's turn!
^ Look at all of my redheads! Liam, Otto, Lana (long hair) and Skye (short hair).
Thank you so much for reading, I'm sorry for the big gaps between postings, and I can't promise that'll improve, but I'm always thinking of the story and my readers! Have a good Thanksgiving!
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