When The Stars Align

chapter forty four | before the

"Deal," Atticus said.

I lied there with my eyes closed. Having Atticus next to me was comforting. It was only at the beginning of the month that Atticus was sleeping in my bed in my childhood home. That was the first time we actually had a proper conversation, without anyone there to interrupt, for the most part.

"I had another question, that I was meaning to ask for a while now," I said out of the blue. Atticus turned to face me again, waiting for more detail. "Leo told me that he was able to use magic from before... this. From the night, you, supposedly, captured me and Noatra's greatest criminal finally got onto her knees."

He let out a nervous laugh. "Where do I even start? Wasn't I the one that told you if there was anyone in the kingdom that would be able to control magic, it would be you?" I nodded, recalling the memory. "Leo was terrified at first. He found out that morning, you know, before you broke it. It was this weird coincidence. We were talking about... what was it, if we could be anything in the world? And he just turned into a dog and turned back."

"And he just figured that out and you were the only one that knew, and you took the opportunity to get out of a shift and let a ten year old boy take your spot in your body?" I asked him. I swear to god, Atticus.

"He insisted, I swear Vera. And neither of us at the time knew that the anonymous tell was going to be given."

That makes the three of us.

"After that night, Leo changed back and he tried to shift again, but he couldn't. We thought it was some one time thing," Atticus explained. "Fast forward a couple months... wait, when did he tell you."

"Leo was captured by Ansen Grey twice now, and he got out of there once on his own, thanks to his magic."

Atticus was left speechless. "Crazy," was all that left his mouth. "But... why was he-"

"Leo was the one that helped Ansen Grey find the green amulet, didn't I tell you?" He shook his head. "Oh..." the words caught in my throat. "I guess I forgot to tell you. Leo told me the day before... everything happened. He got captured the night we were in Auxillium, so I guess we both slipped saying something."

"Ugh, I can't wait until our lives are normal again," Atticus groaned. He sits up, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"Don't go," I whined, reaching out for him. He grabs it, and I pull him back down next to me. "You aren't working today, right?"

He shook his head. "I'm all yours if you want me to stay."

I laugh, pulling myself closer to him. His face was so close to mine, our lips could be touching if either of us moved just a bit. But right now, I didn't want to kiss him like last night, and he could tell. Right now I wanted a friend, not a lover.

"What happened to waiting, Vera," he asked.

I closed my eyes. "I just wanted to fall asleep next to you."

"You've been awfully tired. I expected you be asleep when I knocked. Did you even sleep."

I shake my head. "I was too busy thinking."

"You overthink everything."

I let out a weak giggle. "I think we established that."

There's another knock, this time not of the door, since it was already ajar, but on the doorway. I get up, leaning on my arm as I tell whoever it was to come in.

King Pheon and Tori stand on the other side. The king seems a bit surprised by the company I had in the room. "Um, if you aren't busy, Vera, there's someone that needs to talk to you."