THIRTY-SEVEN
Layla awoke to her second day off curled into Quin’s chest, but he didn’t have both arms around her, and the mellow aroma of flowers mingled with his woodsy scent.
Magicking her teeth clean, she kissed his heart and leaned back, finding him holding a bouquet of red roses.
“Good morning,” he greeted.
She smiled while accepting the smooth stems and burying her nose in soft petals. “Good morning.”
“The other day you mentioned a Valentine’s date.”
“That’s today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day.”
He smiled and swept her messy hair out of her face. “You, too, love. But I have a confession.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ve never celebrated Valentine’s Day. Well, I participated in the card exchanges in grade school, but the date isn’t as significant for magicians as it is for the hexless. Bri loves it, because the world turns pink for a day, but the holiday’s origins mean nothing to us.”
Layla giggled, her face still stuck in the flowers. “Most hexless people don’t even know who St. Valentine refers to.”
“Exactly. It’s basically a commercialized day of love, and the magicians I know don’t like trying to fit all their love into a single day.”
Her heart warmed as she laid the bouquet on the bed. “There’s way too much to fit into a day.”
“Most of us feel that way.”
“So you’ve never taken a girl out on Valentine’s Day?”
“No. Despite our indifference to the holiday, it’s easy to get wrapped up in it when you’re in the non-magical world, and I didn’t want to give girls the wrong idea, so I just steered clear of them the first few weeks of February.”
“Hmm… I would have never guessed you’re anti-Valentine’s Day.”
“That’s an exaggeration. I just don’t care about the official holiday, but I do care about you, so I feel like an ass for not planning for it.”
She laughed while pulling his hand into a kiss. Then she cuddled his fingers into her neck. “You’ve already given me more than any other guy has given me on Valentine’s Day.”
“What? The flowers?”
“Yes.”
He scowled. “What kind of dates did you have?”
“I didn’t,” she laughed. “Unless you count my mom.”
“Oh.” His scowl relaxed into a frown. “No one ever asked you out on Valentine’s Day?”
“One boy did… in first grade, on the playground. I ran away.”
Quin laughed as he moved her flowers and pulled her closer. “Then I’ve really messed up.”
“No, you haven’t. Every date with you is like the best Valentine’s Day ever.”
“Good thing I made dinner reservations.”
“See? You’re already two steps ahead of all the other men in my life.”
He gave her a kiss. Then he trailed his lips across her cheek before nuzzling her neck. “And I ordered breakfast from Diamond. Red velvet pancakes.”
Layla licked her lips and humorously rolled her eyes. “If this isn’t your idea of treating me to an incredible Valentine’s Day, I can’t imagine what is.”
“I never said I wouldn’t treat you like my Valentine. I just didn’t plan ahead. Everything’s last minute.”
She slid her fingers into his hair and pulled him from her neck. Then she pushed him onto his back and straddled his hard stomach. “Hey.”
He grinned at her breasts while floating the roses to her nightstand. “Hey back.”
She took his cheeks and leaned closer, nearly touching her nose to his. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, angel.”
“I know. I know because every time I fall asleep or wake up, you’re holding me. When I’m heartbroken, you kiss it better. When I’m scared, you make me brave. When I fall, you pick me up. When I’m wounded, you heal me. When I’m sad, you make me smile. And when I joke, you smile with me. It’s because all that and so much more that I know you love me. Valentine’s Day will never compare to that, and the gifts and dates are just perks that come with your extraordinary love. I don’t need fancy stuff to feel your heart, and you don’t need to spoil me to feel mine. The love is there every minute of every day. I mean, really, they should just rename February fourteenth Quin and Layla Day. It would make a lot more sense.”
He smiled, his chest swelling against her breasts, but his eyes moistened as they searched hers. “I would definitely plan for that holiday.”
She lightly laughed as she shook her head. “I’d think you missed my point if I couldn’t see your aura.”
“Is it screaming your name?”
“Always.”
“That’s true.” He gathered her hair in one hand while running the other to her butt. “So are you ready to start celebrating Quin and Layla Day?”
She wiggled her thighs down his torso and showered his chest in kisses. “If by celebrate… you mean make sweet, soul-shaking love… then, yes… I absolutely am.”
He laughed as he tightened his grip. Then he flipped her onto her back and moved between her legs. “What about your pancakes?”
She vanished her underwear and lifted her hips. “The sugar rush can wait. I’m about to catch a ride to heaven.”
~***~
Layla took several trips to heaven that day, two before breakfast, then another when they went for a swim in the grotto, and another when they got out. Then they took a break to eat leftovers from The Dome.
Around four, Quin’s gaze unfocused for a mind search, and after making sure Layla’s robe was closed, he walked to the entryway and opened the curtain. Layla curiously peeked over the back of the sofa. Then she straightened when the coral vendor from the Bijou Market walked in.
Layla smiled through a greeting, but as soon as the local wasn’t looking, she threw a scowl at Quin and rushed to smooth her crazy curls. Quin just grinned and pulled out two chairs at the dining table, waiting for both witches to sit before getting comfortable beside Layla.
“We received the transfer,” the seller started, passing a folded piece of paper to Quin, who signed it without letting Layla see it. Once the form was returned to the woman, she beamed and produced a wooden box carved with caterpillars and butterflies. “Here it is.” She placed it on the table in front of Layla then handed a folder of paperwork to Quin. “Congratulations. You’re now the owner of a piece of our proud history. We’ll register your purchase, but any future changes in ownership will be up to you to file. I highly suggest you keep it up to date. It’s already jumped in value. The more her reputation grows, the more it’s worth.”
Layla looked at Quin in confusion, but he ignored her while scanning a few of the papers in the folder. Then he snapped it shut, smiled, and promptly showed the woman out, expressing his gratitude along the way.
Layla stayed at the table, dumbfounded by the swift exchange, and she didn’t even touch the box, because she wasn’t certain it belonged to her.
Once the stranger was gone, Quin returned to the table, laughing at Layla’s shock as he sat. “You knew I was going to get it.”
She blinked and slowly reached for the lid. “Is it the butterfly?”
“Yes.” He bypassed her hesitancy and opened the box, placing the pendant in her hand.
She swallowed while running her fingers over the detail. “Are you going to tell me how much you spent on it?”
“No.”
“It’s beautiful. I can see its aura now that we’re indoors.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned in, studying the soft haze fluttering around the coral. “It’s absorbed a lot of energy. It’s not giving you bad vibes, is it?”
“No. I’m just afraid I’ll break it.”
He laughed as he took the pendant. Then he summoned a delicate, silver chain and fed it through the holes in the tips of the butterfly’s wings. “It’s survived thousands and thousands of years, my love. You won’t break it by holding it or wearing it.” He kissed her cheek then stood. “Lift your hair.”
She obeyed, and he rested the coral below the base of her throat before fastening the chain. Taking her hand, he urged her to follow him to a floor mirror next to the cloak rack. Then they both stared at the reflection of the necklace.
“Lovely,” he approved, touching his lips to her hair.
He was right. Even framed by a plain, white bathrobe, the pendant was gorgeous, and the history it harbored made her feel like a princess worthy of the crown jewels. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but you make everything you wear look like a work of art.”
She smiled as her cheeks warmed. Then she spun around and wrapped her arms around prince charming’s neck. “So, what was she talking about when she mentioned my reputation and its worth?”
He grasped her butt and picked her up, carrying her back to the couch. “The pendant will increase in value as your popularity grows.”
“Really? That’s kind of weird.”
He opened her robe and sprinkled her torso in kisses. “Is it? The hexless pay ridiculous prices for celebrities’ used possessions.”
“That’s true. I guess I just don’t consider myself a celebrity.”
He tickled her stomach with a sweep of his lips then kissed his way back to her heart. “You’re always the brightest star in my world. And the value you add to the coral doesn’t matter, because we have no reason to sell it. You’re going to grow old wearing it. Then our daughter will do the same.”
The notion of growing old with him was one she hadn’t entertained in a while, so the peace it instilled in her felt strange, but it was a welcome change from the doom that dominated her life, and he kept the fantasy going by pampering her body with tender kisses and tingling touches. He didn’t even progress to sex, and she didn’t push for more. The skin contact was enough, the stimulating buzz of their magical connection and the warm caresses of their mingling lights. It was like floating through the clouds, cradled by angel wings and stroked by the gods.
When he came to a sedate halt and told her it was time to get ready for dinner, she considered objecting, but then she remembered she’d promised he could take her out. Plus, he never failed to show her a good time on their dates, and she was confident she’d get another taste of his passionate adoration later.
Following a bathroom break to wash up and fix her hair, she emerged into the living room to find a big, white box wrapped in a red bow sitting on the dining table. Quin wasn’t around, so she felt sneaky as she approached the gift, but she relaxed upon discovering a note.
It’s not a designer gown, but it will look priceless on you.
She smiled as she tore away the bow, thrilled to wear a dress he chose instead of something Drexel picked, because no one knew what she liked better than Quin. Tossing aside the lid with one hand, she freed the frock with the other. Then she found the shoulders and held it up.
The long, blouson sleeves arched into a deep V-neck, and the waist was tied with a sash before flowing into a wrap, maxi skirt with a slit up one thigh. Most of the silk was dyed with pale shades of blue and green that bled together like the sea, but a soft charcoal wave curved down the material into a spectrum of silver hues that disappeared beneath the fold of the wrap.
She absently slipped out of her robe while figuring out how to don the gown. Then she magicked it on and turned toward the floor mirror. The gray wave followed the unique cut of the gown, accentuating her curves, and for some reason, it looked familiar, as if she’d seen it countless times. Then she figured out why.
“Oh my god.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and pointed at the mirror. Then tears stung her eyes as she rotated, trying to see the dress from every angle. “Oh my god,” she squeaked, and she kept saying it as she turned toward Quin’s approaching footsteps.
He halted at the top of the stairs, dressed in gray pants and a matching shirt topped with a black, leather cuirass. Scanning her from head to toe, he smiled and sighed. “It’s a perfect fit.”
“Everything about it is perfect.”
She returned her gaze to the mirror, connected to her birth mom like never before, because the design on the dress was taken from one of Rhosewen’s creations. The original artwork hung next to the vanity in Layla’s remodeled master bath. Surrounded by a silver frame with a bluish tint, it was a graphite drawing of a nude silhouette over a watercolor background, which reminded Layla of the ocean every time she glanced at it. Now she was wearing it, and the charcoal line that shaped the left side of the woman’s silhouette now travelled over her shoulder, down her breast, and around her hip.
She flashed a cheesy grin while running her palms down the soft fabric. Then she found Quin in the mirror. “I thought you didn’t plan ahead for today?”
“I didn’t.” He crossed the room and took her hand, leading her to the sofa while summoning a pair of strappy, gray stilettos with chrome heels that reflected every color in her gown. “I put in the order with Morrigan and Daleen the day before we left. They sent it last week.” He sat on the coffee table and took her feet, slipping them into the new shoes. “I’ve just been waiting for a good opportunity to give it to you.”
“What about the heels?”
He ran his hands up her thighs while leaning forward for a kiss. “Bri picked them out for me. Hungry?”
“I will be by the time we get there. Wait… where are we going?”
He grinned and gave her another kiss. “You’ll see.”
She giggled at his game while letting him pull her to her feet. Then he put her in a cloak woven with filaments of silver before donning one woven with gold.
When they walked outside, they found a long table set up by the spring and topped with food and drinks, and their family sat nearby, visiting as they ate. A few of them had books piled by their chairs or spread out on their laps, but they were more absorbed in having a good time than they were in the literature. Even Timber, who they usually only saw during training sessions, had emerged from his cottage to imbibe in the spirits and join the conversations.
Layla offered him a friendly smile and a wave, unwilling to scare him away. Then she moved to Brietta and Aradia, who sat side-by-side, leaning over books.
“What’s all this?” Layla asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Brietta insisted. “It’s your day off, and you look too spectacular to stick your nose in a book.”
Layla laughed as she ruffled her cousin’s satiny, blond hair. “Good choice on the shoes.”
“I know. That’s why I won’t let you wear them to just sit around and read.”
Layla grinned while leaning over Brietta’s shoulder. “Then tell me what you’re doing, and I’ll go away.”
“Brat,” Brietta teased, but she yielded and explained the study session. “This is all the literature mentioning the stolen gems that the Crusaders could find in the bookstores, plus a few from our inventory. But we haven’t found anything remotely useful, so don’t let it interrupt your date. Go play in that dress, because it’s fabulous.”
Knowing that people she trusted continued to work on solving the world’s problems made Layla feel better about taking time off, so she kissed Brietta’s cheek and heeded her suggestion.
Drexel and Bryce stood near the cliff’s edge with six other Crusaders, all of them dressed in nice clothes instead of blue cloaks, and they’d already called for transportation. When the chauffeurs arrived with four hazy chariots, Drexel paid them for the rest of the night. Then he and Bryce climbed into the biggest cloud and directed Layla and Quin to sit across from them.
“Conceal yourselves,” Drexel instructed. “We’ll try to get you there without drawing a crowd. We’re leaving most of our security behind, so let’s avoid trouble.”
Quin and Layla traded reassuring smiles while taking each other’s hands. Then they disappeared, staying invisible for a laidback ride through the evening sky. They soared under a flock of giant birds and around a troop of monkeys lounging in a massive tree. Then they dipped over the city’s biggest waterfall and followed the river toward the lagoon.
The weightless clouds slowed as other travelers came into view, and Drexel told the chauffeur to make sure they had allies ahead and behind them before yielding into the flow of air traffic.
Without Layla’s lights and blue-swathed security broadcasting her presence, other passengers paid them no attention, and she was free to gawk at them the way they usually gawked at her. All the floating clouds seemed to be heading for the same place, and they were filled with elite Maganthians in upscale clothing. Some of them travelled in groups of six or more, drinking and eating hors d'oeuvres as multiple chauffeurs manned the spells keeping them in the air, but most travelled in pairs.
The jungle terrain thickened, forcing the chauffeurs to form a single file line, which eventually came to a halt. Layla twisted in her airy seat and peered ahead, finding passengers disembarking into a small clearing lit up by magical lanterns floating under tree branches. Every group was greeted by a magician in a white uniform before following a cobblestone path toward a gap in the timber, and as the line moved forward, Layla realized the trail led to a long dock, which ended at a restaurant floating atop the lagoon.
When two of the disguised Crusaders reached the front of the line, they left their cloud. Then one quietly spoke to the uniformed greeter as the other scanned his surroundings. Whatever was said widened the host’s eyes and brightened his aura, and he motioned for everyone to wait while waving toward an employee further down the path.
Layla had no idea what transpired beyond that in the chain of command, but the host eventually approached the lead chauffeur and instructed her to fly to a different section of illuminated woods. She and the three operators behind her did as they were told, and the two Crusader’s on the ground stayed put, taking up security posts while nodding at their passing commander.
Layla succumbed to a pout as she watched the restaurant disappear behind tree trunks. Then she lost sight of the clearing as the floating convoy curved around a low-hanging vine as thick as Layla’s waist.
Looking ahead once more, she found a much smaller clearing, but what it lacked in size, it made up for with climbing flowers and a romantic glow of fireflies and pink-tinted lanterns.
Two uniformed employees stood near the tree line, one with a bottle of champagne and two glasses, and the other waited for all of the clouds to halt before casting a veil behind them. “It’s safe now, my lady,” he announced, scanning the seemingly empty seats across from Drexel. “You may show yourself.”
Quin appeared, so Layla followed his lead and dropped her concealment spells. Both employees beamed. Then the empty-handed one motioned toward the ground, lining Layla’s path with flower petals that matched her gown.
“Wow,” she whispered, holding Quin’s hand as she stepped from the floating chariot. “The service here is impeccable.”
The man who’d made the floral path summoned a bloom similar to a rose, but it was bigger than a peony, and the tips of its pure-white petals looked like they’d been dipped in silver glitter. “We’d offer nothing less to such an esteemed guest.” He handed her the flower then motioned for everyone to follow him. “This isn’t the first private dinner we’ve hosted, but given the special circumstances, we’ve gone above and beyond to ensure you can eat your dinner in peace.”
He halted long enough for his coworker to pass Layla and Quin a glass of champagne. Then he glanced over her lights before continuing into the jungle. “We hope you’ll find the provisions acceptable. I think we underestimated your glow. Rumors do not do your aura justice.”
“I can hide it,” she offered.
“Oh, heavens no,” he objected. “Don’t do that. How will you enjoy fine food and good company with all that emotion bottled up inside? If we have not done enough, we will do more.”
Quin’s lips twitched with a grin, and Layla resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she sipped her smooth bubbly and gazed around, finding nothing but trees, vines, fireflies and flowers. She hadn’t seen the lagoon since catching a glimpse through the first clearing, but the humidity combined with the abundant greenery and the faint smell of salt assured her the water was close.
The petal-strewn path eventually opened up to a narrow beach dotted with stepping- stones, which led to a boat docked in an inlet flowing with foggy, blue water. When the boat rocked, bioluminescent algae reacted, lighting up and rippling away from the disturbance.
Two of the Crusaders had stayed with their transportation, and another took up an alert position on the bank of the inlet, so only three boarded the boat with Quin and Layla.
Though the hazy, green and blue surroundings gave the impression of a magical marsh filled with fairies and gnomes and perhaps a frog that would turn into a prince with a kiss, the watercraft exuded man-made luxury with padded velvet seats and polished trim. There was even room for a violinist, who stood near the guide and the captain, serenading the passengers with soft strokes of his bow.
After taking a few curves, the boat halted long enough for another Crusader to disembark at his security post. Then they continued to what looked like a houseboat floating near the mouth of the inlet.
Layla still couldn’t see the restaurant, but the lagoon was visible once more, and the aura of the night sky reflected off the surface of the blue water like a far-off galaxy, the animal life above and below darting around like colorful, shooting stars.
The small boat docked next to the bigger one, and the guide climbed out, followed by Quin, who helped Layla onto the floating platform, which wasn’t a houseboat at all. There was no roof, just three walls that formed a partial hexagon and crawled with flowering vines, and most of the floor was comprised of clear crystal lined with lights that illuminated the sea creatures underfoot.
Aside from a captain’s chair and a stool for the violinist, the only furniture was a candlelit table set for two, and the guide busied himself with pulling out their seats as Quin spoke to Drexel. “I assume you won’t be far.”
The commander shook his head while stretching out in the seat across from Bryce. “We’ll have eyes on your boat at all times. I have soldiers overseeing your food prep and delivery, and your captain has been instructed to keep the wall between you and the public. The most they’ll see is the glow of her aura. If we sense trouble, I’ll mind search you.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re here to serve and protect. Enjoy your meal.”
Once Quin and Layla were seated in padded chairs, the floating dining room smoothly coasted into the lagoon, and a flock of swan-like birds followed, watching Layla with striking, blue eyes as they flicked their black and silver feathers through glowing water.
The view expanded, exposing a long beach sprinkled with more bioluminescent algae, and Layla smiled while pointing out the beautiful phenomenon. “I’d never seen that in person until we entered the city.”
Quin pulled her knuckles to his lips, his gaze on her instead of the shoreline. “Then I’m glad I brought you here.”
“Me, too. It’s like a magical, fairytale land.”
Their guide had become their waiter, refilling their champagne while summoning an appetizer, but after taking their order, he moved out of sight and left them alone.
Layla leaned into Quin as she sighed at the peaceful atmosphere, and he scooted his chair closer so he could wrap an arm around her shoulders.
“This is so perfect,” she whispered. “It’s easy to forget the whole world isn’t this way.”
He kissed her head while feeding her a bite. “That’s the point.”
She smiled up at him as she chewed. “Thank you. For the dress and pendant and dinner. All of it. This is definitely the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had.”
“Me, too. We’ll top it next year.”
She resisted the temptation to climb onto his lap, laying her ear over his heart instead. “I look forward to trying.”
Their entrées were served the moment they pushed away the appetizer, but they didn’t rush through them, and their boat continued its slow journey around the lagoon.
When Layla swallowed her final bite, a faint hum reached her eardrums, and she squinted at the hazy horizon, trying to discern sea from sky. “Are we near the edge of the dome?”
“Yes,” Quin answered. “About half a mile away. Maybe less. That’s what you’re looking at. It’s tough to see the barrier at night.”
“I hear it again. That humming sound.”
“The same one you hear outside the Arena?”
“Yes. Can you hear it?”
He stopped chewing and held still, but she could tell by his expression that he wasn’t discerning the mysterious hum. Then the violinist resumed his set and drowned out the background noise.
“It has to be the airflow bouncing off the dome,” Quin concluded.
Layla wasn’t so sure. “Then why am I the only one who hears it?”
“Your senses are more heightened than ours.”
“As long as this city has existed, one would think there’d be a known explanation. If I can hear it, the gods and goddesses must have heard it.”
“The ascension of the hierarchy didn’t last very long after the city was submerged. Willa’s kids are among the youngest deities to earn the titles. Pure blood magicians were rare by the time they died.”
“Still, scholars must have studied the airflow and its affects. There’s no way this city has survived all this time without magicians learning how life continues to thrive within it. There has to be an explanation for that hum, because I know I’m not imagining it.”
“I believe you, love. Maybe we can schedule a trip to the border, see if it gets loud enough for me to hear it.”
“Could we? I know in the big scheme of things, it seems unimportant, but not knowing frustrates me.”
He laughed at her disgruntled expression while emptying a champagne bottle into her glass. “Then we’ll make time to investigate.”
She grinned and downed her bubbly, which was followed by dessert, but she was full, so they wrapped up the chocolate cake to go.
“We’re on our way back,” Quin noted, rising from his chair. Then he offered her a hand. “Will you dance with me?”
Heat spread through her chest as her palm found his, and her tummy fluttered as he twirled her into a close embrace, already swaying to a slow and sweet song. His cuirass prevented her from cuddling his heart like she wanted to, but if she laid her ear to it, she could hear his pulse, and she had no problem staring into his warm eyes.
He dipped her into a soft kiss as the final note drifted away, and the platform came to a gentle stop near the inlet, where Drexel and Bryce waited with the smaller boat.
They left the lagoon the way they entered, eventually climbing back into the floating chariots, but this time, Layla stayed visible, unconcerned about drawing attention now that they were leaving.
The veil hiding her transportation disintegrated, allowing the chauffeurs to drift from the clearing, and they immediately drew the stares of the magicians leaving the restaurant. Layla smiled and waved as she passed. Then she curled into her hero’s side for the rest of the ride.
When they reached the cottage, he carried her to bed, and he kept her there until they got up to gorge on chocolate cake, which they ate while sitting naked on the edge of the bedroom floor with their feet dangling in the grotto. She giggled at the crumbs falling on her breasts, and he laughed with her while licking away her mess.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he offered, giving her a bite of his frosting.
She repaid him with a bite of cake. “The happiest.” But even in a magical city, all good things eventually came to an end. “I guess it’s back to work tomorrow.”
He gave a solemn nod, his introspective gaze on the water as he wiped his mouth. Then he laid a hand on her thigh and found her eyes. “I’ll be there with you every step of the way.”
Tears swelled and blurred her gorgeous view, so she blinked them away while swallowing a painful lump. “I know you will.”