Tomorrow's Eternity (Magic)

Deanna watched the king and her friend Katalina from across the room, feigning sleep so that they wouldn't notice her. It was so obvious that they had feelings for each other, but they were both idiots. Lina was hot-headed, often going off at the drop of a hat over something minor - though she was getting better at controlling her temper, and Kael, well... Deanna was convinced that he just liked to provoke the younger girl.

They were going at it right now, in fact, although Lina certainly had a right to her anger this time. His Majesty, King Mikael, had teased her just a little too far. The red-headed girl had been good about it through the dinner, smiling tightly and pretending like everything was okay, but as soon as the guests - especially the remainder of the royal family - had left the dining hall, she had turned her piercing green gaze to Kael, and all hell had broken loose.

Deanna, all the way across the room, at the far end of the table where she'd retired during dessert to chat with their younger friends, could see Kael's gulp when he knew he'd crossed the line. They'd all spent a lot of time together since Katalina had arrived from across the veil that bordered the Realms with her Terra, and he'd learned a lot about the Russian girl. Enough to know better than to scoff at the delicately embroidered flowers on the cuffs of her sleeves.

Of course, Lina shouldn't have embroidered the flowers in the first place, since she'd used some of her magic in the embroidery. The thread had once been alive, flax or cotton, she couldn't recall which, and it had reacted most unusually. That is to say, of course, that the flowers had grown, bloomed, died, and repeated the cycle. It was an interesting fashion statement, but one that would not be wise to show off in front of the royal family, who were loyalists to the Legends, the ruling body that governed the life mages.

Deanna and Katalina were the enemies of Legends. Mortalisars, life mages who shunned the strict rules of the Legends, or, in Lina's case, who were not born to the realms. While she had native blood, she had spent her life until now on the Terran side, where it had been influenced by the life force of her birth realm.

Katalina was, to the minds of the Legends, an abomination, a curse, a plague upon the land. One who, if found, must be removed at all costs.

And that, of course, is what Kael had so stupidly said to her as soon as the royal family was gone. As if the girl needed any more reminders that her presence was a danger to them all, especially to her own life.

Even worse that she'd had a damned prophecy foisted on her by Deanna's grandfather.