“How is it? I’ve been contemplating getting some for myself,” Shaniel suddenly appears, leaning against the table where no one had been just a second before. His mask is solid black and covers his forehead down to his cheekbones, a red ribbon holding it in place. He is in a black velvet suit that shimmers like panther fur in the globe-light.

Mara jumps, startled by his sudden appearance. “Do you not know how to walk? Freaking cat. Quit popping in and out.”

“It’s called phasing, not popping. I could teach you how to do it,” he suggests, winking one of his gold cat-eyes at her. “It involves using your Source to give your legs a boost of speed.”

Mara glances at him, a little curious. “Maybe one day,” she finally caves.

“Will you have your first glass of liquor now that you are an adult?” he prods, grinning. “Might help loosen up those tense face muscles. You may even smile!”

Mara stabs another piece of cheese, irritated. “I refuse to get intoxicated at social events.”

Wearing a silver wire facemask that covers three-fourths of his face, Aeserast chuckles. He looks almost like an elven prince in the silver-embroidered light blue tunic with a white belt crossing over the middle, a pair of white tights on underneath. His dark blue boots complete the birthday theme’s colors. “Be nice, Shaniel. It’s Tein’stra Danarko’s birthday.”

Shaniel flourishes his wrist and bows deeply from his waist, his lynx ears twitching in mischief. “My apologies. I wish you a very pleasant birthday, milady. May I have this dance?”

Mara giggles, unable to help herself. “I still don’t know how to dance well,” she admits.

“Perfect!” Shaniel grins, flashing a wide grin. He grabs her hands and spins her around.

Startled, Mara grabs his arms for support as they near the edge of the dancing area. “Shaniel – ” she starts, her fingers digging into his arm. Silver sparks race along her knuckles, reflecting her agitation.

“Don’t worry,” Shaniel soothes her, his lips tilting up in a small smile. For once, it is not flirtatious. “Just follow my lead. Trust me, Mara; you’ll need to know at least a few dance moves in your lifetime.”

Mara stares at him, confused as Shaniel’s mood flips like a coin. He leads her through some simple steps, keeping his hands on her arms and never going for her shoulder or waist. One minute, he’s the biggest flirt and playboy I’ve ever seen. The next, he acts like… like a brother.

Suddenly, his hand slides to the middle of her back and he dips her from the waist. Smirking, he stares into her eyes with a look like he knows what she is thinking. “Just so you know, Codi does not know the dance I am teaching you.”

“Do you read minds, too?” she gasps as he pulls her back up.

“Didn’t need to,” he passes off, taking her hand again and twirling her. “It’s written all over your face.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shaniel says, giving her a lopsided grin. He glances off to the side. “Let’s sit down,” he suddenly suggests, leading her off to the side of the main garden area.

“Where are you taking me?” Mara asks, narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion.

He winks at her and presses a finger against his lip. “It’s a secret!” he whispers, taking her hand and guiding her under the arch into a private seating area.

“Surprise!”

Aeserast, Codi, Ezra, Jonan, Surana, and even Kimala stand on either side of a small table that has about five presents on it. Shaniel leans over, giving her a big smile. “Happy birthday!”

Flustered, Mara backs up a few steps. “I-I told you guys no presents,” she rebukes weakly.

“Oh, just open them,” Kimala orders, shoving a long, thin wrapped box into her hands.

Mara sighs and opens the gift. She pulls out a thin silver rod set with blue stones and black engravings. Testing the tip carelessly, she accidentally pricks her finger.

“Aunt Ezra said you really like different weapons,” Kimala rambles nervously, “but I wanted to get you something cute. It’s a hairpiece that also serves as a… a throwing spike that can channel Source for accuracy and speed.”

Mara grins at Kimala, her opinion of the girl improving a bit. Maybe she’s not such a prick after all. “Thanks. It’s really pretty.” She carefully puts it in her hair.

“Open mine next!” Shaniel exclaims with a big grin, handing her a bigger box.

Mara shakes it side to side, judging the weight. A small smile forms on her face as she narrows her eyes at Shaniel. “What did you get me?”

A small, strained chuckle forces its way out of Shaniel before he breaks down into loud laughter. “Just open it, Danarko! I want to see your face.”

“Your gift is not befitting of a coming-of-age ceremony, Shaniel,” Aeserast chastises him.

“I asked Ezra what she would like.”

Aeserast opens his mouth and then shuts it, embarrassed. Shaniel smugly puffs out his chest.

Mara chuckles and pulls off the lid. Her eyes widen at the sight of two short, thin daggers in leg harnesses. She yanks them out and drops the box, pulling the daggers out of their sheaths and examining the blades. They shimmer, a deadly edge on them.

She props her foot onto a chair and pulls up her skirt, exposing her bare leg. “Mara, don’t do that here!” Kimala squeaks, her face flushing a bright cherry red.

Mara ignores her and straps on one of the daggers. She beams. “It fits! Oh, my gosh. I’ve always wanted one of these.” She stares at the matching one. “Now I have two!” she squeals, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She wants to play with them, to test the edges and see how balanced they are. She wonders if Shaniel or Codi will duel her.

Shaniel grins. “So you like?”

Mara wraps her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you!”

Startled, Shaniel pats her back gingerly as if afraid she will flip him again. He chuckles. “You’re welcome!”

She quickly straps on the second dagger, admiring it before dropping her skirt hem over the two weapons. Feeling deadly with the concealed weapons, she grins deviously at them.

Ezra chuckles, knowing Mara is currently thinking of all the trouble she can get into with these two daggers. She now regrets ever giving Shaniel the idea of the custom-made weapons.

Surana smiles softly. “I made these for you. They are from Jonan and I.”

Again, Mara is stunned by Surana’s needlework as she pulls the three tightly-packed earthen toned outfits from the box. “Wow…” Mara breathes, rubbing her fingers over the cloth. “It’s so soft… I wish I could try them on now.”

Surana chuckles. “There is always the morning; they are meant for training.”

Aeserast rubs the back of his head, looking embarrassed. “I guess mine isn’t as great as I thought it would be,” he admits as his cheeks turn a faint bluish-purple in a blush. “But… it is functional.”

He hands her a small paper-wrapped object. She tears it open and discovers a beautiful teardrop-shaped pendant on a leather string. The colors swirling inside the glass pendant match the colors that had been on the sandstone she had broken last month. “Um… thanks,” she says awkwardly. “It’s pretty, but I… don’t wear jewelry.”

“Whaaaat?” Shaniel whines, startling Mara. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Mara, that’s a summoning pendant!” Kimala lectures, grabbing Mara’s hand and staring at the glass pendant. “If you focus your Source on it, it will alert that specific Highlord you’re in trouble. Highlords only give these to people important to them.”

Mara glances at Aeserast, frowning. “So… what would I use it for?”

Everyone stares at her. Ezra is the only one who chuckles. “Remember what I said earlier? If you run into trouble, the best person to have by your side is a Highlord.”

“Oh!” Mara looks down at the pendant. “So it’s like dialing 9-1-1 without all the hassle.” She stares into the blue and purple swirls, amazed as they slightly shift.

Aeserast smiles, trying not to laugh. “Yes, exactly.” He takes the pendant from her and wraps the leather band around her neck. As soon as it touches her skin, a silver spark races across the odd gem.

“Thanks,” she says, readjusting her hair.

She glances at the table; one present left. Codi picks it up and shoves it into Mara’s hands. Mara glances at him before looking down at the suspiciously shaped object.

“This feels like a really big book, Codi…” she comments, raising an eyebrow at him – and then remembering he probably can’t see it underneath the folded wire of the mask.

He twiddles his thumbs, nervous. “Just open it.”

Mara rips the thin paper off and stares at the title. The Science of all the Realms, Vol 34. Her eyes widen and she flips to the index. “What the…” How can anyone be this meticulous? she cries inside her mind. This thing has got to be at least four thousand pages.

Codi holds his breath as she skims the five-page long index. Alkina, Blazhreia, Carni… Even Earth is in here. So many different names stretch down the page, full of sub-headings and indents for the different sections. This will take me ages to get through… Wait. Are all of those names worlds?!

She finally looks up to see everyone’s expectant faces. She stares at Codi with wide eyes. “How many realms are there?”

“Fourteen documented,” Aeserast answers, smiling. “That is, if you count Hariana separate from Eleth and Carni as its own realm, which most do.”

Mara closes her eyes briefly to let that sink in. She smirks at Codi, her lips pressed tightly together. “Thanks for breaking it to me lightly, brother.” Not.

Codi frowns. Realization dawns on his face and he slaps his palm against his forehead. “Agh… I totally wasn’t thinking about that. Sorry, Mara.”

Mara shakes her head. Sometimes, her brother can be oblivious. Fourteen… that’s amazing, she thinks, sitting down in one of the chairs and examining the book.

“There is one more, sweetie,” Ezra says as she pulls a small container out of her pocket. Mara recognizes the steel box from their house. “This is from your father,” she admits, her smile wavering a little. “He wanted you to have it when you turned sixteen.”

Mara takes a quick breath and opens the lid of the broken music box. However, the mechanisms within it kick into motion, and a beautiful familiar lullaby echoes among the little group.

Mara’s eyes water. She had grown up with this lullaby being hummed to her at bedtime, her father’s soft voice carrying her into wonderful dreams of labyrinth cities and huge glass towers.

Inside the box, only a single ring rests on a blue cushion. The sparkling goldstone refracts light onto the engraved symbols surrounding it.

“Daddy’s ring,” she whispers, smiling. She sniffles, carefully dabbing at her eyes through the mask. “I… I think this is what Bryce wanted.”

Ezra frowns, confused. “Perhaps… It is valuable. The Highlords made it for your father when he finished building Cerlail Academy.”

“He always wore it on his pinky, but it’s way too big for me.” Nostalgic, she slides the ring onto her right pinky finger. Her eyes widen as silvery lightning bolts – her Source – dance around the ring. It shrinks to fit her finger. “Whoa…”

Aeserast smirks. “It resizes to fit the wearer.”

Mara strokes the stone. “Thank you.” Her voice cracks.

Ezra kisses her forehead. “He would have loved to teach you everything about this world.”

Mara sniffles again, a tear escaping to race down her cheek. “I would’ve liked that,” she whispers.