Hopeless Magic (34 page)

"Yes, that is what we agreed," Amory stayed calm, but his eyes were dark and his tone icy. "It would appear we are no longer masters of our 520/711

own agenda." He cleared his throat, taking a moment to turn towards the window.

"Amory, forgive me, but the entire guard will be there, not to mention Lucan, Bianca, Cartier and the rest of them," Jericho argued, moving to the edge of the couch and knocking my feet to the ground, forgetting they were on his lap.

"I am aware," Amory replied quietly.

"So why on earth would you ever send us in there?" Avalon asked, completely incredulous.

"Why would you send Eden in there?" Lilly's voice was etched with deep concern and I was surprised to hear her speak up at all.

"You're exactly right, Lilly," Amory turned to her, clearly appreciating her wisdom. "It is not my decision, but Lucan's. You are all on Kiran's guest list. Well, except for Lilly, I'm sorry child.

But, even Roxie has been invited, although your name isn't listed exactly, but he has you down as, Eden's other friend."

"So is it Kiran or Lucan that wants us there?"

Jericho asked, narrowing his eyes.

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"I can't be sure; but if I had to make an educated guess I would say that it was Kiran's idea to invite all of you at Lucan's suggestion to invite Eden. Lucan is well aware now of Kiran's feelings for her, but Kiran would never have had the audacity to invite Eden if it had not first been suggested by his father. With what I've learned of Kiran over the past few months, I don't believe he wants Eden at the party anymore than we do."

I smiled warmly at Amory; I was happy to hear his good opinion of Kiran, it made a future with him somehow feel that much more possible.

"What do you think Lucan's end goal is here Amory? Do you think he's still playing a careful game, or do you think he really is putting Kiran first?" Jericho asked shrewdly, sitting back in the couch and putting an absent hand on the top of my knee.

"I don't believe for a moment that Lucan does anything but play careful games; whatever he is working towards is for his interest. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't also be looking out for 522/711

Kiran. I had been afraid that Lucan would be blinded by rage at meeting Eden, that he would have a one track mind in terms of how to act,"

Amory paused for a moment.

"Like, you mean, he would just want to kill me?"

I asked meekly.

"Well.... yes," Amory relented. "But maybe he is not beyond reason after all."

"What do you mean?" Avalon asked quietly.

"If Eden and Kiran were to marry, he wouldn't be able to save himself, but he could preserve his line. Eden is the key to guaranteeing the monarchy eternal life," Amory replied pensively.

"Do you really believe he's that selfless?" Avalon scoffed.

"No, I don't. But I've been wrong before," Amory responded.

"When?" Avalon asked, unbelieving.

"Avalon...." Amory scolded, his humility shining through. "Well, for starters, I was wrong about Kiran."

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"So far," Avalon clarified. "You've been wrong so far. That story has yet to play out."

"Avalon!" I gasped, irritated with his stubborn hate for Kiran. "I have a question," I stated, moving on ."What do you mean, a marriage with me would preserve the line? How?"

"Sex," Avalon grumbled, crossing his arms and staring at the floor.

"Excuse me?" I stared at Avalon, wondering what in the world he was talking about.

"Sex, Eden," He sighed, exasperated with me.

"You give it up to Kiran, and he gets all the benefits of that precious eternal life of yours."

"Is that true?" My cheeks were bright red and my forehead had started sweating; I looked at Jericho, hoping he would give me answers quickly before Amory said something. I really did not want to talk about the birds and the bees with my grandfather right now. Or.... Ever....

"Afraid so, Doll," Jericho replied, without actually looking at me.

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"Wait, so I don't understand," I held my hands up, trying to figure this out. "So, every person I have sex with gets eternal life too, like I share my magic with them?"

"First of all," Avalon spoke up quickly, "how many people are you planning on having sex with?"

"Ok, that is not what I meant...." I blushed deeper, trying to figure out how to not come off like a hooker.

"It's alright, Eden," Amory cleared his throat and took over the conversation. "Let me explain and then if you have more questions you can ask them at the end." I nodded and Avalon sat back into the couch, relaxing a little. "Sex," he cleared his throat again, a little nervously, "sex, is a very sacred act with our people. It is a reserved right, saved for the privilege of marriage. When a man and a woman," another throat clear, "celebrate that right, they not only become one, but their magics also become one. They are then, every moment forward, one entity, wholly bound for 525/711

eternity. Even if one of them were to die, the others magic would stay with them forever. In Immortal society there are no divorces, there are no separations, because once a couple has come together, in terms of marriage, they cannot leave each other, they cannot separate the magic."

"So, like, how it is when I take someone elses magic?" I asked, trying to understand.

"Well, not exactly, no," Amory continued, "That is not permanent, I believe there is a way to separate your magic from stolen magic. On the other hand, the connection between two lovers is unbreakable."

"Ok, like when you guys kiss," Avalon spoke up, although he was having a hard time looking at me. "You and Kiran, don't you feel how your magics like find each

other?"

"Yes," I said, understanding dawning on me. "So it's more external than internal."

"Only you would know," Roxie mumbled.

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"Exactly," Amory replied. "But it is also completely life-changing, a couple truly becomes one flesh and the magic is shared between the two."

"But not like Avalon and me?" I asked, trying to understand everything exactly.

"No, not at all like you two. The magic doesn't move back and forth from one person to the other, it has been changed. And Avalon still has his magic and you have yours, you can share between the two of you and you can chose to withhold. In marriage, that is not possible, the magic is indivisible," Amory finished, and I finally understood.

"And that all happens when you have.... sex?" I cringed, using the word in front of my grandfather.

"Yes. The same connection happens with your soul, even in humans, when two people have....

sex," Amory struggled saying the same word.

"The difference is, a soul is not a binding con-tract, humanity has the option to split their souls; 527/711

however detrimental, once the connection has been made. Magic on the other hand, does not allow for separation."

"Marriage is super serious for us, Eden. We don't just have tons of boyfriends and make out with tons of different people." Roxie explained further, in the rough manner I was struggling to get used to. "You have to be very careful to whom you give your magic."

"Well," I began, feeling like I was being judged for being a floozy. "I was always planning on....

You know.... Saving myself." I finished humbly, and hating the awkwardness of the conversation.

"Listen, Aunt Syll did her job as a parent."

"Eden, no one here is accusing you of anything,"

Amory said sternly, eyeing Avalon and Roxie,

"You just need to be aware of the heightened consequences to your actions. If you and Kiran did walk down the path to marriage, then your magic would save his. He would benefit from your.... indestructibility." Amory smiled and softened the building tension in the room.

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"Oh," Was all I could say though. I had never really had serious thoughts about having sex before marriage. Aunt Syll had ingrained in me the sanctity of waiting until after the vows, but things between Kiran and I had been heated before.

Suddenly there was a lot of pressure to not only wait for marriage, but to make sure I was marrying the right person.

"At any rate," Amory continued, "Kiran's birthday celebration is in a few hours, so I assume you will all need to get ready."

"Aw, shoot," Jericho grumbled. "My tux is still at the cleaners, I'll have to run back to the farm."

"Tux?" I sat up straight. "What is the dress code for this shindig?"

"Black tie, of course," Amory replied patiently.

"Black tie?" I whined, sinking back into the recesses of the couch. "What is it with you people?

I'm running out of dresses."

"Eden, class and sophistication are to be honored," Amory scolded.

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"That's all fine Amory, but you try wearing a silk evening dress in the middle of winter," I wasn't going to give this up easily.

"That is why you have magic, my dear," Amory stood up and walked into the kitchen, ignoring my complaints and reminding me I really didn't have anything to complain about.

"Hey, Jer, can I go back to the farm with you,"

Roxie asked familiarly, "I don't have anything nice here."

"You can borrow one of Aunt Syl's dress." I offered, not liking the idea of Jericho and Roxie riding to the farm together.

"No thanks, I think it would all be too big. I brought my own stuff."

"Ok...." I didn't really know how to reply to her, granted she was the tiniest thing I had ever seen, but I still felt like she was insulting Aunt Syll who had the perfect waist, in my opinion. "Lilly, I'm sorry you don't get to go." I turned to my dear friend, truly upset that she had to be left behind.

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"Don't worry about it!" she gushed, "I hate those kind of things."

"Really? I just don't want you to feel left out," I said sincerely.

"Eden, seriously," she smiled, talking in her shy, whispery way. "I would rather go back to prison, than an elegant affair with Lucan there. But can I help you get ready?"

"Actually, yes!" I replied, loving her laid back attitude. She had changed since joining the Resistance. She was more relaxed, but more confident too. "Will you help me straighten my hair? I don't want to stand out."

"Straightening your hair is not going to help you blend into the crowd." Jericho announced from across the room where he was putting on a coat and scarf.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, not sure if I should be offended or not.

"It just means that.... It just means that I don't think you're capable of blending in." He smiled roguishly at me, his bright hazel eyes smoldering.

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"Get out of here," I grumbled, and then followed Lilly up the stairs, still set on camouflaging myself as best as I could.

I had mixed feelings about going tonight. On the one hand I was excited to be part of Kiran's birthday and celebrate with him; but on the other, bringing all of my friends felt like a set up. I wanted to believe Kiran was just being thoughtful and didn't want me to feel awkward or alone, but there was a part of me screaming that Lucan was running his own surveillance. I thought of Avalon and Jericho and even Roxie, knowing that I would protect them first under any circumstance. Lucan would never touch them as long as I was around to save them.

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"Which one do you think?" I held up the two dresses I was deciding between, asking Lilly for advice. One of the dresses was the soft pink gown Kiran had sent as a gift for the Fall Equinox dance in October, that I still hadn't worn. And the other one was a refugee from Aunt Syl's closet, a short black pin-striped number that was strapless and on the provocative side.

"Um, probably the pink one," Lilly said with finality. "Is that the one Kiran gave you?" She walked over, picking up the soft hem and fingering it delicately.

"Yes," I sighed. "And I don't want to be too obvious, especially after that whole.... sex education class down there." I sighed again, and plopped down on Aunt Syl's king-sized bed. "Apparently, I need to do some serious shopping and stock up on ball gowns." I sighed wondering if this was what royal life, one tiring formal event after 533/711

another, would be like, should I someday be queen.

"The pink one will be fine. More than fine," Lilly sat down next me, putting a gentle hand on my back. "He's probably the only one who knows about the dress, so if anything it will be.... romantic," she smiled encouragingly and I started to feel a little bit of hope.

"You think?" I asked and she nodded.

I stood up with more confidence and decided she was right. I walked into the bathroom and undressed, changing into the appropriate undergar-ments and pulling the dress carefully over my head. I stood staring at myself in the mirror.

It felt like I was here a lot lately, in front of the mirror and in some fancy dress. Elegant affairs were beginning to lose their appeal; still, I couldn't help but admire the delicate workman-ship of the couture gown.

The soft pink silk shimmered iridescently when the light hit the fabric just so. The skirt was full and long, but pleated, a stark contrast to the 534/711

softer lines of the top. The designer of this dress was very bold, creating a concept I had never seen before. The neck line plunged to the waist, away from the delicate cap sleeves and covering just enough to maintain the preface of modesty.

The back plunged in the same v, meeting the narrow waistline in symmetrical uniformity. The stitching was gold, glinting against the pastel silk, and matched the strappy stilletos Kiran had sent along to complete the look.

Either Kiran had perfect taste, or someone who worked for him did. The dress flattered me in all the right places and met my measurements exactly. My skin tone had faded over the winter months and behind the beauty of the gown I looked more like a porcelain doll, than a rebellious teenager.

Lilly had straightened my long hair and then wrapped it in elaborate lines, folding it over and over again into an artistic and secured updo. I finished my make up with simple and soft pinks and 535/711

a little eye liner and mascara. I stared again at myself, feeling self-conscious and unsure.