Gabe texted back that he would be over soon, saying we needed to talk, but I wasn't in the mood for talking. He showed up at my window ten minutes after I was in my pajamas. I wore silk shorts and a matching spaghetti strap tank. With giddy anticipation, I let him in. "Hey," he said softly. He smelled of the fresh night air, moonbeams, pure magic, and something I couldn't quite gauge. What could be the matter?"Hi." I closed the window and turned, studying him as he wandered the room, picking up the photo of us right after high school graduation, before setting it back down. Gabe was hot. His dark hair short and his emerald green eyes seemed even brighter than usual. He always had a tan, and his body was sculpted and sleek. I craved him. And I wanted him to make me forget all my worries for a little while, especially Leolas. Going to him, I pressed my lips to his. He responded hungrily, wrapping his arms around me. I sighed, knowing I would never love another the way I love
Heaving a deep breath, the fracture in my heart splintered, and I threw myself on my bed. Sobs racked my body as pain filled every crevice.I don't know how long I lay in bed and allowed myself to cry. It was after eleven when I made a decision. I needed to talk to my best friend. Taking a deep breath, I went to my bathroom and took in my reflection. My eyes were red and swollen. Haunted. Shocked. Horrified. At the memory of what happened, more tears fell. "Mirror, mirror, made of glass, show me Snow, do as I ask."All of Sharra's mirrors were enchanted, making it easy for me to find Snow or anyone, if necessary, though I wouldn't break a student's trust. It had to be life or death. But with Snow, we had a bond.As the spell began to work, my reflection wavered back and forth until it vanished. In its place was a darkened room. I could hear kissing noises.Were Snow and Dorian - ? I forced myself not to be embarrassed. What just happened between Gabe and me demanded I speak
In the morning, I put on a light yellow dress and did my hair up in a bun. Downstairs I grabbed a piece of toast and peanut butter after turning on the coffee for my mom. She came into the kitchen, surprised. "Two days in a row?" She smiled, taking a mug from the cupboard."Have you heard of Polonias?" I asked, skipping past the silly pleasantries and getting right to the point. I could do a spell on her, but after what happened with Gabe the night before, I wasn't in the mood to force someone to tell me the truth. Her eyes grew large. "Where did you hear that word?"I decided to be honest. "From Quilla, my fairy godmother." I went to the refrigerator for some juice. My mom dropped the coffee mug. "Thenorus," I whispered. The mug halted its descent just inches from the tile floor. She took it out of the air and set it on the counter. "I wish you wouldn't do that," she said, seemingly embarrassed by my magic. I wasn't going to get into it with her, about the fact that I was a
I studied his blue eyes, searching for a sign of deceit, but there wasn't any. "I will as long as we can make it quick. I have classes to teach soon." "You needn't worry. Time in Polonias passes at a different rate than time here. We can be gone a year according to time in Polonias, and you will only miss a day here. Okay?"I bit my bottom lip, thinking I didn't understand how time could scroll at different speeds. Time was time. But I decided to go with it. If anything about the land or Leo became sketchy, I could use the travel charm to return. "Let's get this over with, then."Leo grabbed me around the waist. "Hold still," he whispered, his voice intense. He pressed my body against him, and I held my breath. I didn't know what to do with my arms, so I wrapped them around his neck. It was strange, the way my body so quickly responded to him. Momentarily, I felt like I was cheating on Gabe, even though the ass told me that he never wanted to see me again. I pushed away my guilt
We followed the path through the forest for a long time. Everything around us buzzed with life. The more we walked, the deeper into the woods we went until the path barely allowed us room to get through. Tall, skinny trees with furry silver trunks grew tightly on either side of the trail. Or maybe they hadn't grown there but moved to make room after Leo's spell. With him, such magic felt possible. "Where is this person?" I finally asked after more than thirty minutes of non-stop walking. I wore my wedge sandals, the most comfortable heels around. Still, enough was enough."At the Center," he answered, but didn't elaborate.I huffed. He said the words, but they told me nothing. Still, I strived for patience and kept walking, admiring the vegetation, the colorful flowers, and the random animals and birds we startled.Probably an hour later, I was tired, hungry, and my feet hurt. Leo finally stopped."We're here," he said."Here" was truly magical. A mountain wall shot straight up
Dear Mom and Dad,This is to let you know I'll be in Polonias a while. Not sure how long. It could only be minutes your time, but I didn't want you to worry. Polonias is somehow connected to Earth, but not a part of Earth - Yeah, it's all very confusing. The thing is, I mentioned Polonias to Mom at breakfast this morning, and I'm sure from her comments she already knows about it, which means you probably do too, Dad.If I'm wrong, talk to Adam Henry. He can explain everything to you.Please know I'm safe. And thank you so much for all the love and support you've given me over the years.All my love,Cindy***Hey Snow,Just wanted you to know I'm in Polonias. If I can't make it back in time, please have someone cover my classes for the day. You know how much I love teaching. I wouldn't abandon my classes unless it was serious. But I've met someone. And before you freak, it isn't Leo. I can't move on from Gabe so easily. It's a girl by the name of Polly. She's adorable. Weir
From the depths of a dream, I heard someone pounding on the door. "Come in," I mumbled out of habit before remembering where I was. Quicker than I usually move, I went over to my robe and threw it on, opening the door. A swift glance at the old-fashioned grandfather clock revealed it was late morning. In the doorway stood Quilla. Hands on her hips, she tapped her foot impatiently. She wore a dress the color of an eggplant, a bright red painter's hat, spotted blue tights, and pointy black boots. Before I could say anything sarcastic, she walked past me into my room."Why didn't you use magic to open the door? Not that I'm complaining. Stupid allergies. But Polonias is a world full of it. No one cares whether you use it or not. In fact, they expect you to." She whirled around the room like a bird who drank too much coffee. "You were just being polite, weren't you?" She sighed before plopping down on my bed, bouncing several times. "Cozy." Then she gave me a once-over.My head spun
"Avandey." Leo spoke the word quietly. There was a gentle rush, and our bodies traveled like apparitions down hallways, through rock walls, and out onto the grounds.I watched in awe as we floated past groundkeepers through bushes, trees, and a large lake. Until we reached a garden surrounded by thick bushes and covered in what looked like roses."Stolenvey." At the word, our bodies stopped, and my feet touched the ground.I took a deep breath. "I always wondered what it would feel like to be a ghost," I said, feeling the slightest bit woozy. "Is that the normal way people of Polonias travel, or were you showing off?" I turned in a circle, taking in my surroundings. We were in a garden filled with flowers."A little of both," he said, sheepishly. "It's quick and easy. Think you can remember the words?""Sure," I said, repeating them in my mind."Good." He walked to the edge of the garden and picked a flower that sort of looked like a blue rose. Then he turned and brought it to me.I