1

ONE

Ember

“Brooks, you know I despise my birthday. Please don’t make me do this.” I whine while my communication orb floats around my head, emitting a soft glow around my apartment entrance. My soft pink waves fall off my shoulders as I throw my groceries and purse on the console table in the vine-canopied foyer.

“I’m not above begging you.” I groan.

I stare at myself in the mirror above. Today’s my birthday. I was planning to spend this gods awful evening soaking in a moon milk bath surrounded by cake and delicacies until I passed out drunk from over indulgence.

Brooks heavily sighs and says “Look, you only turn twenty-one once and considering the day you’ve just had, you deserve to live a little. You’re coming whether I have to spark your ass aflame or not. Also, Amara is already putting on her favorite pink body glitter so, you can’t say no. I’ll be stuck with this energized gumball otherwise.” I could hear him kiss her through the phone, their display of affection surprisingly not grossing me out. I’ve been used to their relationship for years now.

Brooks Honeyfall and Amara Starling have known me since we met each other the night of our rising ceremonies. It was the day I turned twelve and finally completed my power assignment. It was the best day of my life because it

meant freedom. It was also the worst night of my life.

I had just met Brooks and Amara along the way as we walked to the stone altar, summoned by the moons to accept our place among the fae on the last day of the year. When a faerie turns twelve, they’re finally mature enough to drink the essence of the three moons and hope their bodies are strong enough to accept the powers gifted to them. Otherwise, enrollment for training university is postponed for another year.

Everyone called by the moons that night met at the top of Ethereal Edge. It’s a cliff that looks over the Eternity Sea, just north of my current small town, Comet Cottages.

After drinking the essence of the stars, I was finally `blessed with the powers of earth and water elements. I also was gifted with the talent of empathy. Brooks, Amara, and I instantly connected. Becoming fast friends along the journey to Astrelle University, it was comforting to know I’d have people to help me get through the grueling standards at university.

It’s a six year program to learn and master your newly found magical skills. All fae are required to attend university in order to legally practice magic in Faerelle, directly after their rising ceremony.

We were chatting in line waiting for our room assignments after arriving at the main hall, when a messenger sprite flew straight through the crowd of teenage fae. He awkwardly escorted me to a private room away from the freshman, and told me my parents had been murdered that night.

I remember feeling the air leave my body. I felt my knees fall to the ground, a shattering pain igniting in my limbs.

I wept.

Endlessly.

That was the day I was orphaned for the second time.

My parents were actually my adoptive parents, and they’ve had me since close to birth. I have no memory or history of my real parents. Amber and Rollins Amethyst had told me I was left on their doorstep as an infant, with a message that said: “When the path seems unclear, she can always find hope in the moons. Keep our Ember burning.”

The night the news found me, I had never felt that level of pain before. My heart split in two. Torn and shattered, replaced by an empty void. I lost a part of myself that day. I almost delayed enrollment in classes because of my grief, but I decided I needed to keep moving or I’d never get back up.

Thankfully, Brooks and Amara looked after me and they became my second family. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

In regards to my adoptive parents, Amber and Rollins Amethyst were traveling to the mystic woods because it was their anniversary. They always loved to spend it under the stars. They were madly in love with each other. Maybe if they weren’t so starstruck, they coild have been alive to see their daughter finally access her magic.

One can only dream, right? I’m a bitter bitch.

That night, they valued one another more than me. They couldn’t resist the pull of their mate bond that night. In Fae culture, it’s widely accepted to love your mate viciously, but I’m still resentful and angry at them. Considering my parents got nothing but cold lonely graves for their love, who would want that?

Definitely not me, I’m doing just fine by myself.

Moon bound mates and true love can fuck right off. I’m terrified of losing more people that are close to me, so I keep my heart to myself. Amara and Brooks are the only people that managed to slither into my cold heart.

Now, I’m twenty-one years old and I don’t need anyone to hold me down from accomplishing my goals with my local crystal and elixir business: Amara’s Sparkles. Amara’s Sparkles supplies local faeries and larger guilds with crystals, elixirs, and charms. It was also named after my best friend Amara, if you didn’t guess that already.

I woke up pissed off and everything that happened today just fueled my fire.

Now, my two annoying best friends won’t even let me drown my sorrow in a bath and pass out with my favorite rose flavored wine.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

I yelp, completely caught off guard while looking over my new twenty-one year old complexion.

I’m a pink monochromatic faerie. Meaning, everything in my fae form is some shade of pink from head to toe. In my human form, I have fuchsia eyes and baby pink hair. Subtle mauve freckles fleck my nose and cheeks, while my full lips resemble a rose color. My fair skin glistens like I’ve been covered in soft layers of faerie dust.

At least my birth parents gave me some good traits I can admire, besides all the trauma from abandonment. Clearly I was their biggest mistake, since they left me on a stranger’s doorstep to be dealt with.

“Brooks, can I call you back? Someone’s banging on my door.” I’m exasperated and wave my hand to close my communications orb, when I hear Brooks yelling from the other side.

“Yeah! It’s me, duhhh!” He shouts.

I snag the handle and swing the door open, giving him the worst kind of glare. Before me stands my two best friends in the entire world on one of the worst days of the year.

These bitches.

“Oh, what a surprise. Do you mind telling me why you thought this was a good idea after I so sweetly declined?” I bat my eyelashes sarcastically and level them both with glare. I cross my arms and impatiently wait for their excuse.

“Oh, that just won’t do,” Amara says too cheerily while appearing from behind Brooks’s shadow. They live together so of course she’s here with him too. They aren’t mated, but they seem very in love and are waiting for the moons to summon their bond. We haven’t quite figured out why their bond hasn’t snapped into place yet, but they seem pretty patient.

They both shove past me and barge into my loft, without permission of course. They have no boundaries and most of the time I’m fine with it, but today they’re really pushing it.

Amara is covered in lilac glitter and a lilac skin tight dress to match. Her pastel rainbow highlights shine through her white hair as she catches moonlight through the windows of my loft. She tied a silver and gold star chain around her waist and styled her hair into a high ponytail.

I roll my eyes at her outfit, waiting for her to continue. “This outfit is so not the birthday vibes we were going for Ember! Get with the spirit! Don’t worry, I brought the best star glitter to liven you up and several dresses for you to choose from. Let’s go! Hurry up!”

Brooks is wearing his favorite olive green t-shirt with black leather pants. He always attaches his bow & arrows to his back, just between his green wings. His hair is an ombre of black and green curls, showing off his dark complexion.

They both beeline up the rose entwined staircase to my bedroom. My apartment is popping with tons of organic earthen elements such as concrete, brick stones, and wooden stairs. I also have an abundance of soft and bright roses cascading from wall planters and blush colored candles. There’s plenty of pink crystals, diamonds, and moonstones littering my loft for decoration too. Some of my best gems are here, displayed in cloches and cases instead of being stored in my shop.

Amara pounces on my bed while I make my way up the stairs. She flicks her wrist and a small ball of fire starts circulating the room providing instant warmth and light to my girly space. Amara starts unpacking several dresses out of her duffel bag and I watch as she makes a heaping mess on my bed.

Amara sorts through the fabric, “We only want you to have the most amazing birthday, Em. I know it’s a hard day today, but we will make sure you have the best black out drunk night of your life.”  She says while holding up a silver and gold dress, similar to hers.

Brooks gives me some wiggly brows and points his attention towards the kitchen where there’s a heaping strawberry and lemon cake waiting to be devoured post bath time. I give him the don’t-touch-that-or-I’ll-throw-balls-of-ice-in-your-face face.

I sigh and run my hands over my face, “Okay, okay. Fine.”

Amara squeals so loud both Brooks and I have to cover our ears. I start to get changed and Brooks sleuths down to the kitchen and starts munching on my cake. It instantly boils my blood.

“If you don’t want to be thrown into the closest bog, I’d suggest not eating anymore of my pity cake. Thank you very much!” I yell while pulling on a short, body hugging, gold and silver dress which I paired with silver knee high lace-up heels that stop at mid thigh and highlight my toned legs to perfection.

Hot.

Even in my human form, I’m extremely toned and more well trained than most. I’ve always been stronger than my peers, but I usually dampen myself to not draw attention. My well of power runs deeper than most, waiting for me to tap in. I’ve tried to unleash my power in private, but there seems to be some sort of blocker within that void that stops me from accessing my true potential.

After brushing out my baby pink curls and applying some glitter to my eyes and shoulders, we head out the door together. I flick a locking spell on my apartment and turn to face Brooks and Amara, who are way too happy for this awful occasion. We all simultaneously shrink down into our faerie forms with a flash of light and take off south to Gem’s Hallow.

My favorite bar, called The Twinkle Tap, is located under a large pine tree, surrounded by dazzling crystals that jut up waist high from the earth. I love going there because the music is the best, and the booze is cheap. Plus, the boys are hot and the mining village is full of the most colorful, vibrant crystals around.

After flying for a short period of time, I admire a large grouping of shimmering amethyst at the entrance of Gem’s Hallow while Brooks changes direction for The Twinkle Tap’s entrance. As we quickly approach the infamous pine tree marking the bar, with a flash of light, we all transform into our human forms. Brooks slips the club bouncer a few star shards to get us in faster and lets them know it’s my birthday. Brooks glances back and winks at Amara and I, we both roll our eyes at his antics. I don’t complain since I’m already here, I might as well try to enjoy myself tonight.

Glowing wrist bands encircle our right arms as we enter the club. House music is bumping, crystal shards are casting luminescent patterns on the walls and dance floor. Faerie lights in blue, purple and pink are pulsating around the air, giving me a warm comfort I didn’t realize I needed today. It’s something familiar that I craved. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad tonight.

We make our way to the luminescent bar in the center of the room, where Brooks orders three Butterfly Twists and we cheers each other for my least favorite occasion.

Next thing, I find myself 5 lunar beers deep and counting, swaying to the magnetic music with Amara. I barely notice the guy staring me down across the bar. Amara catches me in the side with a spark of fire magic, causing me to jump and spin to face her.

“Em, please tell me you see the hot flutter thing across the bar! He is so yummy I could eat him as a second slice of cake tonight,” she says and starts to dance again while staring at said candy down over my shoulder.

I hiss through my teeth and rub my burnt hip.

I decided to ignore him. “I really just want to spend today with you and Brooks. You’re all I need! You know that.”

Amara rolls her eyes, dancing to the music. “Yeah I get that I’m your twin flame, you know you’re my everything but you also deserve some fun tonight. Look at him, he’s sooooo fine! You deserve to get treated like a princess today.” She grabs me by the hips and I thought she was just going to sway with me, but instead forces me to spin around.

I continue to dance and finally look at said eye candy, Amara and I swaying together. I stare at his forearms, which are leaned over the bar. They show his tight fitting black leathers and extremely toned arms. He must be twice the size of every faerie in here tonight. Definitely one of the largest faerie’s I’ve ever seen.

I take in his hair. His hair is shaggy and luscious, a navy blue so dark it’s almost black. When the faerie lights catch it, the blue shines through in a way most would drool over. Then I gaze at his full lips, straight nose and high cheekbones.

Wow.

Amara was so right about the eye candy being a total second slice of birthday cake. I decide what the star, and meet his icey blue stare.

My entire body seizes in Amara’s grip with an electric current and I feel the stars align above. I can feel Amara’s rising emotions of concern and fear, but he’s the only thing I see in the entire room right now.

Our mating bond just locked into place.

Panic settles in and I bolt for the exit.