Prologue
SOMEONE VERY WELL COULD HAVE CAUGHT HIM, but Oliver was quiet. He kept to himself, with his daughter holding his coat pocket. Reverie looked just like him, thankfully, and nothing like her mother— they had the same straight eyebrows, the long nose, the dark hair and eyes. They even had a triangle-shaped face, sharp features that made Oliver look very threatening.
Snow fell across the sidewalk, as Oliver urged Reverie to stay in front of him. They were both shivering— neither were good at regulating body temperature. It was late for Reverie to be out, five o’ clock. She usually ate dinner by now, but Oliver had her run an errand with him for some quality time.
Reverie pulled on his sleeve, dark eyes shining with eagerness. She pointed at a pink bomber jacket in the thrift shop window. She leaned in close to Oliver, as he crouched down to her level. Her voice was barely heard over the winter winds, as the two of them huddled beneath the thrift shop roof for cover against the snowflakes. She shivered. “Papa, can I get the jacket?”
Oliver bit his chapped lips. He didn’t have time to go into the thrift shop. Besides, they were running late as it is. However, if he waited till after dinner... “I’ll make you a deal. You eat all your dinner tonight, and the jacket will be in your closet when you wake up.”
Reverie pouted, staring at the ground. She thought about it for a second, tilting her head to the side. “Mmm… fine.”
“That’s my girl!” He laughed, ruffling her hair. Reverie scowled, slapping at his hand. She tried to hide a smile, but it was obvious she was amused by her father’s antics. Just a little playful time, before the professionals got to talking.
“Now, I need you to be very quiet while I-” Oliver was cut off by his phone ringing. He flipped it open, and put a finger to his lips, quirking a smile.
Reverie copied his actions.
“Love, where’s Reverie? I just got back from work and she isn’t at home.” He could hear the scowl in Cleo’s voice. There was also the sound of her mumbling something under her breath, and a cat’s little meow.
“She’s with me, my darling.”
“I told you not to call me that!” He could also hear the smile in Cleo’s voice. He put the phone on speaker, so Reverie could hear her mother.
“But, my darling. Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling, Clementine. You were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorrow, Clementine!” He sang, watching as Reverie giggled at his horrible singing. It used to be a song his grandfather sang for his mother, and then eventually it became his for his whole family.
“Reverie, sweetheart, let me tell you something. If I ever hear you singing that to anyone I’ll maim ’em. That song is reserved for only Freddy Quinn to sing only. The only reason your father gets a pass is cause I love him.”
“But, mama,” Reverie drawled, putting a hand to her head like she was a lady from the 20’s. “In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine. Lived a miner forty-niner-”
“And his daughter, Clementine!” Reverie and Oliver finished together, laughing as Cleo cried in frustration. A woman across the street smiled at them, holding her girlfriend’s hand. Reverie and Oliver smiled at the couple, before going back to their call with Cleo.
A man in a top hat scowled at them. Sucks to be him.
“Oh my gosh, stop it!” Cleo whined on the other line, letting in a large ‘oof’ as Oliver guessed that their cat, Hera, had found her way onto Cleo’s stomach. “Damn cat.”
“Are you gonna make dinner tonight?” Oliver asked, picking Reverie up and holding her with his left arm. She was small enough that he could still do that, thankfully. She giggled, playing with the ends of his Hufflepuff scarf.
“Nope,” Cleo said, popping the p. “I was hoping you’d drop Rev off and get some take out. Maybe we could watch Tangled again?”
“Yeah, we’re almost by the house anyways.” Oliver laughed, adjusting Reverie so she could wrap her arms around his neck. Kinda. “What do you wanna eat?”
“Mm, ask Rev.”
Reverie, who was listening in, smiled brightly. “McDonalds! And papa, can we watch Harry Potter instead?”
“Yeah, why not. Cleo, I might be a little late picking up food cause I have something to do. You guys can start the movie without me.” Oliver laughed. “Which one, sweetie?”
“Uhm, Prisoner of Azka- uhm. Azkaban?” Reverie raised an eyebrow at Oliver, waiting for him to correct her. “The one with the dog.”
“Mm, Cleo, you heard that? Prisoner of Azkaban sound alright to you?” Oliver raised the phone to his mouth, so Cleo could hear him.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s alright. By the way, I can see you guys through the window.”
And they could see her. Cleo was waving a hand to the two through their apartment window, Hera in her lap. Cleo was changed into her pajamas with a blanket stolen from their bed wrapped around her.
Reverie and Oliver waved back.
Oliver hung up. He set Reverie down, and reached into his back pocket. Fishing the apartment key from his jeans, he flashed a smile and crouched down to Reverie’s level. “Go up to mama, okay? Take the key, just in case.”
“Mmkay, papa.”
Oliver watched Reverie rush up the stairs before he turned. He had business he needed to finish, before anyone got hurt. Hopefully, before anyone got hurt.
Oliver flashed a smile at a passerby, as he finally entered the thrift shop. Trinkets and other little knick-knacks. There was one specific thing he was looking for, which should have just been placed her.
Specifically, where the spell books were.
Oliver was by no means a witch— just your average Alchenum who was involved in the witching market. He had many connections, known by many as the Black Caeli. A strange nickname, to most people, but it fit, considering what he could do.
Luckily, this thrift shop was owned by a witch who traded in the witching market; all the old man wanted in exchange for Oliver’s business here being a few Youth Potions and a six pack of beer once a month. No one else should have been in this store at the time.
Oliver checked each and every book— yet none had the lime green cover he was looking for. It was not a book about witching magic, rather the powers of his own kind, the Alcheni. A book that, in the wrong hands, could very well mean the end of the universe.
Oliver, finally, found the book he looked for. Frayed at the edges, he flipped to the first few pages.
Many creatures live within this world, including Alcheni, who are known for controlling an element specific to their bloodline. You’re reading this to learn more about your heritage, but this book is not about that. This book is about a specific ritual called Restoration, requiring all four types of Alcheni to replicate.
He closed the book shut. Who knows what was watching him at the moment, as he sat and read this book. He needed to get this to a safe place, but first, he needed a spell done.
“Tim,” Oliver called, reaching the counter. Tim, the shop owner, was half asleep. In his hand was a bottle of liquor. His eyes fluttered, and he muttered something incoherent as he realized who was there.
“Hm, yer nade somethin’?” Tm had a bit of an Irish accent, as he always claimed he was born and raised in Ireland. Oliver always had a feeling he wasn’t but that was beside the point.
Tim stood up straight, eyes wide at the sight of the book.
“I need you to put a spell on this,” Oliver waved the book in Tim’s face. “Make it look like a fairytale book.”
“An’ what do oi git in return?” Tim took a large gulp from the half-empty liquor bottle, making a sour face at the taste.
Oliver rummaged in his pockets. “Fifty bucks.” He slammed two twenties and a ten on the counter. “Nothing higher.
“Yeah, yeah,” Tim waved his hand. He muttered something in latin underneath his breath, as well as waving his hand in what looked like an infinity symbol. The infinity symbol did appear in the air, faintly glowing silver. The green of the cover slowly faded into a pretty pink with a princess on the front, holding a sword with a shield in her other hand. Across the cover, words appeared. Adventures of Princess Alexandria.
Oliver nodded. This was fine.
“Betcha Revie ’ill loike it.” Tim pushed the book into Oliver’s hands.
Not only did Reverie get a new book to read, but also the bomber jacket she wanted.
