There are all kinds of ways to wake up in the morning, but my favorite is a slow return to consciousness, drifting from asleep to awake gradually, and thankfully, this morning is one of those days.

Unfortunately, the silk sheets and how soft this bed is absolutely confirm that I’m in the suite at the Atlantis Grande, not in my own bedroom. I’d say it’s annoying, but this bed is a thousand times better than the one I have at home; the hotel just isn’t where I wanted to sleep last night.

Rosaria was insistent, and Galina just gave me this look, and I caved, mainly to save time. I wasn’t going to win that conversation, and it wasn’t worth the argument.

That’s the problem: a lot of the time, refusing to do what Rosaria suggests leaves me acting like a child or being petulant. Neither is how I want her to see me.

I’m constantly on the back foot with her, and I want to be an equal. Maybe if I show her how hard I work during the internship, she’ll realize that I’m more than what she sees.

The assistants, secretaries, and receptionists all shared a few secret smiles with me whenever Galina’s back was turned last night. The condolence card they slipped me when I was on my own was a little over the top, but it at least made me feel better.

A gentle knock on the door has me poking my head out of the blankets, just as Galina walks through carrying coffee. “Good morning, Deliah.”

“Hello, Galina, how are you?” I’ve had ruder awakenings than Galina walking in, looking perfect as always. This is downright pleasant.

“Good, I have your coffee, and a light breakfast will be arriving in twenty minutes.”

Breakfast, huh? Despite my date plans? Isn’t that interesting?

“Were there problems with Meredia or something this morning?” That was the excuse Rosaria used to get me to come back here after all.

“No, there wasn’t.” And Rosaria isn’t here to wake me, and there’s a hint of a smile in Galina’s tone.

I roll my eyes at her. “You’re mortal, you really don’t need to do this whole, exacting speech thing. So, where is Rosaria, and what is she dealing with?”

Galina waits until she presses the coffee cup into my hands to answer. “An unknown magic user approached your residence last night. She was intercepted and detained. Rosaria is speaking with her.”

“You’re monitoring my house?”

She catches my eyes long enough for me to see them roll. “Obviously, RSI purchased the houses on either side of yours shortly after your debut.”

What the actual fuck?!

How did I not know that?

I thought the Robinsons’ and Bakers’ moves were sudden, but it never occurred to me that someone connected to the magical world was responsible for it.

How could I be that stupid!

“Are they here?” I’m wearing a fairly short nightgown, but I slip out of the sheets and start looking for a robe. “Whoever it is might be a potential client with an urgent matter.” And I hope that isn’t actually the case, because a glance at the time tells me I’ve been asleep for seven hours, and that much time could be the difference between life and death.

Galina’s eyes focus on my legs before she looks me in the eye again and winks. I ignore the heat rushing into my face; I don’t have time for that right now. “Matters are quite well in hand, Deliah. Enjoy your coffee, you have prior commitments today.”

Ah ha! There’s the robe.

“If it’s urgent, Rosaria will need to understand. People will always come first.” If Rosaria has any hope of trying to sway me to her side, she needs to do it on my terms, and that’s something she’ll just need to accept. “Are they in the lounge?”

Whatever I expected, it wasn’t for Galina to pluck the mug from my fingers and shove me back onto the bed. “Sit.” She’s way stronger than I thought she was.

“What the hell!”

“You are going to sit there and drink your coffee, when your breakfast arrives, you’re going to eat it, and then you’re going to get ready for your date. Suitable clothes are already sitting in the bathroom for you. That’s all you’re going to worry about.”

Okay, enough’s enough. I like Galina, but this is well beyond what I’m willing to put up with from her. I reach for my magic, and it’s like grasping smoke, and the Aegis around my wrist hums.

Fuck.

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at Galina, so much for not being petulant. “If it’s a client, I want to see her.”

The coffee is pressed back into my hands, and Galina shakes her head at me. “That’s for Rosaria to decide; you have no one to blame but yourself, Deliah. You agreed to twelve hours. If you don’t like it, don’t make more bargains.”

I don’t intend to.

“You can leave, Galina. I’d like a few minutes alone.” Before the rising urge to slap her takes over. I’m not going to, because I absolutely wouldn’t put it past her to retaliate, and judging from that shove just now, Galina’s a lot stronger than she looks, and stronger than me right now when I don’t have access to my magic.

Once I’m alone, I test the coffee, and as usual, it comes back clean. Both Rosaria and Galina know how I test the coffee. I’ve been debating changing my method—maybe an emblem or something on my fingers that isn’t obvious—so I don’t need to trace the rim.

It’s worth thinking about.

I kind of want to catch them in the act of trying to drug me; I could use the upper hand I would likely gain from the resulting conversation. At this point, something needs to go my way.

As usual, Galina’s coffee is delicious, and it is waking me up more than my simmering anger is. I can’t believe Rosaria turned off my magic again, actually. When did she do that? I know it was working when I went to sleep, and I definitely locked the door, come to think about it.

Not that the mechanical lock or the chain would stop me, so fair enough, but Rosaria must have turned off my magic to prevent me from interrupting her with whoever was lurking near my house.

I’m just finishing the coffee when there’s a knock on the bedroom door. “Food is here, Deliah.”

It’s tempting to sit here and not eat, but that could play out two ways: Galina drags me to the dining room, or Rosaria teleports me there, and I’m not looking forward to either.

“Be right there.”

Once the robe is tightly tied shut, I walk out of the bedroom and to the dining room. To my surprise, Rosaria is sitting there sipping coffee, and there’s a dining tray off to her left, and she gestures for me to sit in the seat on her left. Rosaria already has a right hand in Galina, but there’s no way that this placement isn’t intentional.

Has she been here the entire time!?

“Hello, my Deliah. How was your sleep?”

It’s so tempting to lie to her, but she’ll know and look disappointed, and I’ll feel bad, which is exactly what Rosaria wants me to do. “Wonderful, the bed is much nicer than the one I have at home. So—”

Rosaria raises her right hand. “Galina already updated me. I’m happy to brief you. After you eat.”

Of course she did. “Why is that anyway? I thought we were getting breakfast somewhere?”

The cover of the tray floats away to reveal a cheese omelet, and a cup of coffee appears next to me a moment later.

“We’ll have a few minor delays before setting out, and I didn’t wish for you to be hungry.”

I need answers, and Rosaria might actually give them to me. “Okay, but—” 

“Darling—” The thrum, so familiar now, but it feels stronger somehow. I’m really glad that I’m sitting at the moment, because my legs feel like I’ve never used them before. “Business can wait; eat your food first.” Eating would be a lot easier if I weren’t vibrating, and Rosaria knows that, but she can’t help herself. Allegedly, anyway, I’m pretty sure she gets a lot of satisfaction out of watching me squirm.

I let her get away with a lot, and I need to be better about it, but it’s hard. Especially since, despite my best efforts, I am genuinely attracted to her.

“Rosaria.” I snap. “Enough, we have an agreement, and I’m happy to spend the time I agreed to with you, but enough is quite enough. Was the woman a client, and did you turn off my magic because of her? I have a responsibility-”

If my tone was arch, Rosaria’s is cutting. “Deliah, your responsibility is to me until discharged. You know this.”

“That’s.” True. “Hardly the same thing, whoever that practitioner is. If she genuinely needs my help, any delay could be life-threatening, for her or the people she cares about. My responsibility to you is a date; those hours could easily be moved to another day and time.”

“They cannot.”

Fuck.

Well, so much for that. I was hoping Rosaria would be amenable to changing the time of our date, but apparently, she’s not interested.

“Why the hell not?!

“Young Daphne is in good hands, and I do not wish to reschedule our day. Now, my darling.” Rosaria purposefully emphasizes ‘darling,’ and suddenly I can’t breathe, and my nails are digging into the table. “Eat your food, and once you’re done, we can discuss business.” She raises her hand. “Briefly, business should not sully our date.”

One deep breath, and then another dozen, and my heart stops fluttering, and settles into a steady rhythm. I really need to call Annabeth and arrange a date. A couple of hours with a hard surface involved is exactly what I’m going to need after today.

My hands aren’t trembling anymore, so I pick up the fork and bite into the omelet, it’s delicious, of course it is.

“Thank you.” 

The smile Rosaria gives me has my heart fluttering for an entirely different reason than it was a minute ago. “You’re quite welcome, would you like another coffee?”

My answer will always be yes. “Please. Are you not eating?” Sure, three coffees in such a short period is probably a bad idea, but it won’t hurt me.

“I broke my fast several hours ago, as you are doing now.” A coffee appears beside me. “Enough to tie you over before we begin our day.”

Another quick check—no problems, and it’s perfect. Galina and Rosaria should open a coffee chain; they’d put everyone else out of business. What could they call it through? Hmm, I’ll need to workshop it. “When are we leaving?”

“Two hours from whenever you’re done with your coffee, that leaves us with plenty of time for you to be readied.” It’s almost eight, fourteen hours then, it will almost be eleven by the time I get home. Assuming Rosaria doesn’t have other plans, I wouldn’t put it past her to try to keep me here again or elsewhere tonight.

I hate that I’m tempted, especially since Rosaria hasn’t even made an offer yet. I really need to get over this crush, but there’s a thrill to being wanted, to mattering so much to another person.

It’s stupid, and I want it so badly.

Okay, breakfast is gone, and I’m cradling the coffee between my palms. “Two hours is plenty, so tell me about Daphne.”

Rosaria deliberately looks over my plate before she gives me a shallow nod. “Very well.” An illusion fades into view; she’s twenty, maybe, cute, and dressed a little like a cat burglar without the mask. “Daphne Meadows, twenty-one. Looking to hire you for a non-urgent matter.”

Non-urgent, and yet she came to my house in the middle of the night. Something doesn’t add up, but Rosaria won’t outright lie to me; I’m not sure she can.

“And she was at my house and not my office, why?” I can think of a few reasons. The problem with an illusion is that I can’t sense Daphne’s magic or lack thereof.

Annoying.

The cup of coffee in my hands floats towards my mouth. “Drink, love. She hasn’t been able to catch you there, and didn’t want to leave a note.”

See, this is exactly what I was afraid of, that Rosaria would occupy too much of my time, and sure enough, it exactly what happened. The real question is how many other people are in the same situation.

I take a sip of the coffee before I raise my wrist towards Rosaria. “If you would.” At the very least, having access to my magic would make me feel better. 

There’s an intense amount of satisfaction in Rosaria’s tone when she says. “No, I don’t believe I shall. Unlocking your powers increases the likelihood that you would attempt to leave. Daphne has been given minor aid to tide her over until tomorrow. She has agreed to meet you at Coffee and Crepes at two.”

The worst part of all of this is that Rosaria is right. If I had my magic right now, I’d probably use my shimmer to leave. I don’t like leaving things unattended, but no matter what Rosaria just said, there must be some urgency, or Daphne wouldn’t have risked coming to my house.

Every instinct I have is demanding that I fight back, or yell, or do any number of things that won’t get me anywhere, anywhere good at least. Rosaria has all the power here, and I just need to live with that, for now anyway. 

Especially since using my shimmer would simply deplete the charges and nothing more, Rosaria would just teleport me back here.

Instead, I smile at her. “Thank you for arranging that meeting.” Since Daphne agreed, I’ll try not to obsess about why she needs my help. Rosaria will know if I’m not enjoying myself, and I don’t need her to consider today to be a forfeit and demand a redo.

There’s no magic reinforcing our deal for today, but it’s still an agreement between two magical beings, and there’s a weight to it. Besides, Rosaria also isn’t opposed to putting her hand on the scale, and I don’t need to give her an excuse.

“Your cute little endeavors are important to you; I’m always happy to aid you with them.” Rosaria gives me a wicked grin. “You merely need to ask.”

I try not to get angry at Rosaria’s dismissal of my work, but to her, I’m a child flailing in the dark; it just hurts a little. Which leads to the other problem: anything and everything I could ever want is available; I just need to ask.

But I can’t.

No matter how tempting, no matter what she offers. 

I just can’t

“Time is getting away from us. I should get ready.” The sooner I’m ready, the sooner we begin, and, with any luck, the sooner today is over.

“Yes, it is. First, however.” Rosaria gestures for me to come over. “We have one last order of business.”

I’m halfway out of my chair before my brain catches up with the rest of my body and I start cursing. Rosaria barely gestures, and I’m leaping to obey, for fuck sakes! I’m hopeless.

Rosaria’s arms wrap around me the minute that I’m in range, and she tugs me into her lap. “Isn’t this better, my darling?” I half expected it, but all the air is still forced from my lungs as darling washes over me. “Deliah Drake, the detective, defender of so many, and oh so defiant.” There’s a bit of amusement in her voice before she says. “But to me and me alone, my darling.” 

I’m smiling as Rosaria starts describing me; each word is powerful —my name, my roles, all parts of my core identity. Each one hums a little, as it resonates with how I see myself, but the satisfaction ends when she says ‘darling’ a second time, and I go limp in her arms. A low-pitched whine comes from somewhere, and it takes a second to realize it’s coming from me. “You are mine, Deliah, everyone knows it, and someday, hopefully very soon, you will too.”

Annabeth made it clear that the entire magical world sees me as Rosaria’s human pet and nothing more; that’s, well, frustrating, barely scratches the surface. 

I’m so much more than that, my dreams, my ambitions, my life—a Captain to my team, a leader to not only them but my other classmates. I help people because I can, and because no one else will.

A light in the dark. Like a star.

Today is a commitment, one that will hopefully pay off in the future. I genuinely don’t have time to manage Leon’s former affairs, and from what Annabeth said, the greater magical community has calmed down considerably since my agreement.

The last thing I need is bounty hunters or who knows what knocking on my door to restore balance or whatever.

“Rosaria, I just want to have a nice day with you. Can you do that? No games, no control, can we please just be two women out together?” If we can do something as simple as that, with everything between us, and that’s just factoring in my internship.

There’s a sparkle in her eyes before Rosaria says. “If that’s what you want, Deliah, then certainly. You merely had to ask.”

“Wonderful.” And I smile, genuinely, in her arms. It really is nice. “I should get ready, Venice is hardly going to wait for us.” Well, at least daylight won’t, and our morning here is trickling away with every minute.

“We’ll be chasing starlight at various parts of the day, but that’s quite fine with me, I’m quite fond of that particular chase.” Rosaria’s staring right in my eyes as she says it.

We’re all just stardust, but every night, for at least a little while, the stars sing for me, and I sing for them during the day, a mote of their light, burning bright.

And I’m going to shine so bright.

***

Rosaria gave me two hours to get ready, and I made the most of that time. I look better than I did at Homecoming. Some of that is pride; I want Rosaria to see me as my own person, and absolutely as a woman. 

Today is about discharging my debt, but it’s also to prove to her that I’m more valuable on my own than under her banner. I don’t mind working with Rosaria towards mutual goals, because a particular blade cuts both ways.

People don’t want to work with the Crimson Dawn, mostly independents, but there are plenty of factions who want nothing to do with Rosaria; Attie specifically comes to mind. Her complete absence from my life since the ball has only made that clear.

Rosaria and I could help one another, without me needing to bow my head more than I already have—a cordial relationship, one of equals. Sure, I’m not on Rosaria’s level, but from what I saw on that rooftop, few people are.

On my own, Leon could have overwhelmed me; everyone else just made things an order of magnitude worse. I wasn’t helpless, but my reserves would only have lasted for so long, and talent only trumps experience to a certain degree.

The crown braid took a little bit of work, but it looks incredible. The fact that there are jeweled pins, brimming with starlight, dotted around the braid is just a bonus. 

I have my sun, and some stars were appropriate; I’m hoping that they come in handy later. A moon might be in my future; I’m still figuring out some of the design work. The comet, or whatever the Aegis did, completely destabilized the battlefield the other night. Using a moon theme to reflect or shield myself might be exactly what I need to round out my arsenal.

That’s for another day, and I’m putting it off until I visit Leon’s estate. There might be something there that will be useful to me.

Okay, time to go.

Galina vanished hours ago, and I expected Rosario to be waiting for me in the lounge, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Maybe she’s outside? I’m just passing the front door when there’s a knock.

The penthouse is shielded, better than my house, for that matter, so it’s safe enough to swing the door wide open, only instead of a stranger, Rosaria is standing there, and every bit of my breath rushes from my lungs. She’s always dressed nicely when I’ve seen her, but right now, the dress she’s wearing is stunning. Liquid gold is the first thing that comes to mind, and thankfully, it looks great with my royal purple dress.

“Hello, Deliah, ready for our date?”

Oh my gosh, she’s emulating coming to pick me up, okay, that’s actually pretty amazing, and the absolute last thing I expected.

“Absolutely.”

Rosaria reaches out and takes my left hand in hers before raising our joined hands to her lips, and the entire world vibrates. When the tremors stop, we’re somewhere else.

“We have a reservation in fifteen minutes, but it’s a nice walk from here to there, mostly along the canal.”

As far as unexpected teleportations go, that one was almost pleasant. It’s a shame that it isn’t a bit warmer, but I’m far from cold at the moment. The sights are beyond what I expected; wherever we appeared, I could see the La Fenice Opera House in the distance.

“I’ve wanted to be here for years; it’s as lovely as I had hoped.” I’ve seen pictures, but much like our trip to Greece, being here in person is so much better.

“There will be time to enjoy it; the restaurant has a lovely view.” Rosaria’s right arm slides into mine, and then she’s guiding me out of the alcove she teleported us into and into the city. We’re walking past a group of tourists, who seem oddly oblivious to the two women among them, which has me glancing up at Rosaria. “Yes, we’re spelled, they’re aware of us, but can’t see us. It’s better than invisibility because they won’t accidentally walk into us.”

Small favors, I’m not eager to take a dip in the canals, but when did Rosaria do that? I didn’t feel her cast a spell, and if she managed one without me noticing, what else has she done?

“Is it keyed in a certain way, or are you going to remove it when we arrive at the restaurant?” I can’t see how we would be able to order otherwise, and questions are the best way to get my answers.

“It will fade once we cross any major threshold. The alcove we teleported into applied the spell. Most major cities have them. Remind me to get you a map, love.”

Designated teleportation zones in major cities? Yes, I’d absolutely love a map. Not that I know how to teleport yet, but I’ll figure it out eventually. The information will be useful in the meantime, though.

“Sure, that would be nice. Thanks.”

Rosaria looks a little amused. “Thirteen months so far, Deliah, and for all the things you’ve discovered, there’s a world full of mysteries and secrets. This is merely the tip of the iceberg.”

“Is there an offer in there somewhere that I missed, or are you just making a point?” Frankly, it could be either. It doesn’t really matter all that much, though. We’re here to have a nice time, and while it would be more enjoyable in the high sixties, I’ll take what I can get.

“Of course not, merely an acknowledgment of how far you’ve come in such a short period. No offers, no bargains, not even a deal or whispered promise, not today.”

That almost sounds like a normal date, which isn’t at all what I expected, and while I’ll have to keep on my guard, that sounds amazing. “Then, thank you. I know I’m still learning, but I’ve worked hard for my skills.” For my knowledge and equipment, no matter what Rosaria’s motivations are, she’s still a skilled magic user, and her praise carries a lot of weight.

“In my time, Deliah, someone with your drive and power would have been worshipped. I wonder what role would suit someone like you, a protector, certainly.” She grins at me. “A virgin Goddess, perhaps. All the lesbians flocked to that role–virgin or otherwise. I do suppose even now there’s a pantheon or two with an opening if you’re interested?”

She’s baiting me, that absolute witch. There are half a dozen questions I could ask right now, but I won’t. No matter what else today is, it’s a date, and I want to keep it that way.

Questions can wait for another day, like exactly what Pantheon Rosaria was a part of, or may still be a member of.

“I’d make a poor Goddess, I think.” I can barely manage my own life, I don’t want to be more responsible for other people anymore than I already am. 

Happier thoughts: how pretty it is here. A gondola drifts past, a couple on board, pointing at the sights. The two women look so happy. They’re holding each other tenderly, and even from here I can see the gleam of an engagement ring.

There aren’t a lot of wishes I would consider making, no matter how tempting, but some things, some thoughts, I reserve solely for myself.

There’s a tug on my arm suddenly, and that’s when I realize that I’ve both stopped, and that Rosaria’s looking at me very carefully. “Deliah?”

“Sorry.” I shake my head slightly to shake off the longing. “Distracted.” Rosaria looks at me a little sharply, and I nod, yeah, I didn’t think she would actually let me leave things at that. “It’s nothing bad, and nothing you don’t already know. It will keep until we’re at the restaurant.”

“Very well, Deliah.” Rosaria tugs me closer, until I’m firmly pressed against her side as we continue our walk, and after a few minutes, she stops outside a pretty, nondescript door, which almost fades into the brickwork. “Through here.” She pauses long enough for her words to register before stepping through the door, tugging me with her.

White, fluffy clouds fill my eyes before we pass through them, and they’re quickly replaced by shimmering gold, and after a moment, a blonde woman reveals herself. She’s wearing some kind of uniform that reminds me a bit of a toga.

“Good afternoon, Lady Rosaria, Lady Drake.” Lady Drake? That’s a new one. “Your table is prepared, if you would please follow me.” 

The air of the restaurant is a low thrum, which, given the entrance, means this place is either concealed by magic or some kind of demiplane made from magic. It’s almost relaxing, and that’s a surprise; I would have expected it to feel oppressive. 

We’re led down a hallway and then up a spiraling staircase until we walk out onto a balcony, and I gasp. When Rosaria said there was a view of the opera house, I thought it was nearby, not filling my entire view.

“Drinks will arrive momentarily. Please ring the bell when you’re ready for your first course or should you require anything else.”

Bell? I was so distracted by the view that I completely missed the small crystal bell sitting in the middle of the table, between the place settings, utensils, and mugs. 

“Thank you, Demetra. We’ll let you know.”

The hostess absolutely doesn’t have a nametag, which leaves a few options, but the easiest of which is that Rosaria’s been here before. 

I’m here as an equal, not a plus-one or sidepiece, and I need to keep that in mind. I defer to Rosaria too much as is. “Yes, thank you.” Nailed it.

There aren’t individual seats at the table, just a rounded bench, and Rosaria nudges me gently onto it once we’re alone. She’s barely sat down before a steaming carafe appears between us, followed by cream and sugar.

Well, we’re off to a nice start at least. What’s more, coffee in the face of a long day?

“This is lovely, Rosaria, thank you.” The view, the atmosphere, everything. It’s wonderful.

“The Oasis is one of my favorite destinations. I’m quite pleased to have you with me, my Da—Deliah.” Her pivot from the forbidden word is welcome. I’m here to enjoy the view, not lose minutes.

Okay, if Rosaria is going to act like this, like she did during the start of the Gravesend Ball, today might actually be incredible, but that also means that I need to reciprocate, and more importantly, be on my guard.

“You wanted to know where my head was. It’s stupid.” I shake my head. “I saw a couple on the canal, and I could tell that they were recently engaged; they looked so happy, Rosaria, but all I could think about was myself, about being the outsider, and how alone I feel all the time.”

Rosaria shifts in her seat. “That was uncalled for on my part.” 

“Yes, but accurate, and you’re pretty reactive to the truth.” And it to her, like when she encouraged me to dance with Annabeth at the ball. I didn’t know that I wanted to dance with her, but somehow, Rosaria did. I pick up the carafe and gesture it to Rosaria’s cup, and when she nods, I fill first hers and then my own coffee. Once they’re both fixed to our satisfaction, I continue. “I can’t date my peers at school, I can’t date anyone in the greater magical community, my best hope is to meet someone at college, but that’s almost a year from now.”

Annabeth is great, but actually being in a relationship with her would be a lot different from using each other for stress relief. Even if I dismiss Rosaria’s pursuit of me, there’s the issue of Morrigan, who would absolutely be a problem. The girls at school are even worse options; it’s not like I can tell them why I’m always busy.

After checking the coffee for contaminants, and once it comes back clean, I take a sip, hazelnut, I think, not bad. 

“The list of suitors interested in you has grown of late.”

“Has it now?” Not that I knew there was a list, but that’s an interesting thing for Rosaria to say.

“The community rightfully acknowledges you as mine, Deliah. That, however, doesn’t mean that interested parties haven’t made themselves known to me. For favors, for alliance, and a myriad of other reasons.”

“Leon’s estate falling to me wasn’t a complication I was prepared for.” Not that I knew it was even a possibility, that bit of knowledge wasn’t made available to me in any of the books I’ve had access to. That, as much as anything, put me firmly under Rosaria’s dominion as far as most people are concerned, and they don’t seem interested in the truth of the matter.

Rosaria takes a sip of her coffee. “That’s part of it, certainly. Leon always wanted to take my role or break off and lead his own faction, though that hasn’t happened in over two thousand years. I’ve been monitoring you since it became clear that you were a practitioner. Almost two years now, and as you mortals say, I called dibs.”

“Well, it’s nice to be in demand, I suppose.” The real question is what tipped Rosaria off so long ago; I didn’t even know I had magic two years ago. 

“Isn’t it just? “Her tone is wry. “Ready for our first course?”

It’s easy to answer truthfully. “If the coffee and the decor are signs of what’s to come. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Wonderful.” Rosaria reaches out and rings the bell once. An instant later, serving trays start to appear. Okay, let’s see what we’re working with. Everything looks like pastries, but the only thing I recognize is cannoli, assuming that’s even what I’m looking at. “Since we started later than originally planned, I thought a pivot was in order, some pastries, then finger sandwiches.”

Something light does sound nice. “Thank you.”

“So, Deliah.” Rosaria’s fingers familiarly trace around her mug in a familiar way that makes me smile. I started doing it as a way to manage my nerves, long before I needed to start checking my drinks for contaminants. “Tell me about yourself.”

Wait, is Rosaria actually trying to get to know me as a person? That’s a great way to start today properly, especially considering everything that happened at the Atlantis Grande.

“Well—”

***

 

Early Lunch, or whatever I want to call it, has been lovely, even better than our evening in Greece, though hopefully today doesn’t end like that one did. Almost dying or worse was one time too many.

I could stay here forever, just me, a wonderful view, and delightful food. Even the company hasn’t been bad, so far at least; Rosaria’s been on her best behavior. She hasn’t uttered the forbidden word once since we left the Atlantis Grande, and despite myself, I’m enjoying myself.

No small part of that is because I’ve had a hand in today; it isn’t Rosaria’s vision, it’s ours. I asked her out, sure, she told me to, but I still took the initiative, I had a say in how today went, and that means a lot to me. 

Ever since Rosaria came into my life, I’ve been flailing, utterly off balance. At school, I’m the boss; cheerleading might not be football, but unlike them, we actually win trophies, and because of that, the other students follow my lead. 

It’s one of the reasons dealing with Rosaria is so frustrating; I can go from the top of the world to almost insignificant. I was aware of my limitations, but realizing just how small the school pond is relative to the magical pond has been difficult to adjust to

Today’s biggest surprise is Rosaria being interested in who I am, as a person, not the detective, not her forbidden word, just me. Maybe answering her questions was a mistake, because on the one hand, it just gives Rosaria more information about me. Still, honestly, nothing I said is something she couldn’t figure out elsewhere.

I even managed to get some of my own questions in, but I kept some of my burning ones back. Especially because I’m positive Rosaria wanted me to ask, and while I’m willing to play her games, I need to keep some of my own pieces in reserve.

At least for now, I might sneak some of them in later, casually. I might really want to know, but asking or showing too much interest gives Rosaria more power over me.

It’s my turn to lead Rosaria to our destination. Venice was the only locale that I knew we were visiting for sure today, and I planned accordingly. The Undernet was priceless, and I really owe Annabeth for her help. I never would have been able to pull this off without her.

The biggest problem with today was figuring out interesting places. Rosaria’s old, anything I would have usually picked, like a museum or art gallery, would have been not only mundane to her, but she’s probably seen everything before. In some cases, she might have been there when things were painted.

So it was absolutely out with the old, and in with the new, and thankfully, there were dozens of choices.

I take a sip of my water. After four coffees, I thought it might be smart to swap, at least for now. “Are you ready to head to our second location?”

Rosaria has an impish smile on her face before she says. “Following someone to a secondary location is typically discouraged, isn’t it?”

Part of me is tempted to pinch my nose, the rest knows that’s exactly the reaction she wants from me. “That’s when you’re with someone new, and of the two of us, I’m the innocent maiden typically encouraged thusly,” By an order of magnitude. “Not you.” 

“I suppose you’re right, Deliah. I have been planning to ravish you after all.”

“Ha—Have you now?” I glance away from Rosaria, hoping that the angle will at least hide the heat rushing into my face. She’s never concealed her interest in me, but she’s never been that blunt about it in public either.

There’s a rhythm to conversations like this, especially with Rosaria. Usually, she’s teasing, and when it’s not completely overwhelming, I try to give back as hard as she gives, but when she reaches out and brushes her hand across my cheek as she says. “You know, this booth is ours for the day, and unless we ring the bell, we won’t be disturbed. No one could see or hear us. No matter what we do.” My brain grounds to a halt, which is fine, because my heart is making up for it, and going a thousand miles a minute.

When it comes to the few girls I’ve dated, I’ve always been the lead, that’s me, in charge on and off the field. Annabeth and I swap off a decent amount —that’s new, but exciting in its own way—she’s much stronger than I am, and she’s a predator; the give-and-take between us is wonderful. Rosaria, on the other hand, is always in charge, and my best attempts to get ahead just leave me nipping at her heels, instead of following in her wake or being dragged behind her.

It sucks, no matter how thrilling it sometimes feels.

If I had access to my magic, I would wrap myself in it and push those emotions away, which might be why Rosaria has it turned off right now. 

My desires are in conflict with my wants, and she’s fully aware of it—even if she doesn’t understand my reluctance. Rosaria’s attention, her touch, and the raw desire she sometimes shows can be overwhelming. It’s why I need to drown out the sensations, the thoughts, everything.

A soft chime pulses through the room, and another, and another, until each of the stars in my crown are singing, and I relax into their melody and lean away from Rosaria’s hand. 

Bouyed by the song, my voice is a lot steadier than I expected. “Tempting, but we should continue with our plans. It would be a shame not to see the day through for a thrill.” No matter how delightful or tempting.

Messaging Annabeth while I’m on a date feels rude, but I can’t say that I’m not tempted to anyway, just to schedule another midnight rendezvous. It will have to wait; however, hopefully, the rest of today doesn’t make me even more tempted.

I expect a laugh or a smirk from Rosaria before a well-timed forbidden word knocks me off my feet, but when I look at her, Rosaria’s eyes are slitted, and she’s staring at my stars intensely.

“You captured starlight and made yourself the center of a constellation. I expected it would take years before you got to that point, if ever. How, Deliah?” She sounds like she’s seen a miracle.

“Sea and stars, the water reflects the sky, so I used water as a transfer medium.” Salt water specifically, but I’ll keep that to myself for now. The crystals were expensive, but well worth it, especially if Rosaria is genuinely impressed.

Part of me is bursting to yell—See! All the things I can accomplish on my own, with my freedom? Can’t you imagine what I could do in another year, five, ten? The things I manage without your leash?—but I hold my tongue, because it feels inappropriate, at least right now. Later though? Absolutely.

“You used salt water, of course.” How did she? Still not reading my mind? No reaction, so probably not. “Mortal mages lost that technique millennia ago, and you made that intuitive leap on your own. So remarkable, I would caution you against sharing that too widely, Deliah. Both the pins themselves and your methodology, you were a target before; this makes you much more interesting to those kinds of beings.”

Despite myself, I ask. “And you?” Because Rosaria hasn’t taken her eyes off of me, or blinked.

“Not enough to outright steal you away from your mortal life, not as connected as we now are. Had I known this at the Gravesend Ball, on the other hand, you would have left with me. No matter your wishes to the contrary.”

Small favors that I only figured out the technique after speaking with the Guardian of the Twilight Star, then. Rosaria proved at Coffee and Crepes just how easily she could disable me; I would have been utterly helpless at the ball.

There’s one sticking point, however. “You said outright.” Which implies she’s still making plans about me, without informing me, and I’ve had quite enough of that, but I further wrap myself in starlight to help steel myself for her answer.

Her answer shakes me out of the friendly chatter we’ve been engaged in, and it’s replaced with a steel bar. “You’re staying with me tonight, and every night, going forward.”

“The hell I am.” Sure, my room in the Atlantis Grande is nicer than the one I have at home, but that’s her space, not mine. “You’re already taking up hours, if not days, of my time, Rosaria. What’s next, giving up my office? Absolutely not. I don’t belong to you! How would I even explain that to my parents?”

Not that they pay too much attention to my comings and goings, especially since I started the internship. At least as long as I spend time with them once or twice a week, and that will be impossible if I’m spending my nights with Rosaria.

Besides, I need to draw a line somewhere, and if I give in on this, it’s just a matter of time before things like school, cheerleading, college next year, and my investigations are all chipped away until there’s nothing but Rosaria in my life.

“Your parents hardly matter, darling.” For a single instant, when Rosaria says the forbidden word, my stars sing louder and the usual pulse is almost drowned out; my breath catches, but that’s as mild as it’s ever been. “And I would never ask you to stop your cute little investigations.”

Cute? Really? They’re important! “Why do you keep ruining this?” I gesture between us without thinking about it. “Today and back at the Gravesend Ball, we were having fun, and you suddenly start being possessive. It needs to stop Rosaria, I’m not going to shrink myself for the benefit of others, I’m my own person, and you need to accept that if we’re going to be cordial with one another.”

Whatever I expected, a chastisement most likely, it wasn’t for Rosaria to say. “Except you have, Deliah, deferring, demurring, allowing me to dominate you. You cannot be both the blushing maiden and the fierce warrior.”

I haven’t let her dominate me, even if I’ve occasionally been tempted, okay, often, but that’s hardly relevant! They’re harmless fantasies!

“I’d hardly call myself a fierce warrior. I’ve barely been in combat. I want to use magic to help people, and I do. Being able to defend myself is totally different from seeking out fights.” There are plenty of guardians out there, people who, for one reason or another, use their abilities to fight constantly. I considered it for a while after I heard of them; it sounded noble. Until I looked into the fees that they charge, and how exploitative it feels, and decided that the investigator suits me. “I’m a protector, Rosaria, that’s my purpose.”

I can do more with my own strength, my will, than I could ever do tied down like that. Helping people should never be limited to a price tag. It’s why I help people, and let them pay what they can; sometimes it’s nothing, but making a difference in the world, that’s priceless.

There’s a soft pulse of starlight around me, pulsing in time with my heartbeat, and I feel lighter than I have in ages. 

Rosaria’s looking at me, no, she’s staring at my wrist where the Aegis and the Twilight Star are pulsing in tandem, and I watch in fascination as the metal begins to shift.

What’s happening?

It reminds me a little of when the Aegis bonded with the Twilight Star, but I’m sitting in a restaurant, not in a demiplane or whatever the Guardian’s lair was.

“Rosaria?”

Brilliant light flares into existence before the balcony ripples, and something that looks like amber floats through the air and begins dancing over my head, matching the beat of my stars. 

I watch almost helplessly as the amber stone starts to spiral around my head slowly, and then down my arm until it presses itself into Aegis, and the shifting of the metal stops. Only for the singing of the stars to be replaced by a clarion call that shakes my body worse than the forbidden word ever has.

As the shakes and the music slowly come to a stop, and my awareness of the balcony returns, I first see Rosaria staring at me, silently, just watching me, and in a way I can’t entirely place.

The silence is quickly replaced by chaos from beneath us, and instead of the singing of starlight, all I can hear are sirens. Rosaria gives me a deep, searching look, one tinged with satisfaction, before she reaches into her purse, places her cell phone face up on the table, and, after a couple of taps, an English voice comes through.

Breaking News! In a daring daytime robbery, the Filangieri Museum’s visiting Etruscan collection was robbed this afternoon. Stay tuned for more information on this breaking story.

“My Deliah, I knew you would be an exciting date, but I certainly never expected this.” Rosaria sounds amused

The amber stone resting in my Aegis pulses once, in a way that reminds me of a wink before I cradle my head in my hands. 

God dammit.

Through my fingers, I can see Rosaria’s amusement growing by the second, but it’s a pale second compared to the underlying sense of satisfaction that has an almost physical weight.

Wait a minute.

What are the odds that this happened today, at a restaurant Rosaria chose, while she was pushing and poking me the entire time? “Were you goading me? Did you want this to happen?”

Instead of answering me, Rosaria reaches out and rings the bell resting on the table once. Our waitress, Demetra, appears almost immediately.

“Lady Rosaria, Lady Drake, how may I help you?”

“Two glasses of champagne, we’re celebrating.” 

My eyes keep flipping between Demetra, Rosaria, and the Aegis, but thankfully, for whatever reason, Demetra isn’t paying close attention to it. That’s good, I could use the breather while I figure out what’s going on.

“At once, Ma’am.” Demetra’s eyes dart to my neck once before she teleports away.

Was she looking for a collar?

“You know I’m underage.” It’s a thin complaint, considering I’ve drunk in front of her before.

“The drinking age in Italy is eighteen, and that’s the mortal world besides. Considering that I’ve seen you drink before, Deliah, would you prefer a redo of that particular complaint?”

“Fine, what are we celebrating?”

“A successful day, and my plans moving forward, of course. Though Demetra likely assumes you’ve finally bent your knee to me, officially.” Rosaria glances at my neck, much like Demetra just did, though her eyes linger. “You really would look wonderful with a collar, interested?”

Like I’d make it that easy on her. “I’ll pass, thanks. The one accessory you gave me is plenty.” And I’m probably lucky that the Aegis is around my wrist, because I absolutely wouldn’t have put it past her to have used a collar if there was one available. “So that entire exchange was to see what would happen?”

Two fluted glasses appear on the table, and after passing one to me, Rosaria says. “A test, more accurately, if you said yes to me, Deliah, I really would keep you all to myself. Your accomplishments since the ball have been breathtaking to witness; however, all those successes bring a lot of scrutiny. The foes we fought in Greece are the tip of the iceberg.”

Outside of Meredia, three people left before combat began, but only because they took the out that Rosaria offered. They were still there with the intent to attack us; likely, they’re still plotting alongside who knows how many others.

The champagne comes back clean, and I take a slow sip. Huh, nice, very light and smooth. I might need to buy a bottle of this for special occasions, assuming it isn’t too expensive.

“I’m always happy to celebrate my accomplishments.” The things I’ve worked hard and spent hours of my life on. Those are always things worth celebrating. “I don’t like being manipulated, though, Rosaria.” There’s a low heat simmering in my stomach as my anger builds. I don’t like her wielding the truth like a sword, especially not against me.

“I was serious about the dangers associated with your liquid starlight, and had you failed my test, I absolutely would have followed through to keep you with me.”

There’s a wicked truth there, that if I don’t meet Rosaria’s expectations, and those seem to be shifting well beyond what I ever expected, then she can take me away from my life.

The Aegis is so responsive, but it seems bound to her will. Is it because she owned it before it was put on me, or something I don’t fully understand?

Okay, it’s definitely from something that I don’t understand, but it’s the principle of the thing.

“So I don’t suppose you know what this stone is called?” The one that stole itself out of the museum, and something I’m trying to ignore, because I really, really hope it isn’t noticeable. The last thing I need is to be arrested.

“The name that may have meaning after some research is Helios’s Sundrop.”

“And you knew it was here and might resonate with the Aegis?”

Rosaria tosses her head back and laughs, and my pulse starts racing. She really is too pretty sometimes. “Deliah, my love, it isn’t the Aegis the stones are resonating with, it’s you. It’s absolutely intriguing how they’re incorporating themselves into the Aegis, though, I’ll admit,”

Magic is sometimes incredibly literal. I have a deep connection to the stars. I found the Twilight Star, and now the Sundrop has found its way to me. That’s something I’m absolutely going to need to look into, but not today.

“Just how connected is all this to the Olympians?” The Pantheons are always causing problems, and if the Aegis is one of their old tools, that’s far too close a connection for my comfort, and it must be the Olympians. I don’t even need to squint to make that connection: an Aegis, the Twilight Star, and now something named after Helios? Yeah, it might all be Greek.

“Deeply, my darling, but you already knew that.” My starlight dims a little on the forbidden word, so it’s effective but only to a point. I still feel a tiny thrum.

I take another sip of my champagne; it really is nice and probably far too expensive. “So am I going to need to worry about the authorities when we’re out on the street?”

“Even outside of the occlusion, no. The Sundrop looked quite different in the display, and it’s quite integrated into the Aegis now.” The metal is woven around the Sundrop like it’s always been there.

“Wonderful, in that case, we should finish our champagne and get going; we’re burning daylight.” And I want to see what Rosaria thinks of my choice. 

Rosaria reaches her hand across the table and dances her fingers across my palm. “We could always linger and extend our date if necessary. After all, if we’re having fun, why ruin things by having a ticking clock?”

Nice try.

“If we’re having fun or run out of time, that’s unfortunate, but I really do need to get home at a decent hour. I haven’t done any homework in the past few days.” Mostly because Rosaria keeps distracting me from school, and I have at least one paper I need to work on before Monday.

“Very well. Bottoms up, then.” Rosaria says, before she takes a long drink of her glass, and after a second, I follow suit. 

I barely keep myself from frowning; that feels like she gave in too easily. There was nothing wrong with the champagne, I’m sure of that, but I have no idea where Rosaria’s head is, and that’s always aggravating—especially with how she just had me dancing to her tune. “We need to head towards Ponte di Rialto.” Technically, straight to it, but I can spoil that little surprise later.

“How firm is our deadline?”

Completely open, it’s a floating reservation since I didn’t actually know where or how long our plans would take. “Loose enough, it shouldn’t interfere with the remainder of our day.” 

“In that case, my starlight, I have a detour in mind.” There’s no thrum, no pulse of energy from Rosaria, but the champagne glass almost tumbles from my fingers anyway. I need to tighten my fingers on the stem to keep the last few sips from spilling. 

The forbidden word is magical, resonating with my core self; it’s why it affects me so deeply, but this is just a pet name from a gorgeous woman. I’m suddenly on the back foot because Rosaria is being sincere; there’s no sense of possessiveness in her voice, just raw affection, and it’s nice. “Well?” She says, suddenly, but at some point she moved out of her seat, and now she’s standing in front of me with her hand extended.

“I—” Focus, Deliah. Yes, you’re a schoolgirl, but you don’t need to be completely smitten. “A minor delay will be fine.” My hand slips into Rosaria’s, and as I stand. We make our way towards the entrance of the Oasis. I’m aware of the number of eyes watching us; more than a few patrons are glancing at my neck, like Demetra just did, and I allow myself to smile, to show just how pleased I am.

No, I’m still Deliah Drake, and I don’t belong to anyone. No matter what any of you think.

Demetra stands at the entrance and bows deeply to Rosaria. “I hope everything was to your satisfaction, Lady Rosaria, Lady Drake.”

“Everything was exactly as I hoped it would be.”

Of course, that’s when they both turn to me, but I was expecting it. Being around Rosaria in public involves a lot of theatre, and I have a role to play, even if it isn’t what the audience expects. “Yes, it was lovely, thank you for your service, Demetra.” The eyes on us have multiplied, and fuck it. They all want to know where things stand, and I’ll give them an answer, even if it isn’t quite what they expect. “Well, shall we?”

Rosaria’s too dignified to roll her eyes, but I get the impression of it from her anyway. Sure, I’m making a show of it, but if people are going to look, I might as well indulge them. “Yes, I suppose we shall.” 

There’s a very subtle pulse of magic that I only notice because I’m watching for it as we walk out of the Oasis, the occlusion that Rosaria mentioned earlier. It’s incredibly fine work, I’m envious of whoever made it. 

The sirens have mostly faded, but despite Rosaria’s reassurances, I still nervously look around, but thankfully, no one jumps out and arrests me.

“So, where to?” Because she never mentioned a detour earlier, did I pass or fail one of her tests?

“A very short walk,” Rosaria says in lieu of an actual answer, before she links her arm with mine, and she starts leading me down the street.   

Helpful.

We walk past dozens of tourists, and probably some locals too, completely unseen in a bustling crowd. Rosaria and I are completely undisturbed; everyone is flowing around us, and it’s kind of wonderful.

It’s starting to cool off slightly, enough that I might need to ask Rosaria for help if it gets any colder. If I had access to my magic, I could warm the air around me without breaking my stride, but with it locked away, I need her assistance, either that or stop somewhere for a warmer coat.

Fuck it.

“Rosaria, I know that you want my magic off, and while I’m not entirely happy to have it restricted, I’m getting cold.” Especially by the canals, and we’re only a few hours into our date. It’s only going to get colder, and I’d rather have this conversation now than when my lips are turning blue and I’m shivering.

“Well, we can’t have you catching a chill,” Rosaria says, before she unloops our arms. There’s a moment of hope that she’ll turn my magic back on before her arm wraps smoothly around my waist, and any chill I was feeling washes away.

It isn’t just the feel of her body; there’s a very mild aura spreading out from Rosaria until it’s firmly wrapped around me. Typically, I just push enough magic into the air around me to feel warmer, but this is a spell of some kind, and it feels a lot less wasteful.

My “Thank you” is almost absentminded as I turn my attention to the spells around me as we resume our walk, the occulsion effect is well beyond my ability to decipher, at least right now. I’d love a few hours to tear it down and figure out how to replicate it, but if the alcoves exist everywhere, I’ll have time for that another day.

The second spell is a lot easier, though; it reminds me of a bubble. Rosaria’s heating the air like I usually do, but the bubble is containing it, no wonder it’s more efficient. 

It will need some testing, but I think I could replicate it today if I had my magic back. For now, though, it’s better to wait. I don’t want to create a bubble that I can’t break around me. No one needs Mime Deliah.

After a few minutes, Rosaria steps up to two glass doors, and I only manage to catch the word ‘Curio’ before we’re on the other side of them. Both the occlusion and the heat bubble pop immediately. 

“Lady Rosaria and guest, welcome to my shop.” The woman who speaks is tall, closer to eight feet than not, pretty, especially with almost gold-colored hair.

“We’ve known one another for ages now, Cleo. You can just use my name.” Rosaria gestures to me. “This is Deliah Drake.”

“It is!” The woman’s composure breaks, and she pulls me into a hug. “Welcome to my shop, babe. I didn’t think Aria would bring you here anywhere this soon.” Aria? A nickname? I never expected her to have one. Of course, that’s when Cleo’s fingers wrap around the Aegis, and she’s staring at it. “It’s been modified.” There’s a single pause, as her eyes linger on the Sundrop, before she says. “You robbed the museum!” Clearly delighted.

“Not on purpose! It came to me!”

“Let’s get you two in the back.”

Whoever Cleo is, and whatever she is, it’s a pretty safe bet that she’s where Rosaria got the Aegis from, if she’s this excited over it and can tell at a glance it’s been changed.

My eyes flick over to the door we just walked through. Maybe I should leave. I have no idea why we’re here, and if the Aegis came from here, who knows what else Cleo has in the back room.

Cleo grabs my hand in an unyielding grip and starts pulling me deeper into the shop, and Rosaria watches on, pausing only long enough to flip the store sign to closed, and starts to follow up into the back room.

I only have time to hope that this doesn’t end badly before I’m pulled into the backroom.