Coco looked away from the lanterns and met a sky-blue gaze surrounded by a stunning forest green. The woman’s pale skin and cerulean hair seemed to blend into the background. A beautiful milky-white dress hung artfully from the innkeeper’s body.

“Thank you.” Pulser’s voice broke the trance Coco had fallen into. Annoyed, she forced herself to focus and frowned when the other woman gave her a wink.

“My apologies, miss. I always like to tease those still coming into their magic. I’m Mystia.”

“Star.”

With a curt smile, the innkeeper turned her attention to Pulser. “Room for two?”

“Actually, I’d like to book a double room for the month.”

Mystia raised a pale eyebrow. “Business?”

“A little bit of everything, to be honest. Our mentor gave us a long list of items to find and they’re scattered all over White City. Figured we could make a trip out of the process.”

“If you need to extend your stay, let me know. Breakfast is included for all guests and we’re not short of restaurants and markets if that’s to your fancy.”

“Thank you. I believe that’s all for now.”

Mystia bowed her head. “That’ll be ninety sticks for thirty days.”

Intrigued, Coco watched as Pulser pulled out ruby circles from his cloak. They were thin and flat. In the center of each was a tiny crystal stone.

After accepting the money, Mystia handed over a white colored key. “Third floor, room eight. If either of you need anything, ring the bell or ask one of the maids.”

Coco was about to ask where the bellhop was, then remembered magic existed. She hadn’t seen their bags since leaving.

She ignored Mystia’s curious and playful stare. At the moment, she couldn’t protect herself from magic. It would be best not to bring any unwanted attention to herself.

Everything about the inn was extravagant and luxurious. The rest of the building matched the interior of the first floor. The door leading to their room was gilded a beautiful white gold with intricate carvings of flowers Coco had never seen. The amount of detail was amazing.

She was surprised when they entered and walked into what looked like a sitting room. In the back corner was a small kitchen. She didn’t know how they kept food cold. Her best bet was magic. That seemed to be the answer for everything.

There were three doors. One in the middle of the back wall, another on the right, and one on the left.

“The middle leads to the bathroom. The other two are for sleeping.”

Coco nodded.

“Is something wrong? You’ve barely said anything since we left.”

At this point, she had no other choice but to trust Pulser. He was the only person she knew in this strange world.

“It’s my brother. I want to know that he’s safe…I shouldn’t have come here.”

“Coco, I know you’re worried about Ray. But he’s much safer in the human realm. This realm is dangerous, especially to those that haven’t mastered their magical abilities yet. And you’re still in danger from Evil’s curse.”

“I know.” Coco could only sigh and resign herself to the fact that this was her fate until further notice. She knew she could tell him the truth about Asher breaking the curse, but she didn’t think that was a good idea.

“Come on,” Pulser gestured to the room on the left. “You can unpack and get settled.”

Her bag appeared out of nowhere. Pulser offered it to her. She took it, though apprehension was apparent in her gaze. “Why does it sound like you’re leaving?”

“I need to find the sorceress that can break Evil’s curse. I can move faster in the city by myself. No one knows you’re here. You’ll be safe until I come back.”

“How long will you be?”

 “It depends. Anywhere from an hour to a day. Here,” he pulled out a sack of money and tossed it to her. “The red circles are called sticks. They’re worth twenty stone. The smaller, yellow circles are ten stone. The orange half circles are pebbles. They’re worth five stone. If anyone charges over twenty sticks, it’s too much.”

Coco looked through the sack, amazed at how much detail went into each piece. “Why are you giving me this?”

“In case anything goes wrong, I want you to have some way to fend for yourself.”

Worry snuck its way back to Coco. Though, if she was being honest, it never really left. “Take me with you. I don’t want to be here alone.”

Pulser reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I won’t be gone long, I promise. I’m sorry things are moving so fast. I’m afraid if I take too long in tracking down the people we need, the Council will pick up on the fact you’re here. I can’t stand the thought of losing you, Coco. It’s too risky taking you deeper into the city. Please, trust me.”

Coco looked up into his eyes, trying her best to read the emotions she could see swimming in them. “I trust you. I’ll stay here.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. Wasn’t he the one with the plan where they’d be gone less than a month? “Don’t take too long.”

“If you get hungry, the restaurant next door serves excellent food.”

Instead of giving an answer, she squeezed Pulser tightly before letting go. Whether or not she could trust him, his presence gave her a sense of security. She needed that now more than ever.

“I’ll be back soon.” Pulser gave a smile, transforming his face into the man Coco remembered, not the stranger before her.

She watched him leave with mixed emotions. It wasn’t until the door shut that she exhaled. Her shoulders sagged in relief. She weighed the sack of money in her hands.

It felt like a lot.

If it was anything like the human world, she’d end up spending it faster than it could be made.

“Enjoying yourself?”

A startled scream left Coco as she spun around. Standing in front of her was Asher. He was wearing the same black attire from when they first met. His eyes shone bright with humor. His smile was carefree and body relaxed.

“How did you get in here?” Coco demanded.

“Magic.”

“That’s not—” She threw up her hands. “Is it that easy to sneak up on someone?”

“You mean Pulser?”

“Yes.”

Asher strode forward, taking a seat on one of the gilded armchairs. “Sometimes. You should sit down. We have a lot to discuss.”

She bit back any angry insults and took the chair opposite him. “I’m sitting.”

A deep laugh filled the air. “I can see that.”

“Look. I’m already questioning if I can trust my best friend. I’m worried about my brother. There’s a dangerous man hunting me down to kill me. The Council also wants to kill me. And I apparently have magical powers. I’m at my wits end. Please, just tell me what you want.”

Asher leaned forward, catching her gaze. He steepled his fingers together. “I won’t say I’m sorry. From what I’ve heard on the streets, we need you in order to prevent a war. I’m not here to hurt you.”

“Then take me back home. I don’t belong here.”

“I can’t do that either. Raen and the Council…” Reluctance made his words heavy. “Pulser’s right about one thing. You need to unlock your magic and train. It’s impossible in the human realm. A highly trained sorcerer can use their magic anywhere. Someone like you, who’s just coming into their magic, won’t be able to. I did more research about Raen’s curse. I’m here to remove the aftereffects and rid you of it completely.”

Coco’s head was pounding. Without warning, unwanted tears started falling from her eyes. She couldn’t think straight. Everything was a jumbled mess. Why was this man helping her? What was she to him? None of it made sense and the more she learned, the more she didn’t understand.

She was angry that a few words from a stranger could make her doubt Pulser. She was angry that she even doubted him at all.

“Coco…” Asher raised his hand.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Okay, I won’t. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Asher dropped his hand and sat further back in his chair. His eyes were impossible to read.

“I need a minute,” Coco managed to get out. “This is too much. I don’t even know you!”

“Take all the time you need.”

Surprised, Coco looked up. She thought for certain he would ignore her feelings and demand she listen to him. He even stopped when she said not to touch her. It was a respect she hadn’t expected.

Coco dropped her gaze. She felt like crying. This man was perhaps the only person she could trust and that frightened her terribly. Her entire world turned upside down the day Pulser told her the truth.

Did it really matter if she lost her magic?

She fell into a contemplative silence that lasted for about an hour. It wasn’t so much to think. She was doing enough of that. Coco needed time to calm her emotions and accept reality for what it was. Time was the only cure for her uncertainty.

Asher didn’t speak at all. She could sometimes feel his inviting eyes on her but never felt rushed to continue their conversation. It was like he said, she could take all the time she needed.

 “Thank you, Asher.” Her voice sounded loud after the silence.

“For what?” The honesty on his face was compelling.

“This. I still don’t understand why you’re helping me. But I’m thankful for it.”

Asher’s face turned grave. “Life is always giving us a choice. Sometimes it’s an easy one. Other times, what we think is right turns out to be wrong. When I discovered Pulser was going to steal your magic, I knew I had to stop him. It’s a choice I made regardless of those around me telling me it’s a mistake. I can’t sit by and watch him do that.”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the magnitude of the situation. However, I am thankful you’re helping me.”

“Your thanks are enough.” Asher rose to his feet, reminding Coco of how tall he was. “Since we don’t know when Pulser will be back, I’d like to remove the last traces of the curse, if you don’t mind.”

“Why do you sound nervous?”

An embarrassed smile flashed across his face. “I know I said I wasn’t going to hurt you…”

“But?”

“But in order to completely remove it, I have to help awaken your magic. It’s going to be a painful process.”

“Is that normal?”

“Not at all.”

“Right, because that would be too easy. What do I need to do?”

“Close your eyes and relax your mind. Before you ask, no, I can’t explain how to do that.”

A reluctant smile flickered to life. Coco did her best to hide it. “Then?”

“I will force my magic inside you. There should be magical blocks suppressing your magic. I’m hoping that by forcing what will be perceived as an attack, will cause your magic to react and protect you. Once that happens, I’ll be able to find the last traces of the curse and break it.”

She could only nod at all the information. While she understood the gist, it was still information that wasn’t helpful. It helped looking at it like a test. If Asher managed to do what he said and her magic awakened, then she could trust him. If that didn’t happen…

“I’m ready.”

“Is it okay if I place my hands on your shoulders? Direct contact will make the process faster.”

A gentleness Coco was unaware of filled her eyes. “Yes, it’s okay. Thank you for asking.”

Asher nodded. “Close your eyes.”

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to relax her body. Relaxing her mind felt impossible. Warm hands gently gripped her shoulders and she used that as an anchor of sorts. She allowed the warmth to seep into her. It was light, gentle, soft…

Just below that lovely feeling was something dark and consuming. Rather than the gentle waves of the ocean, it was like a hurricane, bringing about chaos and destruction. The intensity of it frightened her.

“Relax,” Asher spoke, his low voice calm and steady. “I don’t mean you any harm.”

Coco latched onto his words. She trusted the silent strength in his voice, the warmth of his hands, the honesty of his words.

That dark feeling intensified. She could feel something invading her mind, leaving no room for defense. She imagined tiny black feelers, like tendrils from spilt ink, reaching into the deepest parts of her and consuming them.

When the urge to open her eyes was strong, Coco found she was unable to. Some force had control of her body. She couldn’t feel the warmth from Asher’s hands. Instead, she felt a biting cold penetrate her body through layers of clothing.

It was painful.

Her hands grew colder. She felt a thin sheet of ice start to encase them. Stinging pain shot through her body and a groan left her. The cold pierced deeper, wrapping around her mind and searching for her heart. Memories Coco didn’t want to remember assaulted her as she was forced to relive moving from family to family, unable to find a place to call home. Dark thoughts swam to the surface, almost suffocating her.

The stinging pain intensified, turning to a raging fire. Coco’s joints ached. The skin along her hands felt like it was falling off. The pounding of her heart increased. She broke out in a cold sweat.

A throbbing, blistering pain consumed her body and mind. She didn’t have the strength to make a sound. The pressure on her shoulders intensified and she cried out, wishing for it to end. She desperately searched for that gentle warmth, feeling tears prick her eyes when she failed.

Just when the pain and darkness became too much, something inside her shattered.

A surge of strength tore its way free, bringing with it the warmth Coco desperately craved. She clung to that strength, using it as leverage to start piecing herself back together.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see the sitting room covered in a thick layer of black ice. It coated everything, including herself and Asher.

Confused, Coco looked up to meet Asher’s steady gaze. “Did it work?”