Fae Cursed: Legacy of Magic Book One Read online

  4

  I tugged on the edges of the bright pink shirt I was wearing. It felt wrong somehow to be wearing it. It was one of the few clothing items I'd kept from my younger days and as I walked from the train station to the warehouses, I regretted putting it on. A couple of girls in skirts that barely covered their butts ran by me and I was grateful for the gold capri pants I was wearing. This time, I'd dressed for a party, though I had thrown out my glitter years ago. I tightened my grip on the folded paper in my hand. Was I really going to go in there again?

  I stopped when I saw the burly security guard at the door. It wasn't too late to turn back. I could still go home. The girls in the short skirts went inside and it was just me staring at the entrance. The security guard noticed me and waved me over with the blue flashlight. My heels clicked across the asphalt and I silently handed him the paper. He shined the beam of the blue flashlight on the paper then paused to look up at me. I bit down on the inside of my cheek and waited silently. He went back to the paper again, then dropped it into the box. "Go on, Ara."

  Nervous flutters filled my stomach as I stepped inside the warehouse. The scent of roses overwhelmed me, and again, the room glowed with orange, red, and yellow lights. The crowd jumped and gyrated to pumping electronic beats. Almost as soon as I stepped inside, I was swept up with the crowd. Bodies pressed against me on all sides. I was bumped and knocked from side to side as dancing people with grins plastered on their faces moved in time to the beat. They were in their own world, all of them lost in the music and whatever they had taken. I wondered if that was how my friends and I looked when we used to go dancing. There was a part of me that longed for that release. The ability to shut out everything else and just be in the moment. I tore my gaze away. I wasn't here to participate. I was here to put a stop to the strange things happening to me.

  A man dressed from head to toe in yellow, face covered in gold glitter appeared out of nowhere in front of me. He shouted over the music. "Looking for something?" He held out a baggie full of what looked like more glitter.

  I pushed his hand away. "I'm fine, thanks."

  He smiled and turned away from me, no doubt off to find somebody stupid enough to buy his glitter.

  The temperature had risen to uncomfortable levels. I pulled my hair up on top of my head with a rubber band, no longer worried about what I looked like. I watched the people around me. Suddenly, this felt like a terrible idea. What was I doing here? How had I even enjoyed things like this when I was younger? There was a part of me that wanted to let go. Find something that would make this fun, bring back those memories of my younger days. But I wasn't that girl anymore. I had moved past that.

  Somebody ran into me, nearly knocking me over. I had to get out of here. It didn't matter who had left me that flyer. This was stupid. I pushed my way out of the crowd toward a wall where I could get my bearings. Leaning against the rose-covered wall, I took a moment to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. The roses felt like a pillow under me and I could feel the anxiety releasing as I breathed in the scent.

  "You found my invitation."

  My eyes snapped open and I turned to the voice, finding myself face to face with the Ringmaster. He wore the same makeup and costume he had yesterday, complete with top hat. I found myself studying his face, wondering what he looked like under the white paint. "So it was you?"

  "Glad you could make it." He held an orange rose up in front of me.

  I took the rose from him and my heart raced. It looked just like the ones that covered the walls of the warehouse. For a moment, I forgot why I had come and found myself staring at his green eyes. Regaining my senses, I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why?"

  He shrugged and looked from me out to the crowd. "You intrigue me."

  With that, he walked away. I stared at him, mouth open in a mixture of disbelief and confusion. What the hell was happening? I blinked a few times, gaining a hold of myself. I followed after him. "That's it?"

  He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, pointed white teeth gleaming in the flashing lights. "That's it. You may want to move against the wall. The show's about to begin."

  "Show?" I watched as he climbed the stairs to the stage and realized the blazing Rose Circus sign was already illuminated. I hadn't stayed very long last night. Tonight I seemed to have arrived after he welcomed the crowd. I was surprised there would be more to it than just the acrobats and the other performers I'd seen.

  Confetti cannons shot gold streamers through the air from the stage with a huge pop. Everybody turned toward the stage and cheered as long strands of gold floated over the crowd, draping over the partygoers. The music slowed and quieted, acting as background noise.

  In the center of the stage, the lights illuminated the Ringmaster. He removed his top hat and took a sweeping bow before returning his hat. "Is everybody thinking their happy thoughts?"

  The crowd went wild. Startled, I glanced around me. It was clear that they were expecting something. Anticipation snaked its way through me and I found myself getting swept into the excitement around me. I wanted to know what would happen next. Leaning forward, I watched the Ringmaster. He wore a sideways smile as he gave a nearly imperceptible nod to somebody off stage. The lights shifted from the warm hues to greens and golds, turning away from the stage to the sky. Instinctively, I looked up, expecting to see more aerial performers. I was not disappointed.

  Above me, a woman in a green fairy costume complete with wings descended from somewhere in the rafters. She floated through the sky with ease. I searched for her wire and struggled to find any. I couldn't believe the theatrics that accompanied this party. I again wondered who paid for this. The lights shifted to blue tones and moved to a new part of the ceiling, focusing on a second fairy joining her friend, then to pinks, as a third fairy joined in. The lights moved through the colors of the rainbow as six fairies joined the first one. As each fairy appeared, the crowd grew louder.

  I pressed myself against the wall, watching the jumping, excited masses. Anxiety rose inside me and I could feel the perspiration beading on my face. Large groups of people were hard for me to be around after my overdose. My therapist said it was something I could work on, but the trip to the circus last night had been the largest crowd I'd been around in years. I didn't plan on staying as long as I had. This was a bad idea. My heartbeat grew rapid. It was time to go.

  Keeping my back pressed against the wall, I slid in the direction of the hallway that I knew contained an exit. Maybe the guard would recognize me and let me out that way. I turned toward the hallway, taking my eyes off the crowd. Focusing on taking deep breaths, my heartbeat slowed.

  A blinding white light drew my gaze back to the crowd. It was so bright I had to shield my eyes. I lowered my hand and stared in awe as glitter fell from the sky. Each of the fairies was dumping it on the crowd. The falling glitter caught the white lights and shimmered as it fell. The crowd noise grew even louder and the music picked back up.

  I stood frozen in place, watching the beautiful sight. It was like thousands of falling stars. The last of the glitter fell from the sky and the lights returned to the warm orange tones I had grown used to at the Rose Circus. Just as I was talking myself into resuming my flight toward the exit, the crowd started to rise. As in, they began to leave the ground.

  I rubbed my eyes, it had to be a trick of the light. I ducked down and saw the space below their feet. Standing, I walked out to the middle of the warehouse. All of the partygoers were above me, floating in the air. They continued their dancing and shouting, not letting on that anything unusual was happening.

  "Guess you are having trouble finding your happy thoughts."

  I jumped and turned to see the Ringmaster behind me. "What's going on?" I pointed to the people in the air. "What is this?"

  He tilted his head to the side. "I told you, it's the Rose Circus."

  "What...how..." I wasn't even sure I could trust my own eyes at this point. Was I asleep? Had somebody slipped me somethin
g?

  The Ringmaster looked up. "We call it dust."

  The fairies dropping the glitter flashed through my mind. "Like pixie dust?"

  He smiled. "We both know pixies don't need dust to fly, but the name stuck."

  I shook my head. He couldn't be serious, could he? Maybe he was even crazier than I thought. "Pixies aren't real. None of this is real. I must have hit my head or something."

  The Ringmaster's brow furrowed and for a moment, his gaze looked sympathetic. "You don't know, do you?"

  I stared at him, then looked back up at the people dancing in the air above me. Nothing made sense.

  "You probably shouldn't return here," the Ringmaster said.

  I looked at him with a start. Something tugged at my heart. Wasn't this what I wanted? "You're the one who brought me here in the first place!"

  "That was because I thought you knew." He lifted a closed hand up to his face, then opened it to reveal a handful of blue powder. He blew the powder and before I knew what was happening, the room went dark and the music stopped.

  I woke in my bed in my bedroom, covered in sweat, tangled in my sheets. It was all a dream. Looking up at the ceiling, I tried to recall the events of last night. There was no way it could be real, right? Maybe I hadn't even gone to the Rose Circus. Maybe I was having some sort of relapse. All I needed was a few days off and maybe a phone call with my therapist. I held my breath for a moment, as the Ringmaster's smile filled my mind. It all seemed so real. If I had gone, he'd told me not to come back. Which means, either way, real or not, I was done with the Rose Circus. I let out a sigh of relief and threw my sheets on the floor in a heap. I sat on the edge of my bed and stretched. Everything was back to normal. No more surprises. Reaching down to find my slippers, I let out a scream.

  The floor of my bedroom was covered in orange rose petals.

  5

  I touched one of the petals with my toe. It was soft. It was real. My whole room smelled like roses, sending a chill all the way to my bones.

  Taking as few steps as possible, I raced through my room to the living area of my apartment. It was empty and blissfully free of roses. I was breathing as fast as I did when I went running. This isn’t right. This shouldn't be happening.

  I checked all the doors and windows. Everything was locked. Then, I raced to Ryder's room. He wasn't home yet and his room looked totally normal.

  Ryder. I didn't want to explain the rose petals to him. He'd been to that party, he'd seen the flowers all over the walls, he'd know. Wouldn't he? I ran to the kitchen and got the broom, then stopped, broom in hand. What had happened? Had I seriously gone to the Rose Circus last night? If I had, how did I get home? I tried to remember the night, but none of what I could remember seemed real.

  Maybe I bought a bunch of roses and threw them all over my room. Maybe the smell of them was what made me had the weird dreams about he Rose Circus. That makes no sense. What the hell is going on?

  Keys jingled in the doorknob. Shit. Ryder was back. I didn't want to explain the flowers to him because I didn't have any explanation. I ran to my room and shut the door behind me before he finished unlocking the door. Frantic, I swept up the petals and started shoving them into the trashcan under my desk. There were so many of them, they didn't fit.

  A gentle knock on my door sent my heart racing. "AB? You up?"

  "Yep, give me a minute." I dumped out my laundry hamper and shoved petals into the empty basket. Then, just for good measure, I threw a few of my dirty clothes on top of them.

  I opened my door. "How's it going? Have fun last night?"

  Ryder eyed me suspiciously. "Yeah, I did." His eyes traveled down. "Looks like you went out?"

  Shit. I forgot I was wearing the club outfit. I rarely dress up, this was a huge red flag to him. "Yeah, a few of the girls from work went over the Exchequer for some drinks."

  He waved a hand at me as he walked away. "Whatever, sis. I'm going to bed."

  "Night." I shut my door and leaned against it. That was too close. Lying to my brother? I shook my head. I didn't want to be that person again. The Ringmaster was right, I shouldn't be there. What had he been thinking inviting me back?

  I grabbed my robe and headed to the bathroom. Shower. Coffee. Then try to black out all of the memories from the weird Rose Circus.

  I spent the morning reading and lounging on the couch. I hadn't had a true day off in a while and despite the nagging visions of the Ringmaster's smile, I didn't want to waste the day worrying about things I couldn't control.

  Sometime around noon, Ryder stepped out of his room. He shuffled into the kitchen. "Save any coffee for me?"

  "It's cold, but it's there." I set down my book. Every part of me wanted to stay at home, alone all night but I thought I should make an effort to do something with Ryder. My skin crawled at the thought of being anywhere too crowded but he was leaving in a few days. I could do something fun with him. "Hey? How about a trip to the pier tonight? We haven't been in years."

  He poured coffee into a juice glass and threw it back like a shot of hard liquor. I wrinkled my nose. Despite my love of coffee, it had to at least have a little sugar in it for me.

  "Can't." He set the glass down and filled it again. "The guys got tickets to the Cubs game tonight. I told you that, didn't I?"

  I shook my head. "I don't think so."

  "Tomorrow night?" he asked.

  I opened my book back up. "Sounds good. I'll be here till then."

  Ryder tossed back the second glass of coffee and left the room. I heard the shower running as I returned to my book. It was going to be odd having the place to myself when he left. I'd had a roommate here for three years but she moved in with her boyfriend after my parents died so Ryder could have her room. Our parents left some money behind, it wasn't much, but it was enough to help supplement for a few months before my teaching job started in a few weeks. If it weren't for Ryder needing a place to come home to for breaks, I would have found a smaller place for myself closer to the school where I would be teaching in the fall. But I didn't want him to feel like he didn't have a home.

  I was nearing the end of my book when Ryder came back into the room. "You weren't kidding, were you? You really going to read all day?"

  I looked up. "Told you. I'm good right here."

  He wore his Cubs hat and a faded Cubs tee-shirt that he'd probably had since he was in grade school. "I might stay at Matt's tonight after the game."

  Matt lived in Wrigleyville so Ryder often stayed with him after they went to games. Matt's parents were always at home and they had often involved Ryder in family events since our parents passed. I liked when Ryder stayed there, it was good for him to be around such a loving family. "Have fun."

  My stomach started to rumble shortly after he left. I realized I hadn't eaten all day. Not feeling like cooking, I grabbed my purse and headed to the bar on the corner. The Dizzy Dragon wasn't the type of place I would have normally gone to, but it was close to my apartment and they had great vegetarian food. The walls were covered in old board games and jars of dice sat on the tables in place of centerpieces. Evenings saw groups of guys playing games for hours on end, but it was still early enough that there might be a spot at the bar for a quick bite.

  The owner, a guy named Leif, smiled and waved as I walked through the door. A few of the larger tables were already occupied by guys setting out miniature figurines of dragons and elves and whatever other creatures they were playing with. They'd tried to explain the games to me a few times, but it just wasn't my thing.

  I took a chair at the bar and ordered my favorite junk food: spinach and artichoke dip.

  Leif set a glass of water in front of me. "You drinking anything else today? We got a new brew on tap."

  "You know what, I'll try your new brew."

  Leif brought the beer and chatted for a while, showing off photos of all of his grandkids. A server brought out my food and I happily ate pita squares dipped in cheesy goodness. The bar started to fill up and
Leif stopped chatting as he took care of other customers.

  I caught sight of the small television in the corner and frowned. Usually, they played the Cubs games. I hadn't kept up with professional sports in the last few chaotic years of working while finishing my degree, but I enjoyed watching the Cubs play. "Hey, Leif, can you turn on the game?"

  He set the beer down for the customer on the other end of the bar and walked over to the Cubs schedule he had hanging on the wall next to the television. "No game today. Tomorrow, in Miami."

  I stopped chewing and set down the pita square in my hand. "You sure?"

  He looked again. "Yep. Tomorrow."

  Heat rose in my chest. Ryder had lied to me. Then he went out of his way to cover it up. He could have said anything. He could have said he was going to play video games with his friends. He could have told me he was going to check out girls by the lake. I wouldn't have even batted an eye. If he was going that far out of his way to hide something from me, he was planning on doing something he really didn't want me to know. I finished my beer in one long gulp then pulled some cash from my purse.

  I threw the cash on the bar. "Thanks, Leif. I'll see you later."

  He waved to me. "Bye, Ara."

  My hands were clenched into fists as I walked back to my apartment. The sun was low in the horizon and it would be dark soon. I tried to think of any place Ryder may have gone even though I already knew the answer. The Ringmaster had told me to stay away. I didn't have a flyer to gain entry. And I sure as hell didn't want to go back to the Rose Circus. Damn it, Ryder.