waters for us. Your father and I have talked about what’s going on at
the court—”
“Wait! You guys know what’s going on there? Why didn’t you
say anything?”
“Because you haven’t been in a position to do anything about
it, Astra. Knowing would have just made you feel worse. You didn’t need any
more pressure.”
I suddenly felt bad about teasing Myra. Despite her innate
and unrelenting crankiness, she’d always had my best interests at heart and I’d
counted on her help all my life. With a start I realized that was a very mature
thought I’d just had. Apparently, despite all my most determined efforts, I was
growing up.
Well shit. That just sucketh.
“But now that you have some of your magic ability back,
maybe you can help Dialle work through his issue.”
“What exactly is his issue, angel?”
She finished topping off my battery and pulled her hand
back. “I don’t know as much about it as your father does, but the gist of it is
that, without your light magic connection to tether him, he’s falling prey to
the darkness.”
“You mean the loss of my daemon hickey is turning him toward
the dark world?”
“It appears that way.”
I stood. “I need to get back to Earth.”
Myra stood too, grabbing my wrist. “Before you go to the
court, you need to visit your father.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have time. I’ll visit with him
after I see Dialle. I need to make this right somehow.”
Her hand tightened on my wrist when I started to shimmer.
“Dialle can wait a while longer. You need to go to the castle before setting
off to help the royals. It’s important, Astra.”
I held her gaze for a moment and then sighed. “Okay. I’ll go
to castle Phelps before I go to Dialle.”
“Promise?”
My gaze slid toward her hand on my wrist. “I promise.”
She looked at me a moment longer and then her pretty pink
lips tipped upward in a smile. “You always were a terrible liar, Astra.”
And just like that we were locked in a space shift and I was
unable to even scream at my damnable angel as she space-napped me to my
father’s house.
* * * * *
We landed in the kitchen and I opened my mouth to scour her
with abuse. She lifted a single, blonde eyebrow and waited, obviously
unrepentant. I slammed my lips closed, deciding it wasn’t worth it. “I hate
you.”
She grinned. “I know you don’t mean that, Astra.”
“Do you?”
She leaned in and kissed my cheek and then blipped away.
Sighing, I briefly considered popping over to the court and then realized that
I might as well speak to my father since I was at the castle.
I turned around, intending to go in search of him, and
stopped, my breath stalling in my chest.
“Hello, Astra.”
Tears filled my eyes. I took a step toward him and stopped,
unsure how I would be received.
Emo smiled at me and opened his arms. I flew into them,
sobbing my relief. With my powers back, I could see his aura and it was more
silver than gray, more light than dark. Emo had passed his Settling without
succumbing to the siren call of the dark.
“I’ve missed you so much, partner.”
He kissed the top of my head, holding me tight. “I missed
you too, boss.”
I laughed at the old title. I hadn’t been his boss for a
long time. But I hoped to return to our old working arrangement as soon as
possible. I’d even asked Bob and Ralph for another office. Just in case. I
reluctantly stepped back, out of his arms and smiled up at him. “You look
good.”
His dark eyes sparkled with humor. “Yeah? You don’t look so
bad yourself.”
“Now I know you’re lying.” Suddenly self-conscious, I turned
away from his intense scrutiny.
Emo touched my chin and pulled me back to face him. “I’m
sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me, Astra.”
I shook my head. The last thing I wanted was for him to feel
guilt. “You aren’t responsible for what happened to me, Emo. Nobody is except
the bitch who magic-raped me. I won’t let you feel bad about
the court—”
“Wait! You guys know what’s going on there? Why didn’t you
say anything?”
“Because you haven’t been in a position to do anything about
it, Astra. Knowing would have just made you feel worse. You didn’t need any
more pressure.”
I suddenly felt bad about teasing Myra. Despite her innate
and unrelenting crankiness, she’d always had my best interests at heart and I’d
counted on her help all my life. With a start I realized that was a very mature
thought I’d just had. Apparently, despite all my most determined efforts, I was
growing up.
Well shit. That just sucketh.
“But now that you have some of your magic ability back,
maybe you can help Dialle work through his issue.”
“What exactly is his issue, angel?”
She finished topping off my battery and pulled her hand
back. “I don’t know as much about it as your father does, but the gist of it is
that, without your light magic connection to tether him, he’s falling prey to
the darkness.”
“You mean the loss of my daemon hickey is turning him toward
the dark world?”
“It appears that way.”
I stood. “I need to get back to Earth.”
Myra stood too, grabbing my wrist. “Before you go to the
court, you need to visit your father.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have time. I’ll visit with him
after I see Dialle. I need to make this right somehow.”
Her hand tightened on my wrist when I started to shimmer.
“Dialle can wait a while longer. You need to go to the castle before setting
off to help the royals. It’s important, Astra.”
I held her gaze for a moment and then sighed. “Okay. I’ll go
to castle Phelps before I go to Dialle.”
“Promise?”
My gaze slid toward her hand on my wrist. “I promise.”
She looked at me a moment longer and then her pretty pink
lips tipped upward in a smile. “You always were a terrible liar, Astra.”
And just like that we were locked in a space shift and I was
unable to even scream at my damnable angel as she space-napped me to my
father’s house.
* * * * *
We landed in the kitchen and I opened my mouth to scour her
with abuse. She lifted a single, blonde eyebrow and waited, obviously
unrepentant. I slammed my lips closed, deciding it wasn’t worth it. “I hate
you.”
She grinned. “I know you don’t mean that, Astra.”
“Do you?”
She leaned in and kissed my cheek and then blipped away.
Sighing, I briefly considered popping over to the court and then realized that
I might as well speak to my father since I was at the castle.
I turned around, intending to go in search of him, and
stopped, my breath stalling in my chest.
“Hello, Astra.”
Tears filled my eyes. I took a step toward him and stopped,
unsure how I would be received.
Emo smiled at me and opened his arms. I flew into them,
sobbing my relief. With my powers back, I could see his aura and it was more
silver than gray, more light than dark. Emo had passed his Settling without
succumbing to the siren call of the dark.
“I’ve missed you so much, partner.”
He kissed the top of my head, holding me tight. “I missed
you too, boss.”
I laughed at the old title. I hadn’t been his boss for a
long time. But I hoped to return to our old working arrangement as soon as
possible. I’d even asked Bob and Ralph for another office. Just in case. I
reluctantly stepped back, out of his arms and smiled up at him. “You look
good.”
His dark eyes sparkled with humor. “Yeah? You don’t look so
bad yourself.”
“Now I know you’re lying.” Suddenly self-conscious, I turned
away from his intense scrutiny.
Emo touched my chin and pulled me back to face him. “I’m
sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me, Astra.”
I shook my head. The last thing I wanted was for him to feel
guilt. “You aren’t responsible for what happened to me, Emo. Nobody is except
the bitch who magic-raped me. I won’t let you feel bad about
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