Star Cursed

I cannot imagine a life without books. Without Father's stories of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, without pirate stories and fairy tales and poems. Without the hope of another way, of freedom and adventure beyond what we have here and now. How dark life would be.

I can’t see any other reason he would shut down the bookshop, unless it was to help you somehow. He loves books.' She gives me a tiny, owlish smile. 'He must love you more.

We’ll tell the nurses she’s a new student with an interest in nursing. They’ll be charmed.' Tess flips her braids over her should. 'I am particularly adorable today.

Countries are forged by war; perhaps girls are, too. New England and I will be reborn together in this war between the witches and the Brothers. Between Maura and me. I am newly wrought -- a girl of steel and snow and heartrending good-byes. My magic is renewed by my heartbreak. It spills out my fingertips, swirling around me. The wind picks up, bitter cold now. The rain turns abruptly to snow, haloing the gas streetlamps like iron angels. Enormous snowflakes begin to fall -- fast, faster -- obscuring my sister, hiding her and Brenna and the carriage and the gray stone building that has become my home. I am all alone in a sea of whirling white. It feels right that it should be so.

We talk a bit, until Tess is sufficiently calm, and then I take her upstairs and see her snuggled back into bed with Cyclops and one of Maura’s romance novels. Strange bedfellows, but both seem to comfort her, and it serves to remind me again that she is a strange mix of woman and child, carrying a burden far too heavy for her.

You, in the moonlight, in this library, in this dress--" His eyes rove over me, from my frothy pink skirts embroidered with dark pink roses, past the swell of my breasts, up to the creamy skin of my neck. My breath comes fast as his gaze lingers on my lips. He's barely touching me, but it feels as though he's already undressed me with his eyes. "Its the most beautiful thing. Like a dream." His voice is hoarse and full of wonder. "Then its my dream, too," I confess as I claim his lips with mine,

I fumble with the top button of his vest and, when it comes undone, tug at the next one. Finn catches my earlobes between his teeth. "Are you undressing me?" I shiver at his breath against my ear, achieving a third button. "Do you object?" "No." His voice a little hoarse as I remove his vest and toss it onto the floor along with his cloak.

Maura looks stunned, as though she's been slapped. "What about me? Don't you trust me?" She gives a hysterical little laugh. Tears are gathering in her blue eyes. "Let me guess: you think I'm reckless. 'Too easily ruled by my emotions,' Elena said. As though feeling things too deeply -- wanting more for myself and girls like us -- is so terrible!

I kiss him back. I am a wicked girl, after all.

I prefer to believe we have some hand in our fates, that our choices matter as much as our stars.