Dizziness washed over me at that, and I swallowed hard, digesting the information. I had to run home to make it before dark, all the while thinking about how the Queen of The Gilded City hated me and the fact that the Banes were of royal blood.
FOURTEEN
The next week flew by. Now that I was actively participating in classes, I had learned how to levitate a pencil two feet above my desk. It wasn’t as advanced as the other kids, and my pyrotechnics were definitely stronger, but it was something. I didn’t resonate with rage and anger always being the source for tapping into my power, so I had to find another way to access that well of magic.
Master Knight was hard on me, but in her own way she was helping me. Sure, she yelled at me, threw me dirty looks, and sent a stream of fire at Yanric any time she saw him, but she was pushing me to control my magic the best I could.
Today was my birthday and my gotcha day; since my dad didn’t really know when I was born, we counted from the day he found me at the gates of Isariah.
Eden had loaned me a short knee-length sundress that was all black with cute little red rose buttons. It was a major risk because someone could accidentally touch my legs, but I wanted to look pretty on my birthday, even if no one knew it was a special day for me. Instead of my signature bun, I braided my hair over one shoulder, tugging at the end, which hung over my ribcage. Another risk, but people at school knew about my curse by now, so I felt okay taking the chance.
I used some of the makeup Eden had given me, just a little black eyeliner and some red lipstick. It was probably not going to please my dad, but I could get away with anything because of my curse. He was constantly feeling bad for me and so he said yes to almost anything I wanted. I tried not to abuse that, but today I would if I had to.
I stepped into the kitchen where Dad was feeding Yanric a piece of toast and he looked up at me, his eyes flying wide.
“Lipstick?” He sounded surprised and I winced.
“Just today. Because it’s my—”
“Happy birthday!” he shouted and Yanric flew from where he was perched on the counter, trailing a handmade cut out sign that readHappy Birthday Fallon. It was tied to his leg, and I laughed as Yanric flew in circles around the living room and kitchen, the sign trailing behind him.
“Wow, thank you.” I reached out with both black-gloved hands and squeezed my father’s hand. Hug hard.
His eyes misted over.
“Eighteen. Wow. I…I can’t believe it, Fallon.”
I nodded. “Me either, actually.”
I thought the curse would have killed me by now. I always wondered if it had a self-destruct date or if I could only take so much pain before my heart failed one of these times.
“I felt like barely a kid myself when I got you,” he mused. “A lonely widower, looking for someone to love and care for.”
I loved when he talked about the day he took me in, mostly because he made it seem like I had been the one who blessed his life and not the other way around.
“You know Miss Mable is single too,” I started, and he gave me a look.
“All right, eat your breakfast.” he ordered.
Eden and I were on a mission to set my dad and her mom up, but so far, they were both resisting.
“So the lipstick…it’s just for special occasions, okay?” I eyed him across the table.
He winced as if every fatherly instinct was screaming for him to tell me to wipe it off.
“Okay.” He gave me a fake smile which brought a peal of laughter from my throat.
After eating breakfast of quail eggs and purple potatoes, I walked to school with Eden and Yanric.
“So completely imaginary situation,” Eden said after we flashed our badges to the guard at the East Gate. “But if both Ariyon and Ayden asked you to the dance, who would you go with?”
Eden was obsessed with the fact that Ayden had confessed his feelings for me, but Ariyon was the one who could touch me. Or maybe both could. We didn’t know. Ariyon rarely came to eat with us anymore, bouncing from one table to another, flirting with Blair and the other girls. Ayden still wasn’t back at school, but we’d visited him at his house, where his aunt would not clear him until he was in full fighting shape. Because he was on a warrior’s path with every intention of becoming the commander of the Royal Army when he was older, he had to fully heal before diving into his rigorous training again.
I laughed. “Super imaginary, because boys don’t ask girls to this dance.”
She nodded. “Super imaginary, who would you say yes to?”
I swallowed hard, thinking of the sweet way Ayden volunteered to tutor me, how he always looked out for me, roping off a little box for me at his concert, putting himself out there with his feelings. It was so swoon-worthy and yet…one touch from Ariyon and all thoughts of Ayden and any other guy I’d ever had a crush on rushed from my brain.
