Chapter 22
A Decaying Masquerade
Owen's POV
"Owen, talk to me." Mister Xanatos looked at me.
"Alexander's birthday is tomorrow." I said.
"I see." He said.
"No, you don't. It's been 5 years and she's not home! The last time I saw her, we fought. Alexander keeps waiting for her and she never comes back! I wish I could see her again, tell her how sorry I am…" The fire fueling my anger went out and left me cold again. "The worst part is that I feel her magic sometimes. Not long enough to find her, but enough to know she's alive."
"She can't keep this up." Xanatos said.
"That's what you said 5 years ago." I told him.
"I wasn't ready for her." He frowned.
"I know." I said.
Owen's POV End
Talia's POV
I retched in the bathroom David set aside for the party guests. This was a bad idea. The magic, it's overwhelming. And… Alex had grown so big. I almost broke when I saw him. I shouldn't have come. I stuck my finger down my throat and finally threw up. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I washed my hands and went toward the elevator.
"Miss Winters?" Owen asked.
"I can't stay any longer. I feel unwell." I told him.
"Allow me to escort you to the lobby." He said.
"No, you'll just miss the party." I refused.
"I must insist." He told me.
"Fine…" I frowned.
The elevator came and we got in. My magic strained to out. I forced it down. Owen watched me warily. I gave a weak smile. My resolve was weakening. I craved my father's magic. I almost let my hard work go to waste. I can't ever come back. The doors opened and Owen led me to the door. He'd never let me go if he knew who he just let leave. I let Rachel take her body back and sat in my corner. This was my life now. Never feeling the sun on my skin again because I fought with my dad.
Talia's POV End
Puck's POV
"Alright, kid, what story do you want tonight?" I asked.
"I want Tai's stories." He whispered.
"You know that's not possible." I frowned.
"Why does she hate me?" Alex frowned.
"She doesn't! She's just… stubborn." I said, choosing a book for Alex.
It was a gift from that author that who left early. I opened it and raised my eyebrow. "To the ones who can't go home." I sighed a little. Please come home, little trickster. I miss you so much.
I read to Alex and found myself angry at how it reminded me of Talia. It felt just like her, especially the humor. I couldn't let myself hope she wrote this. I tucked him in and went to Talia's room. It was exactly how it was when she left. I picked her toy fox up and pretended. Pretended my baby was in my arms.
Puck's POV End
David's POV
"This is total and utter bullshit." I said to Fox.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"She's still alive. He would have saved her otherwise. She can't keep this up. She needs Puck's lessons." I explained.
"She must have found some way to recharge her magic without him." She said.
I thought. "O-WEN!" I ran out of the room.
David's POV End
Talia's POV
Rachel drank her sixth beer to cope with all the stress we had. It never helped. It wasn't fun anymore. I wanted to go home, but I was gone too long. Rachel stumbled over to the safe, opening it.
"No! Do you him to find us?" I asked her.
"Be better than this shit." She mumbled before choosing and turned the iron dagger, Fae Slayer, toward our throat.
"Don't fucking kill me!" I took control and put Slayer back and locked the safe.
I went to bed shaking.
Talia's POV End
Owen's POV
"You think Talia's surrounding herself with magical artifacts or going to Avalon?" I asked.
"Yes." Mister Xanatos nodded.
"So, we just have to find a large concentration of artifacts or wait for her to leave and find where she lives through the magic Avalon leaves behind." I pursed my lips.
"Basically." He reaffirmed.
"She has to have a job so she can't stay in Avalon for long." I said, not considering the second worse option. She can't be homeless.
"It's all we've got to go on." David said.
"Thank you, sir." I told him honestly.
Owen's POV End
Talia's POV
I typed our new novel, pausing to drink my latte.
"Talia, let me write." Rachel repeated.
"No, you're going to get Dad." I replied.
"I won't. I promise." She lied.
"A dark roast with extra cream." Owen's voice stabbed my ears.
I looked and saw David was right behind him. There was no denying that my fathers were here. Why were they in Portland? Wait, business, I guess.
I waited until they left and found I couldn't work anymore.
Talia's POV End
Puck's POV
"Maybe we should search this state again. She likes it here." I told Owen.
"And how do you purpose we find her?" He asked.
"Maybe we can get some Moly…" I thought.
"The rare herb which negates Fae transformations used by Odysseus against Circe and her magic. How exactly are we supposed to use it if we can't touch it?" Owen asked.
"Alex." I said. "All we gotta do is piggyback off of Xanatos' plan and bam! We have our baby back."
"I will bring it up." Owen sipped his coffee.
I smiled.
Puck's POV End
Talia's POV
I smelt Alex's magic long before I saw him and I nearly threw up right then and there. He didn't know how lucky he was. Being able to do magic.
"Rachel?" My agent whispered.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"You need a break?" She asked.
"I… Yeah." I shook my empty water bottle.
She took care of the crowd while I went to the bathroom and tossed my lunch. I squeezed my eyes shut and took some Advil. I took out my four leaf clover and turned my socks inside out. I felt sicker than before. My magic cringed at the charms I was using and wanted me to fix it right away. I didn't. I went back out and sat back down. I was given a new water bottle. I signed books and took selfies. It was getting close the end of the meeting. Maybe they left because he got bored.
"And who do I make this out to?" I opened the book in front of me.
"Me, Alex Xanatos." He smiled.
"Re-really?" I felt my mouth dry up.
"Yeah." He nodded.
My hand shook and I could barely hide it. I gave it back to him.
"What do you like about my book?" I asked politely. I wanted to go back to the bus and drink all that vodka in the fridge.
"It reminded of my big sister, Talia. Do you know her? She has black hair and pretty green eyes." He told me.
"No, I don't know her." I was her. "But I'm glad you like my book."
He frowned a little.
"Alexander, what do you say to Miss Winters?" Owen asked.
"Thank you." He sighed and went with David and Fox.
"I'm terribly sorry about that. He still believes she's going to come home." Owen told me.
"It's been 5 years. She's probably dead." I said.
"Perhaps… I've always wondered why you dedicated the book to 'the ones who can't go home'." He asked.
"I… don't have the best relationship with my own family. It's been years since I've seen them. It's been too long." I looked away.
"Maybe you need to take a chance." Owen said. I looked up. "Mend the bridge before it's too late. You're about Talia's age. You're too young to have regrets like this." He had a pinprick of emotion in his voice.
"I know." I sighed.
"Talk to your family. They miss you more than you know." He was silent for a minute. "Have a good day, Miss Winters." He left.
I hit the booze so hard when I got back to the bus, I blacked out.
Talia's POV End
Owen's POV
My phone rang and I answered it out of habit. "Hello?"
The other end was silent. "Hello?"
"Daddy…" A tear choked voice whispered.
"Talia, where are you?" I asked, getting up.
"I've been a bad daughter." She sobbed.
"Sweetheart, tell me where you are. A landmark, street name, anything. We can talk when you come home." I ran to David's office.
"Alex got so big… Too big." She sniffed.
"No, no he hasn't. He's six years old. He's still a child. A child who misses his big sister." I slammed the door open and found him at his desk. He jumped at my sudden intrusion. "Talia, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ruined your dates. I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough father…" My voice cracked with emotion.
David started tracing the call.
"I miss everyone." Talia told me.
"They miss you too! Please come home. I need you home." My vision became blurry.
"I love you." She smiled.
"Talia, tell me where you are!" I yelled.
She hung up.
"Owen, keep it together. We still have a chance." David soothed.
"We don't have much time." I wiped the tears off my face.
"She called from Central Park." I looked at him. "My GPS is better than the ones on TV. You are to consider her in danger." He told me.
A whirlwind of magic over took me.
Owen's POV End
Elisa's POV
Matt and I were suddenly taken from our desks and were in Central Park. Puck was there with the Xanatos family and the both the Manhattan and Labyrinth clans.
"Alright, people, we don't have much time. Talia's somewhere around here. She just called less than 5 minutes ago. Look for a 22-23 year old girl who's being crying. And probably drunk." Puck gave us some buttons. "Press this if you find her. Now, go!"
We were all teleported to somewhere in the park.
Elisa's POV End
Puck's POV
I went back to the place where I first left her. She wasn't there. She's hiding as a human. She can't of gone far. I searched my area of the park. Everyone I saw didn't match what I said. Some were drunk, but the wrong age. Others were the right age, but sober. I took a breath and calmed down. Can't let my emotions get the better of me.
I grew anxious as the sky grew brighter. I sat on a bench and sighed. "Little trickster, don't break my heart like this."
The girl sitting on the bench next to me smelled of vodka. Wasn't she that author who Alex wanted to go see? Rachel Winters…
I began to sing Talia's lullaby. People around us became somber, but they didn't know why. I barely heard it, but Rachel was crying… and humming along. I forced myself to continue as Rachel's voice fell away and magic filled the air. We sang together as the sun rose.
"I'm so sorry, Daddy." Talia hugged me, sobbing.
"Shh, Sweetheart. Let's get you home." I kissed her cheek as my heart soared. She was finally back.
Puck's POV End
