The possibilities were endless.
The woman waiting to help me however seemed much friendlier than the blonde at the other realm. She had red, flowing curls, and was wearing a cute little plaid skirt that my sister Courtney would have loved. My heart panged at the memory of my sister. I missed her. God, I missed her. I missed both of them.
I clenched my jaw. I had to push forward. I couldn’t let sadness or misery hold me back.
“Um... thank you.” I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear demurely. I took a tentative step forward, and then another one. I managed to steady myself enough to move past the bodyguard and step closer to the woman with a clip board in hand.
“This is quite unusual Miss Melfi,” she said. “I’ve never known the High Warlock to see anyone on such short notice.”
I shrugged, my heart racing in my chest. I kept my eyes on the floor in front of me, hoping she wouldn’t realize I was hiding something. I cleared my throat. “I’m not from around here, so I appreciate him seeing me so quickly, then I can go home,” I said quickly. I tumbled over my words. I hoped this only added to my nervous appearance. Luckily, I didn’t have to pretend anything.
She must have noticed the fact that I didn’t answer her rhetorical question, but she didn’t mention it. She seemed smarter than she looked, more perceptive. It must have been the way her eyes continued to linger on me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention to her. Instead, she nodded once, her gaze skimming over my jeans and tank top. Perhaps I should have dressed nicer? I was wearing heels for crying out loud.
There was a prickle of desire for more information. Suddenly, I remembered that I had access to someone who could help me with all of that. I grabbed for my locket and my mother was there, ready with advice.
Don’t trust any of them. Especially this one. She smells of black cats.
I knit my brow together at my mother’s advice. It sounded so strange. Black cats? What did that mean? And how could my mother smell them? Did she still have abilities other humans possessed even though she had died? Or was it part of the magic?
I was tempted to ask my mother her opinion on things but I knew I already risked too much. Instead, I forced a smile to my lips and waited for the red head to speak.
When she finally did, she indicated to a gold door that suddenly appeared behind her. “This way.”
I had no idea what black cats meant, but if my mother thought it was bad, then I took it as a bad sign. What it actually meant, I didn’t know. The best thing for me to do at this point was to keep my mouth shut.
“That’s a lovely necklace,” the redhead said as she swiped her hand across the door to unlock it.
I smiled and let go of the locket I was still holding. I had to stop drawing attention to it. “It was my mother’s. She gave it to me before she died.”
The red head nodded, but her gaze zeroed in on the necklace in a way that made me uncomfortable. What sort of powers did she have? Could she tell that there was something special about it? Despite my unease, the locket was warm against my skin. I had to assume that this meant my mother hadn’t thought I was in any unnecessary danger. As a result, I continued to walk beside her, my guard up, but my mind open.
I glanced at the gold door. I had to get in and get out before anything bad happened to me or my mother’s essence. I didn’t know if this woman was ballsy enough to try and do something to me outside the High Warlock’s office – at least, I assumed it was an office. Either way, I had to be prepared. I didn’t want to reveal my hand but at the same time, I didn’t want to be blindsided either.
“Do I just... go through?” I asked, indicating to the door. It was a safe topic, one we could both discuss without there being any other meaning.
“Yes.” One nod. “There will be another assistant on the other side of this door, but they are expecting you, so you should be able to see the High Warlock quickly.”
I took a steadying breath as the door suddenly disappeared and another shimmer of silver light appeared in its place. “Am I... going into another realm?”
The red-head smiled but the light didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re currently in the transport realm,” she said. Her tone seemed to imply that she was curious why I did not already know this. For someone who was supposed to be magic, I was certainly doing a terrible job of being better prepared. Again, I wished my mom taught me more than she had. But it was more than that. I should have at least researched this place before leaving my sisters behind. I wouldn’t be as dependent as I was on strangers for the truth. “This door leads to the realm where the Council live. This door will take you to the High Warlock’s place of work.”
It was so much more complicated than I’d first thought. “Thank you.”
I guarded myself mentally against the feelings the portal would bring, and walked through the silver door. I was whirled forward, into the nothing and out again.
I staggered when my feet hit solid ground. I’ve gotta get used to that.
I took a couple of breaths, trying to keep myself from throwing up all over the floor. I managed to swallow down anything that might have crept up and straightened.
“Miss Melfi?” A man’s voice called to me and I tensed immediately. I was in the High Warlock’s chambers already? Where were the security guards now?
My gaze darted to the right, following the sound of a deep male voice. He moved forward and the locket burned against my chest. I grabbed for it as my own
heart sung with recognition.
That’s him! Now my daughter, please be careful. I don’t know how much he has changed over the past twenty years. He may not be the man I once loved.
I swallowed. I should have gone to him. I should be the one greeting him. I was calling upon him, after all. But I couldn’t move. My feet wouldn’t let myself.