smelled lemon and mint. “We’ll see.”
“That we will,” she said ominously.
“Sometimes you are really scary.” The liquid slid down my throat and soothed my ills. I wouldn’t put it past her to have slipped something healing into my tea.
“I take that as the highest compliment.”
I set my cup down and studied the woman in front of me. She was non-traditionally beautiful. High cheekbones and vivid violet eyes set off a heart shaped face. Long, ebony hair normally contained behind her hooded robes fell across her shoulders and down to her waist in waves. She was thin—
thinner than she should be
, I thought. How someone that small had so much power in her frame was a wonder. Not that Maleficent was in any way petite—six-foot tall was not petite—but her small frame belied her strength.
I leaned forward. “Everything okay?” She looked tired and drawn.
She sighed. “It will be as it is meant to be.”
Which told me nothing at all. I snorted. “Really? Cryptic much?”
She laughed lightly. “The trouble is not yet at my door, child. It is not the time to worry about such things. You, on the other hand, have a nose for finding craziness.”
I let it go for the moment. “I suppose I do. By the way, thanks for that dramatic rescue.”
“I couldn’t let the best entertainment I’ve had in years die on me, now could I?” Her tone was light but expectant.
“Just entertainment? I would have hated to leave behind a good friend without saying goodbye.”
Color filled her cheeks. “Friend?”
“How could you think otherwise, Maleficent?”
She lowered her gaze. “I do not make…friends.” She waved her hand, as if trying to clear the nasty word out of the air.
“Too bad. You’ve saved me more times than I can count. You’re stuck with me. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to return the favor.”
She lifted her violet gaze to mine. “Do not be so flippant about that last sentence, child, for it shall come to pass sooner than you want.”
I flinched. “Maleficent. Tell me. What kind of trouble are you in?”
She set her tea cup down hard enough to crack the delicate china. “I know not. I feel this…weight upon my shoulders.” Maleficent stood, walked over to her fireplace, and fiddled with the knick-knacks scattered across it. “I’ve done horrible things in my time—things that weigh upon my conscience and haunt my dreams.”
She turned to me, her face haunted and stark. “Those deeds will come back and sit upon my doorstep. I don’t know which ones or how they will be delivered, but I fear my darkest hour will be upon me soon.”
“I will be here. For you. Promise you will call upon me when your need arises.”
Her shoulders dropped an inch, as if relieved by my response. She really was not used to having any friends. Maleficent turned to me. “What use could a small human be when sorcerers and magic are involved?” She scoffed. “You would be crushed beneath the weight of the power on its way.”
I crossed my arms. “You’re trying to push me away.”
“I am trying to protect you.”
“Don’t,” I said shortly. “This is what friends do.”
Maleficent raised one eyebrow. “They die?”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. “Hopefully not. But…maybe. Dying to save a friend is honorable, don’t you think?”
“No.” She turned away. “It’s not honorable. It’s selfish.”
I was confused. “Selfish?” I repeated. “I would die for a cause, Maleficent. I would
willingly
walk into hellfire and burn alive for my friends.”
“You are a foolish child.” She knocked over one of the small metal dragon statues on top of her fireplace with her fingertip.
“No,” I said, “I’m just your friend.”
When she didn’t respond, I let myself out of the house for awhile.
People said a lot of things about Maleficent, but they couldn’t deny she had style. I stepped outside expecting to see a rustic old cabin in the middle of the woods
“That we will,” she said ominously.
“Sometimes you are really scary.” The liquid slid down my throat and soothed my ills. I wouldn’t put it past her to have slipped something healing into my tea.
“I take that as the highest compliment.”
I set my cup down and studied the woman in front of me. She was non-traditionally beautiful. High cheekbones and vivid violet eyes set off a heart shaped face. Long, ebony hair normally contained behind her hooded robes fell across her shoulders and down to her waist in waves. She was thin—
thinner than she should be
, I thought. How someone that small had so much power in her frame was a wonder. Not that Maleficent was in any way petite—six-foot tall was not petite—but her small frame belied her strength.
I leaned forward. “Everything okay?” She looked tired and drawn.
She sighed. “It will be as it is meant to be.”
Which told me nothing at all. I snorted. “Really? Cryptic much?”
She laughed lightly. “The trouble is not yet at my door, child. It is not the time to worry about such things. You, on the other hand, have a nose for finding craziness.”
I let it go for the moment. “I suppose I do. By the way, thanks for that dramatic rescue.”
“I couldn’t let the best entertainment I’ve had in years die on me, now could I?” Her tone was light but expectant.
“Just entertainment? I would have hated to leave behind a good friend without saying goodbye.”
Color filled her cheeks. “Friend?”
“How could you think otherwise, Maleficent?”
She lowered her gaze. “I do not make…friends.” She waved her hand, as if trying to clear the nasty word out of the air.
“Too bad. You’ve saved me more times than I can count. You’re stuck with me. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to return the favor.”
She lifted her violet gaze to mine. “Do not be so flippant about that last sentence, child, for it shall come to pass sooner than you want.”
I flinched. “Maleficent. Tell me. What kind of trouble are you in?”
She set her tea cup down hard enough to crack the delicate china. “I know not. I feel this…weight upon my shoulders.” Maleficent stood, walked over to her fireplace, and fiddled with the knick-knacks scattered across it. “I’ve done horrible things in my time—things that weigh upon my conscience and haunt my dreams.”
She turned to me, her face haunted and stark. “Those deeds will come back and sit upon my doorstep. I don’t know which ones or how they will be delivered, but I fear my darkest hour will be upon me soon.”
“I will be here. For you. Promise you will call upon me when your need arises.”
Her shoulders dropped an inch, as if relieved by my response. She really was not used to having any friends. Maleficent turned to me. “What use could a small human be when sorcerers and magic are involved?” She scoffed. “You would be crushed beneath the weight of the power on its way.”
I crossed my arms. “You’re trying to push me away.”
“I am trying to protect you.”
“Don’t,” I said shortly. “This is what friends do.”
Maleficent raised one eyebrow. “They die?”
I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. “Hopefully not. But…maybe. Dying to save a friend is honorable, don’t you think?”
“No.” She turned away. “It’s not honorable. It’s selfish.”
I was confused. “Selfish?” I repeated. “I would die for a cause, Maleficent. I would
willingly
walk into hellfire and burn alive for my friends.”
“You are a foolish child.” She knocked over one of the small metal dragon statues on top of her fireplace with her fingertip.
“No,” I said, “I’m just your friend.”
When she didn’t respond, I let myself out of the house for awhile.
People said a lot of things about Maleficent, but they couldn’t deny she had style. I stepped outside expecting to see a rustic old cabin in the middle of the woods
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