One
After a week of dreary, endless rain, the clouds had moved on, and bright-blue skies stretched overhead. It was going to be a gorgeous spring day.
The break in the long rainy spell also meant that paper birds filled the skies. Invitations, letters, and even shop notices fluttered in the folded shapes of different birds, from delicate finches to fierce hawks. With just the touch of a crystal purchased at the postal shop for a couple of copper coins, each letter sprung to life.
There were rumors that rich aristocrats kept on staff a servant or two who possessed the magical gift of turning letters into birds. They never had to use store-bought magic for their letters.
The Baker household had received a dozen paper birds, which hopped about the mailbox, waiting to be picked up. As Hugo approached, the paper finches and starlings settled into the box, unfolding themselves into neat squares. He flipped through them as he strolled to the breakfast room. At least half were invitations, then there were a few personal letters, a few bills, and finally, best of all, a note stating that his new suit was ready to be picked up from the tailor’s shop.
Hugo ran through the house, tugging on his jacket and then checking his reflection one last time in the glass to make sure his appearance was proper. He passed a hand through his light-brown hair, smoothing the soft waves into place prior to putting his hat on his head. Then he was out the door, tossing over his shoulder to his mother and brothers that he was off to town to pick up his suit.
He didn’t care one fig about the suit. He needed to get out of the house and breathe the fresh air. To stretch his legs and hear something other than his brothers bickering with each other or with their mother.
The Season was about to begin, and tension was running high in the Baker household. Hugo had to find a husband, preferably a rich, titled one. Otherwise, they were going to be in a terrible financial position by winter.
But that wasn’t a problem for today.
Hugo was determined to enjoy this break—possibly one of his last—before all his attention turned to being the best-looking, most interesting, most talented person…to win the heart of a good man.
Hugo shoved that stomach-churning thought aside and gazed at the muddy road ahead of him. The Bakers lived in a house outside the town proper of Buckleford, which itself was a short carriage ride to the royal capital of Frostbourne. It was only a ten-minute walk through Shaggy Butternut Woods to Buckleford, and Hugo was more than happy to be out in nature. The actual birds were chirping and darting between the trees. Rabbits and squirrels were scurrying through the undergrowth, searching for a meal while trying to remain hidden from the larger predators lurking nearby.
He hummed to himself as a bend in the road revealed the first glimpse of Buckleford with its neat and tidy stone buildings. It was home to a few hundred people and the main stop forthe local farmers. Everything would be sold to merchants here in Buckleford prior to moving on to Frostbourne and other cities throughout the kingdom. The town was quaint and busy as most of the locals stopped here rather than traveling on to the more expensive Frostbourne. There was little need to leave Buckleford. It had a wonderful open market and shops that provided everything a person could want.
A sigh of relief drifted from his parted lips as he left behind the muddy road for cobblestone and sidewalks. While ample puddles dotted the road, the shopkeepers had taken the time to sweep most of the sidewalks clean. There wasn’t much he could do about the mud on his boots, but the rest of him was at least clean and presentable.
It would take Hugo a couple of minutes to pop into the tailor’s to pick up his suit and then ten minutes to walk home. That wasn’t long enough of a break from his family.
However, after he grabbed his parcel, he could do a bit of window shopping. If he already had something in his hand, they would believe he had money in his pocket to spend and wouldn’t hassle him about browsing. He could kill at least an hour or two this way and be home in time for lunch. That sounded like a perfect day.
Hugo turned onto the main street with its plethora of shops. People buzzed about dressed in their finest for shopping and paying calls. It seemed as if the entire town had headed out to enjoy the spring day. The scent of freshly baked bread and roasted nuts danced in the air. Here and there he would hear the drifting notes of music being played.
At the corner, a man stood next to a flute that hovered in the air, trilling pleasant notes. A hat was in his hand, collecting copper coins for the bespelled flute. Ahead of Hugo, a broom moved between the pedestrians, sweeping aside bits of dirt in a desperate attempt to make the sidewalk clean. A shopgirl in abright-pink cap rushed out and scolded the broom, ushering it inside the store that sold delicate lace gloves and handkerchiefs.
Magic was everywhere in Buckleford, but only in the most mundane forms. Nearly every person was born with the ability to cast a tiny bit of very specific magic. For most people, they could do small things such as commanding cleaning instruments to complete chores. Others could create the magic that turned letters into paper birds that flew to their addressees. There were people who could use magic to play musical instruments and others who could command a sewing needle to make perfect clothes.
Hugo had never heard of anyone who could do “big” magic. There was always nonsensical talk of finding someone who could turn straw into gold or common rocks into gems, but Hugo didn’t believe such a person existed. It was all ridiculous. What was so wrong with having useful magic? He’d prefer never to scrub a dish or floor.
Of course, he thought that because he found his own magic to be useless.
It didn’t matter. This wasn’t a day to worry about magic or the sad lack of coins in his pocket. The sun was shining. A pleasant breeze was dancing down the street. People everywhere were smiling and laughing.
A block from the tailor’s shop, fate gifted Hugo an even bigger reason to savor the day. The door of a curio shop opened, and a stunningly handsome man stepped out, stopping Hugo’s heart in his chest. He hadn’t thought it was possible for a man to be so beautiful. His thick, black hair rolled in elegant waves across his head and was gathered at the nape of his neck by a slender blue ribbon. Pale, creamy skin glowed under the sun with a hint of rosiness as if the sun couldn’t resist blessing him with a worshipful kiss. His jaw was hard and came to a perfectpoint at his chin while his nose was strong and regal on his perfect face.
But his eyes kept Hugo from catching his breath. They sparkled dark blue like twin pools hidden in a shadowy wood, but there was a soft glow of life to them, lit by a peek of forbidden moonlight.
He exited the shop with two companions, dressed in perfectly tailored suits and sturdy riding boots splashed with mud, showing they’d taken horses into Buckleford rather than carriages. They had to be from Frostbourne. No one so stunning lived in Buckleford. Probably out for some riding and amusement on this perfect day.
The stranger glanced up and, for a strangled heartbeat, he and Hugo locked eyes. The corner of his lush mouth twitched as if rising in a smile, and Hugo was sure he was going to expire on the spot.
Yet the moment shattered as a gaggle of ragged kids rushed down the street, shouting and laughing. They pushed and shoved their way through the pedestrians, jostling everyone. The beautiful man was forced out into the street to catch his balance. Otherwise he would have fallen onto his backside. Hugo might have swooned a little harder for him when he chuckled with his companions rather than becoming angry.
A shout of warning from the other end of the street caught Hugo’s attention. He looked around in time to see a man thrown from a horseless carriage. He rolled on the ground, bellowing a warning as the carriage barreled along the cobblestone road, right for the laughing man still standing in its path.
Not hesitating a second, Hugo lunged forward and seized the man’s wrist. Leveraging all his body weight, he pulled the man out of the street and safely onto the sidewalk. The action caused Hugo to shift and spin, stumbling to the very edge of thesidewalk with his back to the road while he flung the handsome man into the confused arms of his companions.
A cacophony of panicked shouts and cries of wonder rose. As Hugo celebrated the handsome man’s safety, icy, muddy water washed over his entire body.
As the carriage raced past them, it hit a large puddle, spraying Hugo from head to toe. Thankfully, the handsome man was in the tangled embrace of his friends on the other side of the sidewalk, sparing him from the embarrassment of being covered in mud like Hugo.
