The question caught me off guard. Did I miss it? The vast depths, the currents that could carry you for miles, the freedom of movement that land could never provide?
“Sometimes,” I admitted quietly. “But it’s complicated. The ocean is different now from what it was when my ancestors lived there. Humans have changed it. There’s a garbage patch twice the size of Texas floating over my ancestral home now.” I kicked a stone along the path. “Besides, I wasn’t raised there like you were in your forest. My parents thought I’d have a better life on land.”
“Do you think they were right?”
I shrugged. “Who knows? Even if I was mad about it, it’s not like I can tell them now.”
“I’m sorry,” Linden said as we approached the teleportation circle. “I didn’t mean to get on a bad subject.”
“It’s okay,” I sighed, shooting him a fake smile that I’m sure he saw right through. “They’re deaths remind me how my kind doesn’t get second chances when it comes to love.”
Chapter 8
Teddy
Halloween
My parents had taken the bait.
In barely more than a day and a half of unfettered freedom I’d managed to read an entire fantasy novel and find several books on magical crafting. After perusing through them all, I managed to cobble together a piece of magic that could craft a mask for the Halloween party tonight. But I had to wait until the last moment to do it. The spell required natural materials like leaves and sticks to weave the mask. It was only meant to last for a few hours before the magic began to eat the materials and they crumbled away.
I’d found the perfect spot for my spell too. There was a small grove of ginkgo trees near the elemental building that I’d never noticed before. They were at their autumn peak, their fan-shaped leaves a brilliant gold that seemed to glow in the sunset light. As I approached, several leaves detached and spiraled down, landing at my feet like an offering. The cool weather was bringing them down fast.
“Perfect,” I whispered, gathering a handful. Their texture was soft yet sturdy, ideal for what I had in mind.
I settled beneath the largest tree, spreading my materials around me. According to the spellcraft book, timing was crucial. The mask needed to be created in stages with precise timing. The Halloween party wouldn’t start for another two hours, giving me just enough time to accomplish every step.
Drawing a small piece of chalk from my pocket, I sketched a simple circle on a nearby rock, then added the necessary runes at cardinal points. Next, I arranged the golden leaves in a rough oval shape that would cover the upper half of my face. The book had emphasized visualization as key to successful crafting magic. You had to see the final productclearlyin your mind if you wanted it to work.
I closed my eyes, picturing the mask I wanted. Something elegant but not overly ornate. Something that would transform me into someone else entirely for one night. I wanted it to curve gracefully around my eyes, extending upward at the temples like flickering flames. The golden leaves would overlap like scales, creating texture and dimension.
With the image firmly in mind, I began the incantation, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Elements bound by will and desire, Form and function I require. Borrowed beauty, borrowed grace, Create for me a second face.”
The leaves began to stir, though there was no breeze. They rose slightly off the ground, hovering within my circle as they started to move toward one another. I continued the spell, focusing my energy on binding them together.
“Woven tight but light as air, A visage both common and rare. Hide me well for just this night, Till morning brings revealing light.”
The magic coursed through me, flowing from my core down my arms and into my fingertips. The leaves responded, interlacing themselves with surprising precision. Where theytouched, they seemed to meld together, their edges blurring as they became a single piece.
I lost track of time as I worked, completely absorbed in the delicate process. The spell required constant attention, each leaf needing to be guided into place with both magic and occasional physical adjustment. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the lawn, the mask began to take its final form.
It was more beautiful than I had imagined. The ginkgo leaves had retained their golden hue but now possessed an almost metallic sheen. They overlapped perfectly, creating a seamless surface that curved exactly how I’d envisioned. At the temples, several leaves extended upward and outward in elegant points that resembled a stylized crown or perhaps flames.
I added a final flourish, unable to help myself. It was a subtle shimmer enchantment that would make the mask catch the light when I moved. As I completed the spell, I felt the magic settle into the creation, binding it temporarily into its new form.
“Until dawn,” I whispered, lifting the finished mask carefully.
I held it up to the fading light, admiring how the gold caught the last rays of sun. It was lightweight yet sturdy, conforming perfectly to my face when I tried it on. Looking down at my reflection in a small puddle from yesterday’s rain, I barely recognized myself. The mask transformed me, lending an air of mystery and elegance I’d never possessed before.
For once, I wouldn’t be Theodore Voss, second-place swimmer and disappointment to his father. Tonight, I could be anyone I wanted.
I carefully placed the mask in my bag and headed back to my dorm. For the first time in longer than I could remember, I felt a flutter of genuine excitement in my chest. One night of freedom. One night to pretend.
And who knew? Maybe something interesting would actually happen.
Back in my room, it took me only a few minutes to change. I’d already chosen my simple outfit the night before. There were fitted black jeans, a tight black t-shirt, and a pair of black boots that had been shined so much they seemed to glow. My only other addition was two braided gold cuffs that fit perfectly around my wrists and a gold torque around my neck.