Chapter 18
a night to remember
The day of the big celebration had finally arrived, although Yuri seemed disappointed that something else hadn’t arrived along with the cake and wine. She was starting to drive Annika nuts, what with her obsession to have everything be perfectly perfect and completely under her control. She’d even gone so far as to move every plate and fork that Annika put beside the cake, because she felt they should be on the left instead of the right. Annika held her tongue and silently prayed that Yuri would mellow out after the party.
The twins disappeared as it grew closer to sunset while the samodivi and Annika got dressed up in Yuri’s room. She gasped as Hilda pulled the cords tight at the back of her gown, causing her small waist to shrink even more. The girls spent nearly two hours getting ready, perfuming their skin with scented oils and adorning their hair with some of the flowers and leaves they had left over from decorating. Hilda let Annika sweep her mess of thick hair into an elegant updo and held it in place with jeweled hair pins. Runa had woven some deep green ivy into her friend’s bright red hair, and even Sariel had broken down and let Annika apply eyeliner and mascara like the rest of them. In a dress and makeup she was almost unrecognizable, and she looked at herself in the mirror for a long time before giving a stoic nod of approval. They slipped on hard heeled shoes and clicked through the halls to see if any guests had arrived yet.
Finn was leaning against the heavy front door, but when he saw the four of them he nearly slid to the floor. He was dressed to the nines himself, in a dark brown frock coat and pants, and a red waistcoat embroidered with green and gold patterns. He tried desperately to appear composed, but he was clearly not prepared to see either Hilda or Sariel looking so feminine. Before he could comment there was a knock on the door. He opened it and for a moment Annika thought he was talking to a large moth fluttering in the lamplight. He invited it into the threshold and then suddenly a human-sized fairy stood there. Then three more, and then four more, until there were over thirty of them milling about on foot and a few feet in the air.
“Hello Dardis, Hello Sirvat. How was your journey?” Finn asked the first two fairies who had materialized from their previously minute size.
“Oh it was not too bad at all, really. We made very good time. It’s so nice to see you Finn!” one of them said. She had short blue hair and purple eyes, and her clothing was otherworldly. Her periwinkle wings fluttered before they lowered and hid underneath her billowing lilac cape. “My my, how you have grown even more handsome is a mystery to me,” she said flirtatiously as she walked up to the girls with her entourage. Annika wasn’t certain, but she thought she saw a flicker of jealousy in Hilda’s eyes.
“Hello Dardis,” Hilda said stiffly as the blue-haired fairy strolled past her.
“Hilda, is that you?” Dardis stepped back to look at the nymph in front of her and her large violet eyes widened even more. “Your hair is…well, it’s cooperating with you quite well tonight.” Hilda wrinkled her nose but said nothing. “You look so lovely, all of you. And Sariel!” Dardis exclaimed. “Why, you look like a princess! You should dress up more often.” Sariel grumbled a response but tried to appear gracious.
“Who is your new friend?” asked an older fairy decked in a yellow dress and green cape. The dainty and majestic creature wore a crown made of pussy willows on top of her long waves of golden hair that fell down her shoulders.
“Sirvat, I’d like you to meet Annika, Finn politely introduced. “She’s a modern girl who’s staying with us for the time being. Annika, I’d like for you to meet Sirvat. She’s our fairy godmother.”
“It’s nice to meet you Sirvat. I…I’ve never seen a fairy before. I thought you were tiny.” The blonde fairy smiled sweetly as Dardis laughed a laugh that sounded like silver bells ringing.
“We usually are, but it wouldn’t be much fun to dance with the elves if we only came up to their ankles!” Dardis said, and they walked to the ballroom. The other fairies followed her, speaking in a strange language that she couldn’t understand.
“Let’s see what you’ve done with the place…ah, yes,” Sirvat sighed.
“Is it good? Are you pleased?” Hilda asked.
“Very much so! Let’s liven it up a bit though, shall we?” They stepped into the huge room where a group of twenty or so musicians had gathered. One of Anthea’s pianos had been wheeled in as well. The musicians wore black pants and black vests stitched with roses and vines, with white drop-sleeve shirts. They each had a different instrument, some that Annika didn’t recognize. A female musician stood up and played a few long, slow notes on her violin, then a pair of male violinists joined her. The pianist sat down and with great flair he hammered out a commanding tune. Dardis squealed, and her periwinkle wings trembled in excitement from underneath her cape.
“Chivanni, come dance with me!” A very slim, youthful man with hair just as bright red as Annika’s emerged from the group of fairies, his orange wings vibrating noiselessly as he flew across the floor.
The toe of his red boot dragged on the marble tiles as he stopped himself near Dardis. He wore red leggings and an orange tunic with a glittering red belt. His hair was combed forward, and he’d carefully brushed his bangs off to one side. He took Dardis and dipped her down as an accordion player joined the violins and piano, and the ballroom transformed from a cavernous and empty place to a vibrant dance hall. Annika was mesmerized by how Dardis and Chivanni danced together. He reminded her of a nimble flame hopping from side to side, trying desperately to catch the watery and languid blue-haired fairy. Some of the fairies floated up to the chandeliers and curled their hands into fists in front of their faces, and then they slowly released them and puffed as if they were blowing kisses. Within a few moments all of the candles were lit and a warm glow filled the room, creating a surreal atmosphere. The lights twinkled as if they were living and joyful just to burn. There was a fine dust of golden frost covering all the flowers, making them glitter in the light as the colors of the room came alive.
“Well there’s the birthday boy and girl!” Sirvat said as the host and hostess of the party stepped through the archway. Annika turned around as well and saw Yuri escorted by her twin brother. Over her red dress, she wore a black shawl that resembled a spider’s web. He brother looked absolutely dashing, wearing a black frock coat and slacks, and a blood red waistcoat to compliment his sister perfectly. Together they made quite a stately pair, and they stopped so that Talvi stood with his sister on one side, and Annika on his other.
“How is my favorite fairy godmother?” Talvi asked as he let go of Yuri’s arm, bowed down, and hugged Sirvat gently, keeping clear of her delicate wings.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you two on this day,” she breathed as Yuri embraced her. “How excited you must be, finally turning three hundred! It’s a very magical number, the number three,” she said, gazing at them lovingly.
“I like the black,” a voice behind Sirvat said.
“I like the red,” another said.
“I can’t decide,” yet another cried. Sirvat turned her crowned head around to look at the fairies.
“What on earth are you bickering about? We didn’t fly for days only to argue now.”
“We aren’t arguing, Sirvat,” they laughed. “We were trying to decide who looks more striking beside Talvi.” Annika prayed her face didn’t turn red as she realized that it was probably Yuri’s intention all along to see who looked better standing next to him when she’d picked out their dresses.
“I say the girl with hair like Chivanni’s.”
“I say Yuri in her red dress.”
“I can’t decide! They’re both so lovely,” the third voice wailed again. Yuri looked at Annika with a satisfied smile before turning to Sirvat.
“Shall we make sure the wine hasn’t been poisoned?” she asked her fairy godmother.
“That’s a fine idea,” Sirvat laughed and together with Yuri she led the fairies and samodivi towards
the refreshments. Relieved that Yuri had gone away, Annika turned to Talvi, who had none of his arrogant airs about him. He only smiled sweetly and offered his arm to her, which she took.
“You um…you look incredible tonight,” she said, trying not to gush.
“I would tell you the same, but the words pale in comparison to what I see before me,” he replied in such a low voice that only she could hear. Her heart thumped hard in her chest as he poured her a glass of wine and introduced her to the other fairy folk. More and more guests began to arrive and Talvi tried his best to introduce her to all his fairy friends and his Aunt and Uncle Derbedrossian, carefully avoiding Sevan. He introduced her to the other elves from the village, and even other samodivi from far away. But eventually Yuri took him away, and they wandered off into the sea of people.
Dardis pulled a handful of objects that appeared to be marbles from a pouch on her belt and began tossing them into the air. One at a time they exploded and sent a spray of fine dust around the room. At first Annika couldn’t tell what she was doing as the dust settled on her skin and the flowers. Then they began to come alive and slightly sway to the rhythm of the music. It was clear to Annika that even with elves, samodivi, and fairies in attendance, this celebration was going to magical. The colors seemed more intense, the candles burned brighter, and the music was a lyrical elixir to her ears. In no time she found herself dancing with a cute fairy boy with turquoise hair and tribal tattoos on his forearms. She caught glimpses of Ambrose, Althea, and Anthea talking with the heads of the Derbedrossian family. They seemed to be getting along well as they watched Stella and her little brother try to catch fireflies. The room was full of light and laughter, and as the music swelled with waltzes and tangos, Annika danced with her friends until she was out of breath.
As she went to get her drink refilled, she could see Talvi and a blond young man in black from across the room talking to a group of tall, willowy elves from the village. The women they spoke to were so beautiful, and so enrapt at the words Talvi spoke, she could only wonder if they were anything like the words he’d said to her. She watched as he set his glass down and escorted a blonde onto the floor. It didn’t seem fair how effortlessly they glided across the floor, and she felt the slightest tinge of jealousy. But she was being irrational. She knew it was the right thing for him to be dancing with another elf. Not someone who was from a different world, a different species, and two hundred and seventy-five years younger than him.
After some time, Finn came into the room and took Hilda away from the others. Runa giggled like a school girl.
“Did you know that they have fancied each other for years?” she asked Annika.
“Well, did she ever tell him that she liked him?”
“She tried, but she’s terrible at it. Oh I’m so glad they’re dancing together. Look at them move. It’s like they were made for each other,” Runa sighed dreamily.
“Even though they were made the wrong size?” Annika joked, but Runa didn’t catch it. “There’s almost a two-foot difference between them!”
“Why would that stop love? It’s the force between them that makes them move the way they do,” she said and glanced at Annika, who was trying not to laugh. “Just watch them.”
Annika did watch them, and envied their happiness. They dreamily gazed into each other’s eyes as if they hadn’t seen each other in forever. She couldn’t help noticing that Finn’s brother had chosen another elf from the small group of admirers and was moving similarly. After dancing with her, he chose another. And then another. She tried not to let it bother her since she was the one to ask that they only be friends, and nothing more.
The waltzes died off as the musicians took a break. The room quieted and everyone gathered around Ambrose, Althea, and Sirvat as toasts were made to the twins’ good fortune and passage into their three hundredth year; how the number three was such a magical number, and to expect great things to come. As the comments were wrapped up, the room stirred when a troupe of nubile young belly dancers appeared at the edge of the room. They wore silver bracelets on their wrists and ankles, and elaborate silver belts with tiny bells attached. A dark-eyed woman had seated herself at a small table along the opposite wall from the platform. She wore black and purple skirts, and a feather earring in one ear. Her long wavy hair was dyed with indigo and adorned in gold bands. She wore gold bracelets and a gold belt made of hundreds of tiny beads and bells that jingled when she walked. With rings on every finger, she spread out a silk cloth covered in batik images of magical symbols, and placed a white candle to her right, and a few sticks of incense to her left. A group of fairies had already gathered around her, and she brought out a leather pouch which she removed a deck of cards from. Shuffling the cards, she looked around at the fairies and one sat down across from her.
“Should we go have our readings done?” Runa asked her.
“Like tarot cards?”
“Yes! Pesha can see the future. Do you want to go find out what yours is?”
“Sure,” Annika agreed, and followed her to the crowded table.
“Welcome back, my dear Runa,” the woman said kindly after she had finished with the fairy’s reading. Her eyes shone black and mysterious, but her smile was warm and friendly. “Who is your friend?”
“This is Annika. Annika, this is Pesha.” Annika nodded at the gypsy woman, who in turn nodded at her.
“Let’s see what the cards have to say.” Runa sat down in front of Pesha. The gypsy waved the incense smoke over the deck as she shuffled slowly, letting Runa cut the deck, and lay out some cards. She turned one over.
“The fool? Oh no!” Runa wailed. But the woman only laughed.
“It’s not a bad card,” she assured her. “It’s actually quite good. This shows your pure heart is a positive influence to yourself and others.”
“Oh. Well that’s a relief! What’s the Three of Cups mean?”
“Mmm, you have a lot of merriment to look forward to. Oh, but wait.”
“What? What is it?”
“Unforeseen danger or illness. If I were you I would stay alert tonight. You best not drink too much wine, little samodiva.” Pesha continued the reading, telling Runa to expect a new lover soon, and to be more responsible.
“Alright, enough about me,” Runa said as she stood up. “What about you Annika, do you want to have a turn?”
“Sure, why not?” Annika sat down and Pesha smiled as she ushered the smoke over the deck and had Annika cut it into three stacks. Pesha took the first card from the first pile and set it in front of Annika.
“The High Priestess card represents an ideal wife and mother. This is you.”
“Believe me, marriage and children are the last thing on my mind,” Annika said with a laugh.
“Well, he thinks otherwise,” she said, revealing the Page of Rods. “Who is your devoted lover? Is that where your ring came from?”
“I…I don’t have anyone special like that,” Annika said, feeling her face grow hot. “This ring was just a present.” Pesha raised an eyebrow suspiciously at her.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and the cards do not lie. Well, whoever he is, you’re about to go on a journey with him that will change you forever. Yes, some very great changes are in store for you,” she continued, flipping the last card over. The image depicted a woman crying, her face covered by her grieving hands over a tombstone impaled by nine swords.
“That doesn’t look too good,” Runa said.
“No, no it doesn’t,” Annika agreed. “Pesha, is this bad?” The woman appeared stunned for a moment, but forced a smile onto her lips.
“I’m sure it’s a mistake. I never draw this one,” she said.
“But you said the cards don’t lie,” Annika reminded her.
“There are a lot of people here tonight. Their energy must be interfering with my capabilities,” Pesha insisted as she began to gather the cards from their separate piles. “I would take it with a grain of salt, my dear.”
“But I’m the one who cut the deck, Please, just tell me what it means, because I’ll find out sooner or later,” Annika begged. Pesha gave a reluctant sigh.
“This card represents death. But it doesn’t refer to you; it refers to someone close to you. That is all I can tell you, and I still advise you to disregard it. Sometimes a death card means rebirth. If I were you, I’d be more concerned about that journey with your mystery man,” she said abruptly and motioned for her next client to step forward.
“Thanks Pesha!” Runa said, and grabbed Annika’s arm, pulling her towards the refreshments. Annika didn’t want to think about the last card that she’d been dealt, and redirected her thoughts on the first two. Pesha’s words echoed in her ears. ‘Who is your devoted lover?’
“You don’t think Talvi’s my devoted lover, do you?” she asked Runa skeptically.
“Of course! He let you cut his hair,” Runa proclaimed as though Annika were asking if the sky was blue or not.
“What’s his hair got to do with anything?”
“You don’t understand,” Runa insisted as her big brown eyes grew even wider. “He’s so vain that he doesn’t let anyone cut his hair. Not even me, and I’m his best mate. Not even his own twin sister! I thought Yuri was going to scream when you mentioned it the other day. That’s why I distracted her. Why do you think I chose this dress?” Annika wrinkled her forehead at her friend. “I wanted the green one, but Hilda got it instead,” she wailed.
“I guess it’s a pretty big deal then, huh?” Annika said, trying to appear sympathetic to Runa’s dress situation. Runa seemed baffled at her remark.
“Annika! How could he not be your devoted lover? Hasn’t he been a perfect gentleman for the past week? We all see it, so why can’t you?” Annika thought long and hard for a simple answer. The truth was that she had none, other than what Yuri had said to her. She watched Talvi lead a laughing dark-haired elf around the floor. Then she looked a little closer. It was Zenzi. She thought she was going to be sick, but it faded as she took a deep breath.
“If he’s so devoted, then why is he dancing with every single girl in the room?”
“Probably for the same reason his sister is dancing with every single boy in the room. It’s their birthday party. What did you expect?” Runa gave her a nudge in the side as though to say ‘stop being so ridiculous’.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, I guess,” Annika said, trying to brush it off, but she couldn’t help glaring just a little at the twin dancing with Zenzi.
“Of course they do. Now stop being silly and come watch the dancers with me. They’re about to start!” Runa said, leading her towards the belly dancers and drummers.
The crowd had opened to let the dancers file into the center of the ballroom. There were cat calls and howls from every corner of the room. One of the women let out a whoop as they pranced on their tip toes with exaggerated movements, arching their bodies as their loose fitting skirts caught the air. They held something in their hands that Annika couldn’t see. With every shake of their hips a series of chimes went off. They pranced in a circle and lowered to their hands and knees, curling up in tiny balls on the marble floor. The drums began to pound, starting softly but then louder and louder until the women had slowly risen, like snakes being charmed out of their baskets. They stood on their toes, with henna covered hands and arms outstretched to the ceiling. A man on the platform shouted “Al Habibi!” and the band started playing a Middle Eastern inspired melody. The women’s bodies began to soften and melt, their hips shaking to the drums and tambourines. Their arms moved as if they were casting spells around the room, and by the look on everyone’s face, they were indeed. The music stopped for a second, and the women’s arms shot up. Half of them bowed down as the other four chimed three times with finger cymbals. The room roared with approval as the music returned. They danced with each other, then pranced in a circle, swirling their hips and revealing their navels. There were more whistles and then they stopped and danced in the opposite direction. One of them ventured out and returned with an embarrassed looking girl in a bright red dress.
“Look,” Runa said, jumping up and down. “They’re going to make Yuri dance!”
They ushered Yuri into the center of the circle and the man on the platform started to sing. The girl with Yuri taught her a few basic moves, making slow circles with her waist, and then went to join the others dancing around them. Like so many in the crowd, Annika and Runa had started to move with the same hypnotic motions of their hips. One by one, the dancers brought elves and fairies into the center to join Yuri, who was giddy with laughter, adoration, and probably a healthy dose of wine.
A tall elf with deep blue eyes and pale blonde hair came up to Runa and Annika. He looked slightly confused, dressed in black with a sapphire vest that brought out his eyes. Annika recognized him as the man Talvi had been standing with earlier that evening.
“I don’t know how to dance to this strange music, but you two seem to have it all figured out,” he told her as he watched them dance.
“The secret is not to worry about how you look,” Runa butted in. “Everyone is worried about how they look—they’re definitely not watching you.” The young man raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Thanks a lot, Runa. Do you know what I went through to look this good tonight?” he said, feigning a pout on his full lips. Runa giggled a little, fanning her flushed face.
“Well, perhaps some of us were watching you,” she admitted. The handsome elf turned to Annika and offered her a hand.
“This might sound strange, but I feel like I’ve seen you before,” she confided to him as they moved their bodies and stepped to the beats. He gave her an embarrassed look.
“I’m Yuri’s cousin Zaven. I think you’ve already had an encounter with my little sister Sevan.” She tried not to gasp as he told her he was related to the horrible girl from the Tortoise and Hare.
“I know, I know,” he said apologetically. “She needs to work on her manners. But she can be a very sweet girl.”
“Maybe when she’s sleeping! Oh, don’t even get me started!” Annika said as he twirled her in a circle.
“It would appear I already have,” he replied with a playful grin. “Let’s undo that, shall we?” With that, he stopped her and twirled her in the opposite direction, literally unwinding her and making her laugh. It was no wonder Pavelina and Milena were so sorry to have missed his company, because he was an utter delight to be around. The two of them talked and laughed and danced over a number of songs, and just as Zaven pulled her closer, Talvi cut in.
“Won’t you give me the honor?” he asked politely.
“Isn’t it rude of me to leave my dance partner?” she asked.
“It would be rude for you to refuse me when you promised me a dance,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “In fact, you promised me right in this very spot. Do you recall that day? Or are you in the habit of breaking your promises, Miss Brisby?” She kept waiting for some devilish grin of his to surface, but he only stood there, with an expectant look in his eyes.
“It’s been a pleasure Annika,” Zaven said to her with a smile, “but don’t go breaking promises on my account.” He slid his hand around Runa’s waist and started dancing with her instead.
Annika looked at Talvi, who seemed to have grown even more irresistible under the veil of pixie dust floating around the room. He held out his hand, which she took as a drumbeat began, joined by a foreign, exotic sounding bagpipe and flutes. His other hand ran down her back and pressed her close to him as a woman began to sing a hypnotic Assyrian song. He leaned down as their bodies moved together to the drums.
“I asked them to play this for you. I thought you’d like it,” he said, and she wondered if he had any idea how right he was.
The olive-skinned singer crooned and the dancers now tossed confetti in the air, landing on the ground where everyone was dancing. Whistles and whoops filled the air as the dancers around them stomped on th
e floor. He ran his hands along her arms and curled them around his neck, pulling her close and catching her by surprise.
“I’m trying my damnedest to be your friend, but it’s next to impossible when I know you’re lying to yourself about your feelings,” he said in her ear. She stepped away from him as soon as he said this to her, rounding her hips in slow circles and spinning on her toes like the dancers. She was intentionally avoiding him and he didn’t much care for it. He took her in his arms again, more forcefully this time, and flipped her around so she couldn’t see his face. “I know you think about me, but I’ve thought about you a lot longer than since the day we met in Sofia. So much longer…”
He took one of her hands and spun her around, then guided her back to him. His hands ran down the sides of her dress, pressing her against his leg and sinking down, then rising slowly to the drums. Annika could see Zaven dancing with Runa the same way. She couldn’t help but wonder what he had meant by what he’d just said. She’d never seen him in her life until that day in the bookstore. She danced with Talvi for a little bit, but again stepped away from him, dancing on her own. This time he took both of her hands and lifted them high as he stepped in unison with her, mimicking her steps. He reached over her head and turned her in a slow circle, until she slowly faced him.
She gave him a long, hard look, and tried to twist out of his grasp. His eyes flickered back at her, determined not to let her go again. He dipped her backwards gracefully, and when he brought her back up, the longing in his eyes was priceless.
“It’s okay. I’m so over that day in the kitchen,” she said nonchalantly. “But I know about all the girls you string along, and I’m not going to be one of them. I know you’re only being sweet until you get what you want, and it doesn’t matter what you say; I won’t let you disrespect me like that.” Talvi’s eyes grew wide, then narrow.
“What have I done?” he asked, stunned. “What more can I do to prove that you’re the only one I want? Why do you think I chased you out of the bookstore? Why do you think I came back to that place every day for two weeks, hoping to see your face just once more?” This time it was Annika who appeared stunned.
“Two weeks? Finn didn’t tell me you spent…I didn’t think you would have spent…” she stammered.
“Well, I did! And it was like looking for a fairy’s needle in a troll-sized haystack, only I realized I had a better chance of finding the needle than of ever finding you again,” he said, exasperated. Now that he had her attention, he pulled her even closer to him. “If I were that hard-pressed for a meaningless shag, why would I have spent all that time searching for you?” Annika wanted to run away, but he wouldn’t let her go.
“I know you can feel this power between us,” he continued. “I knew that day when I watched you follow Runa and I into the bookstore. I was devastated by the idea of never seeing you again, yet here you are in my arms. Why do you think Anthea knew about you when you met her? Or Finn?” He stared into her eyes, and Annika was shaken to the core. It had been so easy to dismiss him like every other man in her life, but then again, he was not a man.
“As I said before, you’re the only one I want, and I know you’ll come around eventually. I just hope it’s sooner than later. I’m dying to kiss you again, even if that’s all you would permit me to do.” He cradled his hand around the back of her neck, forcing her to look deep into his burning eyes, and she was lost in a world where only the two of them existed. Annika suddenly had a flashback to the day she first met him in the bookstore. She recalled with disbelief that she had seen this very image of her standing here, held tightly against him, about to be kissed. But it wasn’t a strange vision anymore. She was living that very moment right now. She curled her arms around his neck, trying not to fall on her weak knees. It was as though they were meant to be here, in this very moment, in this room, together. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. Every word that came from his lips sounded so perfect, like something out of a dream. He looked so handsome in the dim light, the music was intoxicating and sensual, and he was holding her tight, spilling his heart out to her.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” she finally managed to ask. He bent his head down and sealed his mouth to hers, and she could taste the sweet cake he’d been eating earlier. Her heart wanted to shoot out of her chest and break through the windows to join the stars, but luckily it remained in place, thumping wildly as his arms tightened their grip on her. Sure, he’d danced with every pretty girl at the party that evening, but he hadn’t kissed any of them, and certainly not like this. They danced for a while longer, her head resting on his chest as he held her close.
“I don’t know why I listened to Yuri,” she accidentally sighed aloud.
“Yuri?” Talvi asked curiously. “What did she say to you?”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, silently kicking herself for saying anything at all. He held her away from him just enough to look at her.
“Tell me what she told you,” he said with a face that left no room for glossing over the truth.
“She just thought I was a bad choice for you because I’m mortal, and that I should leave you alone because it’s unacceptable and impractical. I don’t know, I don’t remember everything she told me,” Annika said, avoiding too many details.
“I think you can do better than that,” Talvi instructed. “Tell me the rest of it.”
“She said…she said that you were only being nice to me because…because you wanted to try out an American girl,” Annika confessed.
“Those were her exact words?” he asked, still looking down at her. She couldn’t say yes, but her face gave her away as she recalled a few more fragments of what Yuri had said. “He’ll say anything…he only changes long enough to get what he wants…”
Talvi was quiet for a long time, now that he understood his own twin sister had been the cause of Annika’s rejection all along.
“She told you that night at the Tortoise and Hare, didn’t she?”
“How did you know?”
“Because it makes complete sense as to why you ran hot one moment and then cold the next,” he said quietly. He was trying his best to conceal his anger, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that his blood was boiling.
“I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said anything about it on your birthday.”
“No, I’m glad you told me. If I’d known this earlier I doubt I’d even be here tonight. You don’t begin to understand how upset I am right now,” he said through clenched teeth. “When was the last time you saw that scheming snake of a sister, anyway?” he asked Annika, looking around anxiously for that bright red dress among the crowd.
“I haven’t seen her in a while. Oh, don’t go yell at her now! Don’t ruin the moment. Just forget about it and dance with me,” Annika tried to convince him, but it was pointless. Asking him to forget about what Yuri had said was like asking the stars to stop shining.
“Something isn’t right,” he muttered, looking at his pocket watch. “I haven’t seen her for nearly an hour. Don’t go anywhere. I shouldn’t be long.” Annika didn’t want him to leave, but her arms fell helplessly to her side as he let her go. He was gone before she could protest.
Turning around, she saw Runa still dancing with Zaven while Sariel had her hands full with two fairy boys who’d both asked her to dance and were bickering over who got to be with her first. Annika didn’t want to interfere with her actually dancing that night, so she just tried to keep her within her view.
The belly dancers were now dancing with members of the crowd. Many of the elder guests had retired for the night, but the rest of the party was going strong. The chandeliers spun slowly and were reflecting prisms of color around the room, and some of the fairies who had shrunken back to their normal size were buzzing overhead, sitting and talking on them. Just like the tiny crystals surrounding them, they glittered from thousands of jewels sewn into their garments.
“Well now, that was some performance you gave us,
” said Chivanni, having appeared at Annika’s side out of nowhere.
“What?” she asked. “You mean dancing with Talvi?” The other redhead nodded enthusiastically and his wings fluttered with joy.
“Everyone was watching you two. I mean every one. You must have practiced that for weeks!” he exclaimed, and a dreamy look entered his cinnamon brown eyes. Annika couldn’t help laughing at how expressive he was.
“No, actually that wasn’t rehearsed at all. I didn’t realize he could move like that.”
“You made it up as you went?” he cried. “Oh that is so romantic!” His wings fluttered again, making a passer-by spill some of their wine, but fortunately they were too drunk to care. “I’m going to fetch another glass of wine and then I want you to tell me all about your stay so far. Would you like me to bring you back a glass as well?”
“Sure. I’ll wait here for you.” She watched him skip towards the refreshments and saw a glint of intense red out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw three figures making their way through the crowd in her direction, one of which was the mysteriously missing birthday girl.
Yuri had added a matching silk scarf around her neck, and she was smiling so big that she looked positively radiant. Of the two men she was accompanied by, the one whose arm she held was much taller than the other. His straight golden blond hair tumbled to his elbows, and his complexion was as fair as his eyes were dark. Instead of wearing a suit similar to Finn’s or anyone else’s, he wore a suit that could’ve come off a runway in Milan that week. While he had all the features of a stoic Norse god, the shorter man looked more exotic, which got Annika’s interest right away. His skin was light brown from the kiss of the desert sun. His thick eyebrows and short wavy hair were black as the night, and his eyes were so dark they appeared black as well. They were enchanting, as if he’d lined them with dark makeup, but it was only his long black lashes that gave the effect. He didn’t smile as he caught Annika’s glance, but he held her enrapt for an extra-long moment. He turned to his blond friend, speaking in his ear as he leaned down to listen.
With laser-like precision, the tall man’s eyes shot up and settled on hers. He slowly stood upright again, and lifted his chin, breathing in the air. Yuri gave him a fond embrace, causing him to break his gaze. He gave her a soft smile and spoke to her, giving her a little nudge, and Yuri led him to where Annika was standing.
“Lemme introduce you two…introduce you to,” she slurred. She had obviously made sure that the wine wasn’t poisoned, along with the ale, and probably some brandy too. Without being told her name, the blond man held out his hand which Annika took as though to shake it, but he turned it over and tenderly kissed the back of it.
“So this is Miss Annika,” he observed in a thick Slavic accent. His seductive smile drew her to him immediately; she was completely enthralled by his mouth, his jaw, and his presence. “Yuri did not tell me that you were such a feast for the eyes.” His loose hair fell forward, and for a moment her heart stopped. She felt as though he were a demigod, acknowledging her in all his radiance. He gave her a little nod as his beautiful eyes scanned her face, and his nose breathed her in as if she smelled like the sweetest perfume. She could have sworn that she saw a smidge of envy register in Yuri’s face, but she was mistaken. It was more like a flashing, bright green traffic light.
“This is my good friend Konstantin. He arrived late,” Yuri gushed. Annika withdrew her hand quickly. Konstantin tilted his head to one side, as though he knew she was aware of what he was, and of what he hungered for.
“You will have to forgive Vaj.” He made a motion towards his quiet friend. “He is not very comfortable in these types of situations.” Vaj nodded his head, standing off to one side.
“Konstantin, are you going to dance with me on my birthday or not?” Yuri asked playfully. He held out his arm for her and she turned to lead him away.
“Yuri, wait!” Annika blurted, motioning for her to come close.
“What?” Yuri hissed impatiently.
“I thought someone is supposed to stay with me if he’s around.” She made a motion towards Konstantin with her head. But Yuri only rolled her eyes and sneered in annoyance, as if Annika’s concerns were beneath her.
“You’ll be fine,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “He’ll be with me for the rest of the night anyway. Nothing bad can happen to you tonight—there are too many guests around. Don’t worry about it.” She walked off arm in arm with Konstantin, and didn’t look back.
Vaj watched Konstantin disappear into the crowd, and then stepped towards Annika. He didn’t smile, but he sidled up next to her in a deft move, swaying slowly to the beats of the drums. She was slightly taken by surprise, but continued to dance with him. He kept his eyes closed as he moved effortlessly. Then his eyes snapped open, the whites piercing through the darkness that surrounded them.
“Come,” he instructed and held out his hand to Annika. He didn’t ask; he demanded. Before she could consider whether he was being rude or not, she took his hand and was led into dance steps that were exhilarating and energizing. He cast her out at arms’ length and then reeled her back in. She didn’t know if she should appreciate his strength or fear it. She looked into his black eyes and heard the music fade into the background. The drumbeats morphed into the sound of heartbeats, to her body’s very own rhythm. It was almost as if she were underwater, hearing the music and voices around her mashed together in an unfocused arrangement of white noise. Those eyes were burning a hole in her mind. Those eyes wouldn’t let her move anywhere except where his hands were guiding her. He brought her wrist to his face and inhaled the thin flesh that covered her blue veins. He brushed her wrist across his cheek and set her hand on his shoulder. She shut her eyes and relished the pleasure it sent throughout her body. Her knees bent slightly and she moved against him as if they were one being. He was an incredible dance partner, teaching her new moves right then and there, and she learned from him without any effort at all.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” he asked her. She snapped out of her trance and looked around. She caught a glimpse of Yuri and Konstantin nearby. Yuri’s eyes were shut in ecstasy as Konstantin tugged at her scarf and buried his face in her neck. She looked around for Runa, but she was so short that she couldn’t see over the tall elves. The sounds of the instruments around her came crashing back to her ears, sharp and nearby once again.
“I, I go out dancing quite a bit at home, actually. I just let the music tell me what do to,” she told him.
“Mmm,” Vaj hummed and smiled almost unnoticeably, as if he was deep in thought, but at least he was smiling. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Yeah, a little. Are you?”
“I’m just waking up,” he said softly in her ear. She felt his soft lips touch her neck slightly below her earlobe. She shut her eyes and the music faded into the background. She was underwater again, with nothing but the swaying of their bodies and the sound of her heartbeat and the drums filling her head. It was a very long time before she could muster the energy she needed just to open her eyelids. They felt like lead weights had been sewn into them, even though her body could move, there was something wrong with her head. She felt like she was drugged; she could see her body but couldn’t control it. She didn’t see anyone she recognized, and the bodies she could see were far away. Like a clever wolf, Vaj had separated her from the flock. Her languid eyes looked one direction, focused, and blurred. Then another direction, focused, and blurred, desperate to see a familiar face. Her voice was tiny inside, and she couldn’t even speak out loud anymore. She tried to shout over the thump, thump-thump of her own heart, but her throat was closed up. She saw Vaj smile again, even wider this time, and her stomach turned icy cold. There were teeth in his mouth that were inhumanly long. Even if she’d managed to scream at the top of her lungs, she knew it would be lost in the din of the party.
Stop! Let me go, you psychotic vampire! she thought. His grip was unr
elenting. She began to panic, but her head was too fuzzy to think straight. An image filled her mind of black hair and burning eyes. The eyes were like two black holes; something was missing from them. What was lacking from black holes?
Light, she thought. There isn’t any light! The eyes began to glow with blue flames, like two pilot lights in a gas stove. They erupted into spinning wheels rimmed with green, like Talvi’s eyes. A fragment from an earlier conversation they’d shared pushed its way into her head.
“You just have to look into the other person’s eyes and concentrate on those particular thoughts.” She focused all of her remaining energy on these green-rimmed eyes of blue as she thought frantically over and over:
Talvi, where are you? Help me! I need you! Help! Her eyes were wide open, but she could see hardly anything at all. Her field of vision had filled with a murky gray and finally black. She was deaf, blind, powerless, and voiceless. She felt numb and devoid of emotion, and it barely registered when an arm grasped her around her waist and she felt her feet lift off the floor in a sudden, rough, jerky movement. Her breathing was shallow and she was still in her stupor as her arm fell to the side. She didn’t even have the strength to lift it up. She could faintly hear the heavy breathing of the man and after some time she landed in a heap on a soft surface. A pair of strong hands seized her arms, pushing her onto her stomach as they tore at the complex laces of her gown. The swelling in her throat had begun to recede and now she felt a fear like no other she’d experienced in her life. It welled up inside of her until she was able to voice it. Her screams and shouts grew louder and louder as her body lay in its nightmarish coma. Terrified, she began to shriek and cry hysterically, but she was too weak to fight his strength.
“Annika! It’s me! Annika, wake up! It’s me, it’s Talvi! Listen to my voice! It’s me, I’m here now; you’re safe!” She was crying hard, causing her makeup to run and sting her eyes, and even though they were wide open, all she saw was darkness. She could barely move her head. She didn’t recognize where she was, but all that mattered was the voice beside her. Talvi eased up on his grip, and brushed her hair out of her face with his trembling fingers.
“Can you speak to me? Say something if you can.”
“Something?” she replied in a whisper choked with sobs.
“Listen to me,” he said quickly. “I have to make sure that you haven’t been bitten by him. Don’t be alarmed, but I have to strip you of your clothes.” He took her arms out of the sleeves and reached underneath her chest to pull down the dress that had covered her so beautifully only moments earlier. Her skin prickled as it touched the cool air, reacting as the gown passed over her shoulders, stopping at the small of her back. After a few seconds he flipped her onto her back, still crouched over her, and pulled the dress down her legs and over her bare feet. His warm hands sliding down her skin was a welcome diversion to the fear she had been trying to forget. She felt his hands lift an arm, and then the other, and then they were on her neck, brushing her hair away. There was a relieved sigh, and then he sat her upright, dressing her like an overgrown doll. She felt the fabric fall over her head, and she could smell his scent on it.
It must be one of his shirts, she thought. He lay her down again and covered her with heavy blankets. Her ears searched for what she couldn’t see. Footsteps walking away, footsteps coming back. Two thuds as he kicked his shoes to the ground. Water being poured, and then dripping into the basin. She felt the bed sink with his weight beside her and a cool wet cloth cleaning the smeared makeup and tears from her face. It was so soothing, so calming, but her mind and body felt completely exhausted. There was a knock on the door.
“Go away!” Talvi gave a severe warning. But the door creaked open anyway.
“Is she alright? Did he bite her?” a deep voice asked. It was Finn.
“No, he didn’t. She’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? Maybe I should look, just to be certain.”
“I said she was going to be alright!” he snarled.
“Well, I’ve gotten the situation under control. For better or for worse, not that many guests saw what happened. If you like, I can stay with her and let you get back downstairs.”
“Finn…” Talvi said, exasperated. “The sun will be rising in what, two, three hours? I’m certain our remaining guests can cope with my absence. I can’t go back down there like nothing happened, not when they’re both under our roof. She’s not leaving my sight; do you understand?”
“Yes. Right. Well, as long as there is no physical wound, she should be fine in a few days,” Finn said informatively. “She’ll need plenty of sleep, and you’ll need to keep her warm. I’ll send Mother up in the morning. No need to trouble her at this hour if there’s little else that can be done.”
“Tell the others to leave us alone, would you? I don’t wish to see anyone.”
“Not even—”
“Not anyone!” he said, raising his voice to his brother. Finn shut the door behind himself and there was nothing but silence. Annika realized now that they were in Talvi’s room, far away from the noise of the festivities at the other end of the large villa. She was suddenly very grateful for his light sleeping habits and the remote location of his bedroom. The peacefulness was a welcome retreat for her ears and her mind, and she began to see faint shadows in the lamplight. He stood up and walked to the door, locking it tight.
“What happened?” she asked in a barely audible whisper. He sat on the bed next to her, burying his face in his hands.
“Vaj is what happened. I’ve never seen anything like that before. He was holding you in a trance. I don’t know if it was his idea of entertainment, to see how far he could push you, but…he pushed you too far.”
“You heard me call your name,” she sighed.
“Yes, I heard you in my mind,” he said softly. “I could feel your terror. It makes me sick to know what you experienced. I didn’t think he was so powerful, that he could have that strong of an effect. You have to promise me that you’ll never go near him again. It’s too dangerous.”
“I don’t ever want to see him again,” she mumbled.
“I can’t make that happen. He’s here for other reasons, and you must beware what he and Konstantin are. You have to turn and walk away if you see them again and you’re alone…but there’s no excuse for that anymore. I don’t want you out of my sight after sunset.” Talvi lay down beside her with his head resting on one hand; the other hand had taken the cloth and was wiping her neck and shoulders. “I don’t want you out of my sight at all. Not even for a second.”
“Why can’t I move my body? Why can’t I see anything?” She felt thick and lightheaded again.
“You’re going to be weak for some time. You might feel drained for days. I have no way of knowing how soon you’ll recover. Speaking of which, you need to sleep.” He crawled under the blankets, arranging her body so that her head rested on his bare chest and one arm curled protectively around her back while the other hand stroked her hair. She wanted to ask more questions, but she was too exhausted. She felt his breath and his chest shudder. He was crying.
“I’m so sorry I ruined your birthday,” she whispered, unable to hug him back or even see him. Her heart broke to know he was shedding tears over her.
“Hush. It’s nothing you’ve done, you poor little dove,” he said, trying to comfort her, but the pain in his voice was something he couldn’t hide. “Don’t even entertain that notion for a second.” While she drifted off quickly, he gazed out the window until the stars began to fade with the light of dawn. Only when the sun had risen was he able to sink into sleep.