Page 5 of Valpar

“Trying to catch Karma. The pixie stole my cupcake.”

The person on my shoulder grunted and I heard their wings flutter.

“What a drag.”

“Yeah, who does that? Steal a poor fairy’s food?”

The person sitting on my shoulder scoffed. “You ain’t a fairy. Maybe you deserved it.”

I growled and jerked my head to the offender to find none other than Karma, the pixie.

“You!” I snapped. The bane of my existence.

I let go of the vine and tried to grab him, but he flew off, leaving a trail of fairy dust. I fell into the thick grass, and Karma flew above my head pulling on my wings.

“Seriously, Calliope. Still wearing these?” Karma taunted.

Simon belted out a long bleat, and I heard his little hooves vibrating on the ground. I tried to scramble up from the ground, but Simon used my body to launch himself and headbutt Karma.

Karma laughed, darting away, and Simon’s body seized, falling to the ground, his body ridged.

Ah, the woes of having a pet fainting goat.

Karma laughed, his arms wrapping around his belly, yet with his impressive ability at flying, he was able to stay in the air.

I groaned and let my face rub into the thick green, blue grass, and took my defeat. That stupid pixie will get his one day.

“What is the meaning of this?” I heard a stern voice come from the distance and my head poked up immediately.

I instantly felt my sour mood sweeten, when I saw my uncle fall from the sky and land with a powerful stance.

Like one of those superheroes on Earth.

My uncle always exuded a regal and powerful presence, dressed in a royal purple ensemble with silver trimmings that glistened in the sunlight. The intricate designs of his clothing radiated luxury and commanded attention. The silver buttons on his coat were so bright that they nearly blinded me, reflecting light like tiny mirrors.

Pretty.

Today, he braided his long hair behind his back, and a few pieces fell in front of his face when he scowled. He didn’t scare me though, few people did, but him least of all.

“Uncle Osirus!” I jumped up from the ground and ran toward him. He held out his arms, but his sight was still on Karma.

“I said, what is the meaning of this?” Osirus engulfed me in the hug. He held onto me tightly and I relished his cotton candy smell.

Mmm, candy.

Karma’s stuttered voice made me laugh, and Osirus pulled me back by the shoulders. “Calliope, what happened to your wing? It’s bent?” Uncle Osirus fiddled with the top of my hand-made wing and frowned.

“Oh.” I looked back at Karma, who was shaking his head. His glitter was pouring out of his body like he was taking a pee right there.

Osirus took me by the chin with his index finger and thumb and raised a brow.

It’s super hard to lie to Osirus. He had this aura of power, and he could read me like an open book. He could read my emotions, and he knew exactly what I was feeling. I didn’t have to say anything at all for him to know what was going on.

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Little one, I know you are trying to do big things, but Karma is my subject, and I will not let him treat my family this way.”

Osirus’ features transformed, as if a shadow had cast upon his face. The wings on his back, usually resembling a delicate honeybee, now writhed with sinuous black lines, which gradually consumed them entirely.

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