The Shadow's Star

Chapter 1

I woke to the blinding light of the afternoon sun as Yetta whipped open the heavy burgundy curtains and placed a tray of food on the bedside table. I huffed and pulled the blankets over my head to block out the blinding light and Yetta. My head was ringing and the lingering smell of food made me want to vomit. I could hear Yetta mumbling something about what I was doing last night but I couldn't focus, not with the throbbing in my skull. The room momentarily went silent, I thought Yetta had left the room and just as I was about to drift off back to sleep the blankets were yanked off me so quickly I had little time to react.

"Did you hear me, girl?" I managed to open one eye to see Yetta standing over me with her hands on her hips awaiting an answer to a question I didn't hear.

"Well, where were you last night?" She asked. I sat up slowly taking a quick glance around the room. Judging by the empty wine bottles, half-filled wine glasses, and various items of clothing strewn across the floor, I was here at some point.

"I was here, in the palace, with my friends." I shrugged and gestured to the palace beyond these four walls. There was no way I was going to tell her that my night consisted of me sneaking out to some dingy bars and an obscene amount of dancing, alcohol, and drugs. I prayed that Yetta didn't know about the half-dressed male I kicked out of my window early hours this morning.

"Hmmm" she simply replied eyeing me up and down as though she sees right through my lie. I took one look at the porridge on the table and felt a sudden urge to vomit. I rushed to the bathroom to empty the contents of my stomach, stumbling on the way certain that I'm still intoxicated. I barely noticed Yetta follow me into the bathroom to gather my hair out of my face while I threw up last night's sins. She is the closest thing I have to a mother, always there for me even when I don't deserve it.

Yetta ran me a hot bath and helped me peel off yesterday's alcohol-soaked clothes. After I scrubbed my skin clean and washed my matted hair, I changed into the pale blue silk gown that Yetta had laid out for me. I sat at the vanity eating croissants and downing multiple glasses of water as Yetta brushed my tangled hair and braided it in an elegant updo while telling me of the latest palace gossip. I watched Yetta in the mirror as she began placing tiny pearl beads in my hair. I looked in the mirror, tilting my head at the stranger staring back at me. I wondered at what point I would start to age. Once a fae reaches adulthood our aging slows. I turned eighteen, thirty-two years ago and I haven't aged a day since. Yetta was good at making me look my best. I looked like a drunken mess half an hour ago and now I look like the perfect princess I'm supposed to be. I look like my mother. My appearance was a constant reminder of her. It's probably why my father can't bear to look at me anymore. My brother Xander said that our father changed after the death of our mother and I understand why he shut me out. I am the reason our mother died after all. I am the reason the love of his life died and Xanders mother is gone. The loss was much greater for them; they spent many years with her, loving her, while I have no memory of her. I longed for her presence as a child and when I became an adult I found ways to numb the pain of her absence. It has been fifty years since her death which is no time at all in fae years. My father alone is over three thousand years old and my brother Xander is over two hundred. I think the birth of my younger sister Nuri helped the family move on, just a little. A new princess in the palace to distract everyone from the one that killed their beloved Queen.

"You look beautiful" Yetta's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I scoffed. She knows damn well I only look like this because she's here. I would look like a street rat without her help.

"You do." Yetta insisted. "Your brother is returning home today for the passing tomorrow." Yetta Informed. I forgot about the passing, and my birthday... and the anniversary of my mother's death. "And Queen Meira is throwing you a birthday party."

"What?!" I rolled my eyes and sighed. "She knows I hate palace parties. They're always so... boring." I wasn't wrong. Parties at the palace are full of high-born stuck-up fae showing off to one another and don't get me started on all the choreographed dancing they force you to do. I spent most of my childhood learning different dance routines just so some high-born fae could spin me around and chew my ear off. I shuddered at the thought and Yetta let out a low laugh.

"It will be nice to see your brother; it's been over a year since he last stayed in the palace." Yetta was right Xander is always working away and only visits the palace for official business meetings with our father. It will be nice to have him home for a while. Far in the distance, I hear the sharp, hollow sound of horse hooves striking the gravel and carriage doors slamming shut outside the palace.

I turned to Yetta excitedly "Xander?"

"Let's go and find out shall we?" Yetta motioned for the door and we both hurried out into the hallway and down the grand marble staircase heading towards the front door of the palace. I suddenly realized just how much I have missed my brother.

The guards stationed at the front of the palace bow their heads before opening the huge double doors for me and Yetta to walk through. Two tall figures stepped out of the shadow of a white and gold carriage which sat next to a huge stone water fountain that poured water of glowing light in different shades of pastel. I recognized them instantly, Xander and his best friend Callahan. Xander's brown hair was longer than the last time I saw him and he had a slight beard. I have never seen him look so unkempt before. He looks like he could do with a break from all the work our father has him doing. I'm certain that by tomorrow there will be no trace of that beard and he will be back to looking like the future king of the light realm. Callahan looked the same although he usually does look a little rough around the edges. He looks good, really good. His dark blonde hair has lightened slightly, he has a tanned glow from the sun and I swear his muscled arms are bigger than the last time I saw him. I rushed over to them and Xander beamed as he lifted me into the air and spun me around.

"Aurora!" He hugged me and I could hardly contain my happiness. I'm so glad to have him here for the passing. I don't think I could face the day without him. Xander is probably the only person who has never looked at me with sorrow or pity in his eyes. He has never once made me feel guilty for the loss of our mother although I still felt it tremendously. When I was a child he used to share his memories of our mother with me using his power to project light images. He made me feel like I was included in those memories and while everyone else was choosing to forget her, he kept her memory alive.

"Have you boys missed me?" I asked with a playful smile, daring a glance at Callahan who was avoiding direct eye contact. I didn't dare look too long at him fearing my brother would suspect something was going on between us. The last time I saw him he was in my bed with those arms wrapped around me kissing me like it was his last night on earth. I could feel myself blushing at the memory and so I shoved it far back into the back of my mind where it belongs. Before he left we got into a fight, he made it clear what we was doing was a mistake and while I agreed, he was the only thing that kept me on the straight and narrow. He was a distraction and without him I turned to drinking, partying, and meaningless one-night stands.

"Everyday" Xander's reply warmed my heart.

"Yetta, how are you?" Xander walked past me to kiss Yetta on the cheek. She has been like a second mother to Xander too and I know she writes letters to him when he's away, most likely updating him on every little thing I do.

"I'm very well. It's good to have you back Xander" She smiled and he smiled back.

"Callahan and I have some business to discuss with the King. Join me for dinner after?" He asked me.

"I'd love to" I accepted his invitation and he and Callahan turned to walk towards the right-hand side of the palace towards a door closer to the King's meeting rooms. I linked my arm through Yetta's and told her we were going for a walk through the gardens. I know she would be thrilled to walk through the gardens because her work barely ever allows her to leave the palace doors. She smiled at me and patted my hand resting on her arm as we trolled for the garden gates.

"Aurora?!" Xander shouted from across the grounds and I turned holding a hand to my brow to shade my eyes from the sunlight.

"The beard, Should I keep it?" he grinned and stroked a hand over his chin.

"Absolutely not!" I yelled back. I giggled and turned back to carry on walking towards the gardens with Yetta.