Later on in the evening Alice showed Maya around the shop. She noticed that the girl refused to get within touching distance of Altair and Gabriel, and stayed glued to Alice’s side the entire day. They continued to discuss the problem surrounding Ambrose and how to deal with it, but nothing was resolved. Maya did seem shyly delighted with the store.
“I love your shop,” she said to Alice. “It’s so magical and beautiful.”
“You can come downstairs and visit us here anytime during the day. Maybe someday I’ll teach you how to run the till and you can work with us.” Judging by the girl’s timid demeanour, Alice doubted that would happen anytime soon.
Maya nodded shyly.
“You’re okay living with me for now? I know it’s not big, but it’s cozy. Eventually we could build another suite for you.
The girl shook her head, looking suddenly panicked. “Please, I’d like to stay with you.”
“Okay, no problem.” Alice felt a hot stab of anger at the terrified expression on Maya’s face. What had she been through, that the mere thought of leaving Alice’s side made her so afraid?
“I don’t….know how to thank you,” Maya said quietly. “I’m not even sure why you’re doing all this for me.”
“Maybe it’s time something good happened to you.” Azura came in from the backroom with a tray full of tea cups, steam curling over the rims. “Left side is Peppermint, right side is Earl Grey.”
Maya sniffed her tears back happily and took a tea cup from the tray. “Thank you.”
“I’ve kept the closed sign on for now,” Azura told Alice. “I figured we’d all want to hear Maya’s story without interruptions.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to tell it, Maya?”
She nodded. “Is there somewhere we can sit down? It’s a long story.”
They retreated to the armchairs at the back, but Altair opted to have seat on the floor, his back leaning against Alice’s chair. This earned him a black look from Gabriel, which he ignored.
“My mother…had drug problems.” Maya set her teacup carefully down on the rug beside her chair. “When I was about ten she became heavily indebted to Ambrose’s mentor, Sharook. He was a very important man, a dangerous man. My mother was often afraid – sometimes she would come home at night beaten.”
Alice saw Altair nod, his expression dark.
“She was in debt for years, and it just grew worse as her dependency on him deepened. Eventually he realized there was no way she could pay him back. Sharook demanded that my mother…sleep with him.” Maya made a face into her teacup and swallowed hard. “She did for a while, but he was cruel, and one night my mother refused. By then I was thirteen. He said if she wouldn’t supply sex for him, or pay him back, then he would take me…I still remember my mother screaming as they took me away.”
Maya paused, struggling internally, breathing deeply before continuing. “He was actually going to sell me, probably to some child slavery ring or something. But when Ambrose saw me he went….he went crazy.” Maya stopped, looking far away as she remembered.
“He fought with Sharook, wouldn’t let him sell me. He grew so enraged he…stabbed him.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “He killed his mentor, and then…he took me and we left on a plane. I had never flown before. I remember being terrified. He gave me pills. I didn’t know where I was when I woke up. He took us to New York, slowly worked his way up from selling drugs to what he is now. He added more women to the harem as he went, women that loved him, would do anything for him. I’m the only one of them that knows him for what he really is - drug pushing scum, not a glittering rock star. I’m the only one that saw him claw his way to the top. All the others believe what he tells them. They are his favourite and he’ll take care of them…so many lies.” Her voice was bitter. “They don’t know him like I do. They haven’t seen him in his rages, in his fits of insanity. Sometimes, when he would take me to his bedchambers, it was like he would suddenly be in another world. He would forget who I was, and call me…Pandora. Sometimes he would go mad, ranting, saying it was all my fault. I never knew what he meant. He would either fly into a rage and strike me, or act as passionately as a lover, as if he cared about me deeply. I think so many years of living has driven him mad.”
Alice noticed that Altair was leaning forward in his chair as he listened to the girl’s story, his knuckles white as he gripped the arms.
Maya took another gulp of air and reached for her tea, her shaking hand knocked the rim and the cup tipped over onto the carpet. “Oh, I’m sorry!”
Azura smiled as Alice said to the girl, “Don’t worry. Watch”
She studied her face as Maya watched the rug suck in the tea, remembering the same shock that she had watched it with. The girl’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung open a little. How long ago had it been when she had witnessed her first bit of magic?
“How do you like our self-cleaning rug?”
“Oh wow.” Maya’s eyes shone and for a moment the anguish was gone from her face, replaced by wonder. “I’ve never seen magic like that. Ambrose has Wizards and Witches working for him, or at his parties, but I never got to see any.”
“This is just a little practical magic.” Azura smiled. .
Maya hesitated. “Do you think…I mean, can anyone learn magic?”
Azura studied her., “Not anyone, but you may have a little potential. We’d have to test you.”
“How can you tell?” Alice asked curiously.
“Occasionally, if you pay enough attention you can see a little spark come off a person’s skin, the threads reacting to the charge they get off of you. You have to look for it though, it’s subtle.”
Alice was a disappointed with herself for not seeing it on Maya. They were silent again, waiting for the girl to return to her story.
“That’s it,” Maya said. “Up till now of course. All I know is that everyone in that place has heard how interested he is in Alice. He wants you for himself...almost as much as he wanted me.” She levelled serious brown eyes on Alice.
“He is bound and determined to have you.”
The next several weeks were blissfully absent of trouble. Maya came down with Alice every morning, and spent most of the day sitting beside her. Alice thought she would be bored as all hell, but the girl appeared content just to sit there.
She spotted the Elf peering at Maya from time to time, and hoped feverishly that he had found a new interest. Late Tuesday morning it was just Alice and Shakra at the desk. Azura took Maya into the backroom and amused her by showing her the potions. After a few minutes of this the two women came up to the front and placed several bottles on the desk.
“What are these for?” Alice asked.
“Maya was asking what these did, and I remembered I was going to show you the effects of some of the potions weeks ago, but we got caught up in other things and I never got a chance. I hope you don’t mind, since we aren’t using product, just tap water and magic.”
“Go for it,” she said, excited at the prospect of seeing what the potions did. She was careful not to look too eager in front of Maya though. After all, she was supposed to be used to this sort of thing.
“First, the Perfect Excuses. Would anyone like to try?”
Alice hesitated, and then shrugged. “I’ll do it.”
Azura uncorked the top of the bottle and handed it to her. She drank swiftly, a sweet, strawberry taste lingered on her tongue.
Azura cleared her throat, “Alice, you were late for work this morning. Why?”
Alice was alarmed as her lips began moving of their own accord. Words spilled from her mouth.
“I was driving to work and there was an accident on the way here. The road was blocked up for miles; everyone was crawling at a snail’s pace. It was painful. ”
“Okay, why did you miss my wedding last week?”
“I’m so sorry. I came down with a terrible flue the night before. I was throwing up all night and exhausted the next morning. I didn’t want to come and make you sick before you honeymoon.”
“Alright. Why didn’t you show up for school yesterday?”
“I had a terrible allergic reaction to something I ate at a restaurant last night and I was in emergency nearly all night while they did tests to see what it was so I would never eat it again. I almost died.”
“Hey, stop it!” Alice gasped. “Oh, that’s weird. I don’t know where the words are coming from.”
“The potion. It should wear off in a couple seconds, until then…” Azura grinned cheekily. “Alice, why did you drop that vase the other day?”
“I have this gland condition were I sweat a lot, so I have unusually slippery hands.” Alice stopped and wrinkled her nose. “Ew! I do not have that condition.”
Maya smiled. “What happens if they find out you’re lying?”
“Most of the excuses are impossible to prove or disprove unless you phone their doctor. And no doctor worth his or her salt will give away patient information.”
“What about this potion?” Maya indicated a small green bottle.
“That one lets you know if people are lying,” Azura explained.
“Oh! Can I try that one?” Alice asked.
“Go for it.”
She uncorked the top and tipped the contents of the vial into her mouth, wrinkling her nose as she did so. “Blech, tastes like broccoli.”
“Now give it a couple seconds,” Azura instructed. “Alright, let me see. Um…I once owned a dog called Parrot.”
Alice just stared at her. “That’s a weird name for a dog.”
Azura shrugged. “Ruby named her.”
Maya chimed in. “I went bungee jumping last summer.”
“Nope,” said Alice, and then clapped her hand over her mouth in excitement. “My gosh! I somehow knew you were lying!”
Azura grinned mischievously. “Strange feeling, isn’t it?”
“Give me another,” she urged.
Azura thought for a minute and then tried, “I dye my hair this color.”
“No you don’t.”
“I wear contacts,” Azura offered.
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
“I’m afraid of heights,” Maya said.
“I won’t take you mountain climbing.”
Alice changed the subject. “What about the Fantasies potions?” She held up one of the bottles filled with pink liquid.
“Those are fun, but it takes a few hours. It’s better to do on your own, since it sort of sends you to sleep.”
“Oh really?” Maya looked a little disappointed. The bottle in her hand said “Romantic Vacation” on it.
“Why don’t you two each take one?” Azura winked at them. “Take it before you go to bed. I think you’ll find it relaxing.” She left them with the pink bottles. Alice and Maya went through them eagerly, Alice reading out the labels as they went.
“"Caribbean Dreams - you meet the man of your dreams on a beautiful Caribbean beach.” Oh, look at this one. It’s called “Fiery Passion you are rescued from your apartment by a handsome fireman who takes you away to a wonderful place.” Goodness!”
Maya said, “This one says, “Paris Connection – your dream man, an English Spy, steals you away to France for a romantic rendezvous.”
“Sounds wonderful. Here’s another: “Hollywood Glamour – you are a famous actress, living the high life. You meet your favourite actor, who falls desperately in love with you.”
Alice continued, “I love it. Here’s another. “Stolen Love - a pirate boards the ship you are traveling on and takes you captive. You loath him but soon realize he is falling in love with you. You realize these are all taken from romance novels.” Alice grinned. “I’m pretty sure that’s were Azura gets them.”
“How would you know?” Maya teased.
Alice thought about the stash of bad romance novels she had hidden away under her bed. She tried to keep a straight face.
“Just guessing.”
“Here’s another. This one’s called “Laws of Love” can you guess this one?”
“A police officer falls desperately in love with you?”
“Good guess.”
“This one sounds interesting. “Fairy Tale Love - you are the royal princess, next in line for the throne. You are kidnapped by an evil wizard and locked in a tower until prince charming comes to free you with a kiss.".”
“Very classic.” Alice smiled. “Which one do you think you’ll take?”
“There are so many, I can’t decide!” Maya sifted through them all. “I think I’ll use the Caribbean one - I’ve never been to a beach.” Alice was suddenly reminded of Maya’s past and she cringed but Maya’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Hm…I’m ashamed to say I think the pirate adventure sounds intriguing.” Alice slipped the small bottle into her pocket. The two girls put the rest of the potions away and tidied up the shop, getting everything ready for the next day. Alice forgot all about the little glass bottle in her pocket until later that night when she shrugged off her sweater, intending to slip into her pyjamas. Her sweater hit the tile with a tinkle of glass and she gasped, thinking she had broken it.
“Oh crap….”
There was no spreading stain on her sweater though, and when she reached inside the front pocket she found the bottle intact. She studied the pink liquid warily. Would it be like a drug trip? Could you have bad one? She had never done drugs in school, though Jason had offered her pot. She had enough of a vivid imagination without that sort of thing. She should have asked Azura more about it, but her curiosity was burning, and it overtook any reservations. She slipped into her pyjamas and slid under the covers, enjoying the cool sensation of the sheets on her bare feet. The cork left the top of the bottle with a pop, reminding her of champagne.
“Cheers,” she whispered, and drank the liquid in the bottle quickly. It tasted like cherries, a little too sweet to be natural. Cherry Cola.
She lay back, waiting for the dream to overtake her.
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