Hanging in the Stars

Chapter Two

Two days have passed since the masquerade ball. Nikolas Isles resides in the old Isle Mansion with his family in the hidden cusp between the main city and the outside – Mala Fide, everyone called it. Passerbyes claimed that there were strange sightings in the area, with the graveyard sitting a few kilometers away and the size of the house towering over most with the power held inside. The house wasn't as big as people describe it to be, but it was large enough for a well-renowned family of magicians to live in, which includes the servants and guests it needs to fill. However, no matter how golden the gates were painted to be, the haunting demeanor of the house remained in the crisp stillness of the air.

Nikolas was left in the study, occupied by his thoughts while he was sent to work on his act for the performance on Sunday. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, rummaging through the top hidden drawer of the desk that was gifted to him years ago. He clicked another button and the small compartment popped open and inside held the key to the cabinet where he kept all of the tricks he knew. It was the fact that even the servants around the house didn't know that it was real, that their tricks that seemed far too impossible, were not just a play on the mind. Nikolas flicked his right hand in the air to open a light while he reached for the letter on his desk with his left. He had been pacing back and forth in front of his desk for the past few days, wondering if it had been written well enough to be sent. Only his cousin knew of it and only his cousin was close enough to trust with that knowledge, if anyone knew that he was planning to rekindle the old arrangement he had with Beatrice Dair, he would be sent on stage to conjure a fire for him to step into.

He wondered what he was doing, staring at the piece of paper. Nikolas let out a sigh before tucking the letter back in the drawer. "I should be practicing," he told himself. Then he looked down at the silver key in his hand, fiddling it as he watched it go through and around his fingers. "Practicing, yeah..." He took a seat and spun his chair to face the window, where sunlight passed through to light up the family emblem, carved on the back of the table leg.

Two years ago he found out he could create anything he wanted, and one of those included a crack between the walls. The paint on the wall underneath his window looked perfect for that back then, the small chip of white paint covering the place for a keyhole. Nikolas flipped the key he had in hand and inserted the bow of the key into the hole. This should work. He twisted it to the right and he heard the beauty of the click. He knew how he was going to spend the rest of the day, and it was going to be spent walking down memory lane. He was going to stop whatever plan his parents and the Dairs had discussed during the ball. "I'll probably perfect the act without practice, anyway," he chuckled.

There was a knock on the door. His cousin, Akeno Ikari, in his likeness with his cousin opened the door immediately after and walked in. He was a year older than Nikolas and inherited more traits and features from his mother's side (the Isles' side of the family), thus making it easier for the public to believe that he was related to the one and only. Nikolas jumped on his feet the second he heard his cousin step in. He told Akeno many things others didn't know, but one thing he swore secrecy to himself was kept in that one compartment within the walls.

He kept his hands behind his back to hide the key and his hands moving to conjure a spell to close and lock the compartment, Akeno's eyes sharp enough to catch notice of it if Nikolas wasn't careful enough. Then he noticed the rose his cousin had in his hand and grinned. "Is that for me? That's very sweet of you, Akeno, really, though I don't need any more flowers." He gestured to the vase beside the door, which was right next to the collection of "welcome home" bouquets.

Akeno laughed and threw the rose on Nikolas's desk. "If you're sending a love letter, might as well send her flowers, Nikolas."

"Great point," he said wryly. "But close the door." Nikolas crossed his arms and kept the key hidden in a fist, running a finger on the grooves of the metal to make it disappear slowly. Once it was gone, he let out a breath of relief, watching his cousin lock the door.

"I have two things to say," Akeno started. "One, I will be accompanying you later on a horse during the show, wooing the audience like always. And two, don't send the letter to Beatrice."

Confused by his change of tone, Nikolas shook his head. "But you insisted that I send it."

Akeno stepped closer to lower his voice and deny his cousin's claims. "I told you to find out if they were going to take away your magic if you lost, never said anything about teaming up with Miss Princess of Vegas."

"I've done it before, however," he argued. "Didn't face a knife to a throat because of it, so I don't see anything wrong with-"

Akeno reached behind Nikolas's ear and performed the simple trick of "conjuring" a coin. "I don't have your abilities, Nikolas, and I wouldn't risk it because you think she's worthy of your trust. Next thing you know, you'd have the knife through your back." He stepped back and flicked the coin up in the air. "Just a little advice, because all of us would be thrown to the streets the second the Dairs win."

Nikolas scoffed, "And it isn't better that no one wins at all and we both get to keep our magic? And who's to say that they're going to win?" He knew that Akeno didn't trust his abilities because he believes that Nikolas could've saved his father in London, despite telling him several times that saving a person from a fire was beyond his abilities. He was a magician for goodness sake.

Akeno stopped at the door, his hand hovering above the brass doorknob while he hesitated with his response. Nikolas leaned on his desk and irritatingly waited for an answer.

"I'll be in the tents, if you need me." Akeno unlocked the door and stepped out without turning back. Nikolas was back where he started, left alone in his study uncertain about a letter.

He summoned the key back in his hands, the particles of the silver appearing slowly in his left palm. I should've started this days ago. He pressed the key into the top drawer and quickly turned it open. The sharp sound of its click revealed the contents it was meant to hide. Nikolas looked at the stack of papers in awe of the memories. The tabloids, the notebooks, the pens, they were all stacked neatly with a date and name written on top. June 13th, 1939– Nancy and Anthony Gamble.

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A/N
SORRY FOR THE MISTAKES hehe Im not at home rn and yeah. Also if this chapter is shorter, it's because idk y I'm trying to make it long when I myself hate reading long chapters 😰💀