“Minka, let her speak for herself. She is grown and still acting like a child.”
“When you treat and hold me in my room like this, what else am I to behave like?” I asked, turning around to stare at the woman. “I cannot leave without supervision. I cannot leave without being seen. Am I to behave like a seasoned woman, a seasoned woman of the world? A woman who knows things outside of the walls of this very room because she has experience? Maybe I am behaving like a child who wants toexplore the world because all she ever hears about it is through her imagination and fairytales Baba will tell her just before bedtime.”
“You are to behave like the woman I raised you to be, Ayira. You have it easier than most. You are to marry, give birth to children, raise them, and live in luxury. You are not a slave. You are not beaten; you are not selling your body for money and food for the night. You have the finest clothes, the finest jewelry, you are born as the only daughter to the king! You have the life many would dream of.”
“Baba says I am to serve a greater purpose. I was never meant to lay on my back and give birth like you,” I muttered like a child while cutting my eyes at her through the mirror. I could see the brief hurt cross her eyes from the insult, but it was true.
“Your Baba is a fool and has been lying to you,” she expressed with disdain in her tone. “Your Baba is no real King anymore. They run and control his every thought and movement now while he runs and sleeps with the next woman presented in his bed. That is how they keep him occupied. You think your Baba is traveling outside of this place to learn and gain knowledge of others? No, your Baba has many women from all over. He has no loyalty to no one, not this kingdom, not his people, no one but himself.”
I could hear Minka hissed silently, having never been a fan of bad-mouthing Khamar himself, but she couldn’t say anything against my mother the Queen.
“You think too highly of a man who thinks nothing but himself, Ayira.”
“And what about the things he says about you, mother?” I asked. Nayara smirked before leaning back on my bed with her weight resting on her hand.
“When you marry,” choosing to ignore my question, “you need to make sure you are in control of your own choice. Choose a man who is fair, considerate, and overall nice… You want a man with a kind heart. A ruling fist, but a kind heart. He will be good for you and ease your rebellious spirit.”
She slowly got up and began walking towards me. Scooping my hair in her hands, she smiled when she felt the heat in the strands before deciding to braid it down.
“You will need to prepare your body for karasha.” She began to hum while twisting one strand over the other for a thick long braid. “Your father wants you to greet your guests with song and dance…” I could hear the sarcasm in her voice every time she spoke about him, but I was most certainly not looking forward to dance lessons once again. I stared at her as my head jolted and twitched from the movement of her hands until a long rope-like braid fell against my back. Nayara stared back, our eyes meeting as two women but, in this moment, I felt reduced to a child as I turned away to look down at my hands. I could and would never stand up to her the way she would never do for me against my father. We all had our roles to play. The problem is, I’ve been given a role that was never suited for me in the first place.
“The palace will be nearly empty the night of the first arrival of our guests. Just a few Ashari moving about with the cleaning,” she went on as she combed through my hair, scooping any strays back from my face. Her eyes never left mine in the mirror as I continuously avoided hers. “I suggest you take advantage of your last night of freedom before you set on your divine path.”
Nayara slowly shuffled her bare feet out of the room where her Ashari, the group of servant women who tended to her hand and foot waited outside for her. I looked back at myself into themirror as I took the long braid to bring around my chest and smiled.
“You are not getting any ideas, Princess,” Minka warned. “Just because your mother is okay with you leaving the palace from time to time does not mean I am.”
I smiled.
Chapter Two
Maggie Grey
The buzzing noise interrupted the quiet den of a bedroom as one eye slowly peeled open. It was ice cold to the point where if one toe slipped out of the layered covers, I was bound to catch hypothermia.
Bzzzz
Bzzzz
I snuggled my head deeper into the covers, refusing to get up and eventually the phone stopped. Feeling my body sink deeper into the sheets, I could feel the overgrowth of thick fur against my leg as my boyfriend, Namir shifted. What a crazy turn of events. In a year, I learn I am a part of this black ancient vampire family. I sometimes channel energy from the moon herself…There is a whole other mythical and magical world where black people reside just beneath Atlanta and well…the country. My parents don’t know who I am in person because they think their daughter has died and have slowly forgotten about me like a disease of the brain instead of a rotten curse.
Which?! By the way?!My dear old grandfather had placed on them for fear of everyone finding out how terrible of a person he really is to the people he calls family. Now here I am, north of Atlanta in a house I’ve been staying in while the mess from last year blows over. Something about the explosion of a church, and me possibly being responsible for almost exposing the blackunderworld of magic or whatnot. I don’t know anymore. That funeral was a blur.
I’m Maggie. I’ll be 31 this year, and I am simply just trying to make it to the next day without my world being turned upside down. Did I mention my boyfriend is a werewolf as well? Me, vampire moon lady freak, him big bad wolf. We were laying in the same bed after a wonderful night of well… You get the picture. This guy beside me is mine so when I felt his fur lift and fall with each inhale and exhale, I snuggled closer to keep warm. The tips of his fur slowly curled against my skin as if it was knowingly trying to keep me warm.
Bzzzzz
Bzzzzz
The phone on the nightstand that was connected to the charger went off again as both eyes shot open. I yanked the covers back to peek my head over, seeing bits of my stark white hair laying about like a bad matted wig. As I said, last night was wonderful. There was no time for a scarf or wrap. Alcohol was involved somewhere in the mix and things went left.
Namir’s arm stretched out from the covers. His thick coated fur that usually came out when he was cold suddenly disappeared back into his skin. His growing ability to partially shift and control every aspect of his body was amazing to see. Frightening at first but amazing once you get used to it.
“Hello?” Namir answered, voice deep and groggy. I could hear him cracking his neck and bones snap in place from his jawline as he pressed the phone against the side of his face.
This message is for faculty and staff of The Drew Collins University. Home of the Ancestral Mythical and Magical Mighty Trojan Warriors…
Namir started to groan while I turned over to close my eyes. The strict female tone was new but obviously prerecorded.
