Page 39 of Starfall

“Will you be yourself as well?”

Her mentor chuckled. “That is the idea.”

“You will stay with me?”

“Until you are ready for me to peel off. We are going to light Orla up as well, so this will be a freeing night for you both.”

“Why didn’t he come after me?”

“The seasons are locked in to watch the turn of the year. They can’t leave until dawn.”

Avaknell opened the door. Emery mimicked her. They got out and stood behind the car. Avaknell grinned. “I know you don’t remember this, but I look like a cheap figurine at a ren faire.”

“I don’t remember.”

Her friend took her hand as a subtle shimmer washed over her, leaving Avaknell clad in a backless gown with gorgeous, gleaming, translucent, opal wings coming out of her back. She was taller, and her skin had the milky blue sheen, but the wild riot of long curls in every pastel colour of the rainbow tumbled around her.

The tail was a bit of a surprise.

Avaknell looked skyward at the dance of the stars. “They look so different through these eyes.”

The eyes in question were as opal as the rest of her, only darker.

Emery looked at her friend and knew that no one would be looking at her. That was the best place to be.

Emery stood back and lit the dark fire. Black, red, and gold skimmed along her skin. It was a dark light that came from inside her. It felt so good to let it out. It had been the first thing she had to hide.

She stood with her eyes closed, and when she opened them, Avaknell was even prettier. She looked like every graceful movie elf but with wings and a tail.

“Ready, Emery?”

They held hands and walked to the checkpoint. Avaknell spoke calmly. “She is returning. Emery, guest of Rowen and friend to Hunter and Orla.”

The young man with the list swallowed. “And your name?”

“Avaknell Blue.”

He nodded and checked her off. “Thank you and welcome.”

Avaknell inclined her head and glided inside with Emery holding her hand. The party was in full swing, but silence fell as they walked through the crowd to where Hunter and Rowen were visible.

Emery saw Kelnen’s face turn toward them in astonishment, and Avaknell started laughing.

They continued walking to the group at the edge of the party, but it was the silence that followed them which made those in front turn around.

“It is fine to stand out, Emery. You have earned it. You save people, you rescue people, and don’t think I don’t know about the mentorship program you have started at three different junior highs. You lift people up and make them understand their own strengths. That is what your light does. It doesn’t illuminate you outside; it illuminates others within.”

Emery blinked as the words were spoken and reverberated around the event. Everyone was listening.

“Now, your man wishes to apologize for letting himself be bespelled, so accept his remorse and then dance.” Avaknell waved her on.

Emery turned to Rowen, but he was already up next to her and hugged her. “I am sorry. I didn’t know anything was happening until you were gone.”

“She’d done it before. Anytime anyone was nice to me, she magnified anything negative they saw, and I ended up alone.”

“You have dark light.”

“I do. It flares gold or green depending on what I am doing, but this is what it looks like.” She let the darkness pulse and shine.

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