Excerpt from Bitter Magic

The wind was on fire. The clouds burned, and embers rained down, extinguishing as they collected in growing piles. 

Gwendolyn knelt there in that burning world, her soot-covered face illuminated by the embers as they fell. Some landed on her uncovered skin. She didn’t notice the pain. Inside, her emotions consumed her. She didn’t think it would stop until she was burned through. 

A gust of wind cut through the field, fueling the cinders of what once was. The girl broke from her haze in time to shield her eyes. The lace at the cuff of her sleeve was the same ash-soiled grey as everything else. Just yesterday, her dress had been yellow, her father’s favorite color. Today, all color was taken from her world. She had no idea how or why.  

Her entire family had been there, in the home she grew up in. Where were they now that the structure was leveled? Her brothers, her mother, aunts, uncles, cousins. All nowhere to be seen. Hot air stung her lungs as she remembered to breathe. Then she wept.  

She barely registered the whisper over her right shoulder, and before she could turn to see who it was, her world went from gray to black. 

…..

As soon as he entered the manor, the smell of wood polish flooded his nostrils. Old memories of children sliding down the banisters and hiding in coat closets danced in his mind. Everything was so familiar. Too familiar, even. He hadn’t been gone long enough to not feel the pull of this place. To feel what it could be. He’d hoped coming back here would feel like visiting some dream. 

At first glance, the foyer of the manor was inviting. Vases of floral arrangements sat on immaculately clean antique furniture, and the pleasant ticking of the grandfather clock floated up past the massive windows into the crystal pendants of the chandelier far above. But to Elijah, the room always felt cold. Every beautiful painting and masterfully crafted piece of furniture was ancient, but it was all staged and untouched. From the grain of the mahogany walls to the lines in the marble floor, it was all so perfectly ordered.  

“How long do you plan on standing there?” a lilting voice asked from a nearby doorway. 

“As long as it takes to decide if I should stay,” Elijah replied, not turning his gaze. 

“It is a difficult decision, I suppose.” 

“It truly is.” 

Both men waited in silence. They understood the gravity of the situation. If Elijah stayed, he’d have to face the family. If he left now, he could never come back. Neither situation was ideal, but those were the options. 

The man in the doorway broke the silence. “You could put your bags down and see how it feels." 

“Perhaps it’s better to shout out that I’ve arrived and get it done. Like diving into a cold lake.” Elijah turned his head towards the other man. “Hello, Aster.”  

From his position leaning against the doorway, Aster looked perfectly in place in the manor. His tailored evening jacket was unmarred by even the faintest beginning of a wrinkle, and his black shoes were more reflective than the gold-framed mirror on the wall. His smile, however, outshined everything. 

“I am surprised you came, Elijah.” Aster’s expression darkened as he looked down towards the glass of red wine in his hand. 

“Well, you did invite me.” Elijah finally set his bags down.