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The hug soothed all the nervous parts of Ace that she hadn’t been able to quell. Ace squeezed her eyes shut and hugged the girl back. Gods knew the child deserved it.
“Oh, I don’t know about that, but thank you.”
“All that’s left is your dress.” Taking Ace’s hands Margo pulled her up to standing.
Ace stood under Margo’s scrutiny looking around the simple bedroom. The art was clearly all hers though it was much more advanced than she’d expect from someone her age. Time without any magic locked in one city might allow you lots of practice…
“Wait, I have a question.”
“Shoot,” Margo said.
“If you haven’t had magic how are you doing this to me right now? Have you alone had magic this whole time”
“Oh,” Margo laughed a bit nervously, “Mom has taught me everything I needed to know. I’ve read about a thousand of our Grimoires and other texts regarding our powers and how they work.” She gestured toward her bookshelves before closing her eyes. The image of a dress floated across Ace’s thoughts. “When the wards came down we got access to our powers. Mom said I had to wait until she could help me figure out how to do it but I’m very intuitive and it’s really not that hard.”
A long lavender dress swept down to the floor. Sparkling stones covered a scooping neck, all held up by delicate straps. Fabric hugged her torso, falling into an a-line at the start of her waist. Sheer material to match the gown was capped at her shoulders, secured behind her like a small jacket with long panels for sleeves.
Large earrings took up all the space from her earlobes to her collar bones. The gems of the jewelry looked like an entire bouquet of flowers. Ace could hardly speak as she took in her image. It was her…but the best version of her. She looked like a queen.
“See, easy.” Margo stepped back and admired her work.
“So, you’re telling me you’ve never practiced magic before?” Her voice was a little horse both from shock and worry. Could there be any chance that the girl had messed something up and Ace would find some sort of terrible surprise later?
“You’re not going to tell my mom, are you? Remember sisters keep secrets!”
Ace didn’t want to break it to her but she had the sneaking suspicion her mom was going to figure it out all on her own.
Ace
Margo didn’t know how to stop talking. Thirteen years of conversation with friends that didn’t exist must have built up in that thin body of hers. By the time they’d finally headed to the party the girl had used magic to dress herself head to toe in bright yellow with pink jewelry (plus a crown) and clean her room in one sweep of her hands.
Either magic was just an easy thing to do or Margo really was special because she didn’t break a sweat. Shelby had always made it look hard. He needed concentration. Margo didn’t need more than a passing thought.
Music had started playing as the sun was beginning to set. Lanterns hung from trees illuminating a square of space that had been set off by tables heaping with food. Their newly welcomed magic had to help with that.
In fact, as they exited the house and headed toward the gathering crowd Ace noticed the difference in the gardens. They’d gone from nearly failing to overflowing with produce in only a few hours. Ace knew it was coming as she sat in the bedroom and watched Margo ready herself while she was being bombarded with images like a thousand prayers. It got to the point where it was hard to decipher some of them because they overlapped so much.
Magic was having its hay day in Glatton.
Bodies had gathered and crowded the space already raising drinks and finding partners to celebrate with on the dance floor. Ace was able to pick Shelby and Rehan out of the crowd in a matter of seconds. Relief released the tension in her shoulders when she saw how good Rehan looked. Last she saw him he’d been bleeding out with her.
“I see my mother.” Margo cringed. “I’m going to stand on the other side of the square! Look,” she pointed, “there is Rehan!.”
At the mention of his name, he turned around and Margo waved frantically. His face lit up and he waved at her with the same enthusiasm. Ace knew he must be really good with kids.
Slender arms wrapped around Ace’s waist as Margo pressed herself against her in another tight hug. “I’m rooting for you and Shelby,” Margo said into Ace’s dress. “Not only because of the spark but because Rehan is so cute I want to keep him for myself!”
Ace wasn’t going to mention their obvious age gap. “He is pretty handsome.”
Then the hug was done and Margo was running off into the crowd only pausing to say something quickly to Rehan before disappearing again. Ace had never been an older sister but she thought she might be able to handle the job alright.
Her attention drifted from Margo over to Rehan as he walked slowly through the now plush grasses. His own bloodstained clothes had been traded for a fitted black suit. Someone had braided his hair back keeping the loose pieces away from his face. His lips parted in playful shock as he looked Ace up and down.
“Gods, is this…isthismy beautiful fiancée?” He whistled, taking her hand. The skirt and long sleeves flared around her as he spun her in a circle. She thanked all the gods that Margo had given her sensible shoes, a silky pair of slip ons that had more support than her boots could ever dream of having.
“How are you feeling?”
Rehan gently tugged her forward until she was pressed against his chest and could wrap his arms around her waist. “Better now that you’re here. I was worried when I didn’t get to see you. Although it’s clear you’ve met Margo. Quite the talker, right?”
