Stepping free of the train doors, I took a breath feeling the slight chill in the air and the hovering bits of magic still hanging around. 

The hustle and bustle of Castle Town station was always a different kind of experience. There were so many people of all makes and wakes of life, that it was never boring and was always changing.

Like the man cheerfully speaking to someone about a successful day at work. Or some parents with their children, excitedly discussing where they will be going? Or even the group of in awed tourists and what they thought of the city, would they come back again, was this already another trip and this time they brought friends?

Each being that streamed past me had a life, a story, and was living an experience. 

“Nyx! Nyx, darling, I’m over here!”

A big smile lit my face just as familiar arms wrapped around me, a kiss pressed to my cheek.

“Hi, Aethusa.” At my side Tashi’s tail was wagging a mile a minute but he stayed at my side even as Aethusa loved on him.

“What a good boy you are! The best boy- yes you are! Yes you are!” Aethusa laughed sweetly before standing and hugging me again. “Oh it is so good to see you, just look how much you’ve grown! And starting school!” She gushed, hugging me tight once more.

Aethusa Castor, was of the Fae race, a Faun. She was kind, caring to a fault and seemed always happy and good natured no matter what she faced. She taught Plant Care in a charming little shop in town and she was normally busy with that but to have her here made me happy.

Aethusa looped my arm through hers and walked us off, chatting adamantly about our plans for the afternoon. Yet even with her contagious energy I could still pick up on her slight annoyance, though I knew it wasn’t directed at me.

I took a breath. “Was he busy?” I asked softly.

She stopped speaking, with a tiny hitch of breath. “Yes, I’m sorry I tried-”

“It’s alright.” I said quietly.

Aethusa was also my sister in law, and our absent (but deeply missed) guest was my brother.

“It’s not,” Aethusa said. “But I’ll give him another talking to when I get home. But forget about that, let’s just have a girls day and go shopping! We hardly spend any time together.”

“True, maybe now that I’m closer that can change?” I asked.

“Of course! Just give me a shout and we can easily do this more often. You can even bring Trixi, make a day of it!”

Yeah, I’d like that. 

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping for clothes and school supplies and gifts.

“Aethusa, I don’t- you don’t need to do this.”

“Uh huh, I’m spoiling you, accept your fate.” She said as she easily swapped a shirt I was holding for the same one that I knew was probably in a better color. “I also want to do this.”

Smiling, I ducked my head, my free hand running over Tashi’s head to scratch his ears. “Thank you.” I said bashfully. 

“Always. Now, let’s get you some cute jeans to go with this top! Trixi will lose xyr mind when you see xem next!”

She laughed at my stupid blush and procceded to shop and talk about how Trixi would be over the moon for a cute matching pair of sweaters.

….. We bought them.

Sadly not everything can be as easy as grabbing a shirt in the right size and buying it, sometimes they never fit right no matter how hard you try to fit into it.

We were walking down the cobbled street when I heard them.

Their words shattered my easy mood, my relaxed posture snapped rim rod straight under their judgment.

Rumors. Whispers. Some spoke in respect, some in anger, others out of fear. All of it about my family and me. 

I felt the air shift as power built. The once calm Seiðr, cracked like a whip through the air, my hair standing at attention. 

The Manchineel family. The Demon’s family. The Cursed Ones.

My family's good name said with scorn and fear, like we were nothing more than a plague on all things. We weren’t though! We had done nothing! We were innocent of His crimes and all that His power touched! We were-

“Nyx. Nyx, honey breathe. No one can see us over here.”

I sucked in a gasp and turned to Aethusa.

“There you are.” She said sweetly, her hand cupping my cheek. “Come on, you remember what Itri and Janus told you.”

I smiled faintly. “Stiff upper lip. If they’re going to stare and point, give them a reason to- make them see you standing tall, in the face of their cruelty.” We said together.

I stood a little taller and took a breath, taking a hold of my magic and calming the Seiðr.  

“That’s my girl.” 

“Thanks, Aethusa.” I ducked my head, shame clawing up my throat. “I-”

“No need to explain. I understand.”

The shame dimmed but not much. But the longing for my parents came back stronger.

“Come on, Nyx. We have a few more stops before I can take you to the Academy.”

Nodding, I tightened my grip on Tashi’s lead and followed after Aethusa. 

The whispers trailing behind us.

***

Hours of shopping and sightseeing, Aethusa led me and Tashi to one last stop.

“Aethusa, where are you taking us?”

Like the loving sister in law she was, she laughed. “We’re going to a special place.”

“And this place is on an incline?”

She laughed again and took my free hand and helped me up.

Throwing my head back I let out a long groan. “Aethusa! It’s getting late, and I gotta get going soon.”

“Grumpy pants, we’re almost there. You’ll like this, promise.” She said with a giggle.

Pouting I stumbled after her and we continued up until we evened out.

“Here we are!”

“And where is that?”

“The Hill of Stars. Or um well it was…”

But now it was an overgrown hill covered in weeds of normal and magical origin. The gazebo was decayed and in ruin and all the magic that was here had faded to near nothing.

I ran my fingers over a broken chair and a bit more crumbled away.

“Until momma and Papa died.” I finished for her.

This was their spot. The place they founded and created together. Their final Spell.

“Oh Nyx, honey. I’m sorry, I didn’t think how’d you would feel and-”

I spun around and squeezed her into my tightest hug. “Thank you. I thought it was gone and no one really knew where it was.”

“Well not no one.”

My brother’s name went unsaid but clearly heard. 

Brother must have told Aethusa and now she brought me here.

“Thank you for bringing me here.”

She hugged me back, her small horns bumping my head.

For the rest of my time with her, Aethusa spoke about my parents and all the things they did, including the Hill of Stars.

“It was their crown jewel-” She tugged me into a hug, messing up my hair. “Until you and your brother anyway. They poured so much into this one Spell.”

“This was their graduating Spell right?”

“It was! A never attempted contribution between Spatial and Temporal Magics. In this very spot, both magics become something else- something more. In this spot they became Dimensional.”

Dimensional because in this spot weather does not change, at the hour the original Spell was cast night falls here.

It is always a starry night no matter what.

I grinned, eyes closed as I thought back to what this place once looked like. How the sky looked filled with stars.

How people came here to be swept up in the beauty of it all. How happy my family was.

Even now, even with them both gone somehow their Spell was still here.

“Aethusa ...”

“Yes?”

“Can you help me get the rights to this place?”

I felt her startle. “What?!”

“Well Ruvy doesn’t want this place, just like the house. And I don’t want someone else to tear it down.” I fought a shudder. Tearing down someone else's Spell was nasty business and was awful to witness. “I just…”

“You want a memory of them to stay alive?”

“Yeah… is that wrong?”

“NO! Of course not. There are many Magic Users that have done the same for members of their family or even those close to them.” She leaned her shoulder against mine. “I’ll help you, though your grandparents might be a better help.”

“True. Well if I get the chance to talk to them I’ll ask.”

“Atta a girl! And… when you get the rights I’ll come and help you straighten up the place. Deal?”

“Deal.”

In town the Clock Tower went off.

“Well come on I’ll walk you there.”

I would never be able to tell Aethusa what it meant to me that she’d do that for me. Though the light squeeze on my arm said she knew.

We chatted as we walked the main roads leading to the Academy.

But all too soon we reached the gate. The constant chatter filling my ears, the joy yet tearful parents and guardians saying goodbye to their children until the first holiday.

Aethusa put her hands on my shoulders, turning me to face her.

“Alright, Nyx, are you ready for this?”

“Yes.”

“Are you super sure?”

“Aethusa.”

“Sorry, it’s just- goddess- you’re growing up so fast! It feels like just yesterday when you were casting your first Spell and now you’re going to The Academy where every great Magic User went.”

“Aw, Aethusa. I’ll still visit.”

She sniffled. “I know you will and I’ll visit more often too. But…” She took a deep breath. “Do me a favor, okay?”

“Yeah?”

“No matter what happens, no matter what anyone says or tells you. You are Nyx Manchineel, an amazing young woman and Magic User. No matter what, you are you, don’t change.”

I felt myself blink and nod numbly. “O-okay. I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek. “And always remember this above all else. Your parents love you and they would be so proud.”

With that she spun me around with a light shove, I felt myself cross the gate and enter the Academy grounds.

Straightening my posture I took a breath and stepped forward with Tashi in the lead.

“Good luck!” Aethusa yelled.

Next stop; The Auditorium.