Page 39 of Glass Wings
Amis, hearing Arryn’s words, smiled, nodding in approval.
“Balance; here we balance the magic,” he added. “It makes sense that you would be feeling that way. It would be a natural impulse for someone like you.”
The woman in the field screamed again, propping herself up with her arms and her legs spread wide in front of her.
“It feels incredible, like Allienna is here, calming, pulling the aggression out of the creation of energy,” Arryn added, rubbing his hands together and studying them.
“You’re acting . . . normal,” Reign said, not bothering to hide her distrust.
Djoser felt it too. He felt the incredibly loose feeling that Amis pulled in around him. It was like drinking two bottles of wine with the promise of no hangover, only constant energy and the need to dance, the need to fuck. The difference, however, was Djoser could feel that it was artificial; there was no truth to it. Something was being hidden.
“No one helps her,” Mother Waihema commanded, pushing her arms back to restrain a few of the pregnant women and their attempts to come closer to the shrieking and agony that was presented before them.
Djoser listened to the cries for what felt like hours, watching Arryn drunkenly hum to his toes while Reign occasionally placed a steadying hand on his shoulders.
Finally, with the sound of surrender, the woman in the field reached her hand in between her legs and pulled as the sound of an infant’s cry carried through the air.
12
Hadley | Sacramento, California | Early 2000s
The security guardgrew visibly annoyed at her slow pace before turning his back on Hadley to check in the next guest. She was two steps into the mansion, her heels clicking onto the black, glittery tile floors covering the large, open entryway.
There was a round, lacquered wooden table in the center that held at least one hundred crystal champagne glasses. To the side of the table was another attendant, pouring expensive sparkling wine into one of these glasses before holding it out to her.
Hadley took the glass, noticing that the skylight above the table was shaped like a pentagram. Upon a quick second glance, she realized it wasn’t a skylight but an opening in the ceiling where a large chandelier from the second story came down, intersecting with the star.
“That’s wild,” she said, breathlessly.
“This must be your first time.” The attendant looked at her earnestly. “Good luck.”
He gestured to one of the four doors leading into different quarters of the house, all connecting from the entryway at which she stood.
A man and woman came inside and stood behind Hadley, accepting a glass from the table.
“Well,” the woman’s voice hissed into her ear, “don’t you look delicious. The three of us should all reserve a private room for later. If you have brought a partner, they can join, of course.”
A shiver ran up Hadley’s spine as she turned to face the couple behind her. The woman, blonde and in her mid-forties, wore a sexy cowgirl costume that featured black leather chaps that were cut to show off the nearly nonexistent lingerie she wore underneath it. Hadley found the man who was with her rather unremarkable. He was in a black cape with costume makeup to give the illusion that he was a vampire who had just had a snack.
“Possibly,” Hadley replied. “I am eager to explore this party first.”
The couple did not bother to hide their disappointment as they nodded and walked through the first interior door on the right. All the hallways to other corridors were dark. Hadley did not find a single direction that looked more inviting than the other.
“May I suggest that way?” the attendant said to her, pointing to the corridor behind him, directly across from the entryway.
Hadley nodded and did her best to walk confidently, not allowing herself to stumble in her heels. Her phone chimed, and she pulled it out of her handbag, realizing that she had forgotten to text Grant that she was okay.
Are you alive in there? I know it’s not the typical hour-long job but I still expected to hear from you.
She typed her reply, one-handed with her left leg crossed in front of her right, wobbling in mid-step.
I don’t know what I’m doing, but so far, I don’t feel threatened.
Grant sent a thumbs-up emoticon before she put the phone back in her handbag. More guests and vendors had passed through the entryway, all going in various directions. A younger brunette passed in front of her, going in the direction that the attendant suggested, so she followed, feeling more powerful with another person around.
Once through the dark hallway, Hadley was relieved to find herself in a bright, welcoming kitchen. Four or five chefs were running around in formal cooking robes, and servers hustled in and out, picking up plates of appetizers and taking them out to a connecting room on the right side.
“You're in the wrong room, doll.” The woman Hadley followed moved to stand before her. She wore nothing but black lingerie, thigh-highs adorned with bows, and a red mask similar in shape to hers. The woman put her hands on Hadley’s back, guiding her in the direction the servers went.
