Alice's Point of View
Since her cover was blown anyway, Alice attended a few more meetings of the Reka Fan Club, but didn't learn much, mostly praise and trivial information. Alice asked leading questions a few times if the members felt a "spark" or "something strange" when they were around Reka but they took it completely the wrong way.
"Alice, sweetie, do you perhaps have a crush on Reka?" Olivia had asked her.
Mortifying...
With the semester over, she spent her winter break learning how to be Alice Glass, wondering if she could work up the courage to go back to the Fan Club when classes started again.
It would be suspicious if I stopped coming, but the ways these girls jump to conclusions has to be studied! How can I face them?
Alice Glass, like the Alice she had been before being summoned to another world, didn't have a lot of friends, and not much free time either.
She was a marketing major, which was a lot more work than she expected, with plenty of statistics for market research and surprisingly in-depth projects where they planned social media campaigns for various brands, real and imaginary. She got her exercise in the fencing club, and worked at the Ratt, ie. Rattinger's Pizzeria. That was her life now.
Alice missed the other world. Alice missed Darthaniel. If only they could speak one last time, she would've forgiven him. God, she was so lonely. It'd been over a year and she was still pining for the guy that led her on for years and ultimately betrayed her. The few friends Alice Glass had felt hollow. Her real friends were dead at the hands of the cursed Demon Queen. Earth didn't feel like her world anymore.
Could anyone blame her for holding fast to this single trace of magic? She wasn't a stalker! Or, at least, she didn't feel like one. Reka and Brad's magic bond was pretty much the only concrete proof Alice had that her time in the other world wasn't just a dream or a hallucination. She didn't want to let that part of her go just yet. She wasn't ready to just be Alice Glass the college student. Alice was a hero, the Hero.
When the new semester started back up Alice was putting in yet another shift at the Ratt, bringing drunk students and townies their overpriced, greasy pizza. Brad and Reka hadn't been back, but she noticed Reka's friend Julie come in with a man she didn't recognize.
Just her luck, they were seated at a table she wasn't responsible for, but she was able to catch bits and pieces of their conversation when she passed buy.
"Well, Alex, you've finally got me here, make your case," Julie said confidently.
Alice didn't quite catch his reply, but noticed Alex's thick eyebrows dancing animatedly in her peripheral vision. He looked like he was pitching something to an investor, or maybe that was her marketing brain interpreting it.
On another pass she heard Alex bragging, "Yeah I've got a pretty big role at Stardust City, and they're bringing me on full time once my dissertation goes through, big raise and everything."
Julie was hearing him out, but Alice could tell, as another girl, Alex was fumbling this date. Julie looked way more interested in the pizza than him. A part of her wanted to feel bad for him, but he seemed like a sore loser.
When Alice was refreshing the drinks at a nearby table she froze when she clearly heard Julie say "Reka".
"What the hell did Reka say about me?" Alex demanded loudly. Even in the chaotic restaurant, people noticed, people looked. The two of them argued quietly after that and Alice couldn't catch any more.
They left separately and Alice wanted to follow, but she still had two more hours to closing. Alex had some kind of issue with Reka; maybe he knew something.
Alice had already written Julie off as a potential lead. The friendship was too close, it would be like talking to a more chill version of the Fan Club. So far, everybody who knew Reka loved Reka, everybody but one. What did Alex know that everyone else didn't?
With a little internet stalking she was able to get a decent amount of information. Alex Kagan was a grad student in nuclear engineering, same as Reka, and had worked with Brad before, both at Stardust City and on a research project.
So he has connections to both of them? Ominous.
After a moment of thought, Alice dismissed that line of reasoning. Reka and Brad were obviously a package deal, to know one was to know the other. She needed a way to get Alex alone, to get him talking.
Should she ask him on a date? After that disaster with Julie it was obvious Alex was single.
Alice Glass wasn't terrible looking, a skinny blonde coed now, one of many at their school. It would've been nice if she managed to retain the silver hair and larger bust she had in the other world, but life wasn't fair.
She felt terrible about the idea. After being used by Darthaniel for so long, could she use somebody else? She wasn't really interested in Alex, not like that, but she needed the information. Alice would ask him out...sometime.
***********
Reka's Point of View
Three in the morning, the witching hour, was the time Reka determined this world had the least resistance to magic. It wasn't a huge difference, but there were definite cycles, something to do with the sun and moon, the tides and stars. The subtle emanations of these bodies created a penumbra, that is, a shadow in the deep magic, or physics of the sphere they called Earth.
It had been difficult to sooth Brad to sleep this night, even after thoroughly draining him in their lovemaking. The time her love had been dreading was upon them: nuclear reactor physics, notoriously the hardest class in the major, cast a shadow of its own over his life. Worst of all, that damnable warlock Alex Kagan had contrived events such that he was leading her poor boyfriend's recitation session. Well, no matter. She would redouble her efforts and make sure Brad would receive from her all the help he wasn't going to get from Alex.
That pest was really trying her patience. It had been almost a year since she arrived in this world and Reka had yet to slay a foe. The warlock just needed to give her a reason beyond petty annoyance. The time to reveal herself to the world was not yet. It would have to be done quietly, secretly.
With a bit of mind control and altering of records Reka had managed to convince the landlord that the empty apartment across from them was occupied, preserving it for her own purposes. It was here that she stored her supply of sacrificial rats, and the box. The precious box that her first gift from Brad came in now had acceptable magic circles covering the inner walls. Arcane spirals and runes glowed softly pink in the dim room.
Reka reached for a rat, holding it firmly and eased her dagger under it's soft white throat. Blood splattered the magic circles, making them glow brighter as they greedily drank the sacrifice's life force.
Soon, Reka thought. Soon she would be able to use this box for proper magic, the kind that lasted. In a sealed container she already had a few of the prototype containment crystals meant for Stardust City. Her magic would stabilize them, alter them beyond the limits of the deep magic, and allow the mystic process of fusion to continue in a controlled manner. Unlimited power...
The blood disappeared, fully absorbed in the magic circles. Reka reached for another rat. She would spend an hour at this each night. The favorable conditions of the witching hour allowed her to minimize time away from Brad. With the rough day he had, she really couldn't justify more than that. Steadily and by degrees, her magic box would be fully charged by the summer, ready to advance her plans to the next stage.
When the final rat bled out at three fifty nine Reka took a garbage bag full of sacrificial corpses out to the dumpster, thoroughly washed herself, and slipped back into bed with Brad. His back had a faint sheen of sweat. She kissed it, tasting his stress, his anxiety, and his need for her. Molding herself to him, she silently promised that all would be well.
Later that morning, after walking Brad to his first class of the day, Reka met Julie for a "brunch date" at a cafe where they would eat chocolate croissants, sip coffee, and engage in "girl talk". It would be an amusing enough diversion while her boyfriend was occupied.
Reka was instantly alert when Julie looked a little guilty.
What did you do, apothecary?
"So," Julie said hesitantly, "I went on a date last night."
"You obtained a boyfriend?" Reka asked anxiously. This was sub-optimal, if true. Reka had plans for Julie, but she couldn't countenance keeping her apart from a boyfriend for any length of time. It would be hypocritical.
Julie waved her off. "No, no, it was a bad date, definitely a last date."
Reka sat back, allowing herself to relax a little. She sipped her coffee-
"-with Alex Kagan," Julie said softly.
She almost choked, but mastered herself in time and forced the hot liquid down her throat. "Julie, how could you?" Reka was stunned. Was there nothing of hers this awful warlock would not try to sully with his presence?
"He was really persistent, kept pestering me for a date for over a month. I'm really single," she said darkly, "so I gave him a chance, just one chance."
"And?" Reka pressed her.
"Arrogant asshole," Julie described, "all he ever did was talk about himself and what I could do for him, as if he deserved it, almost the exact opposite of the way Brad is with you." Julie laughed a little. "That's Alex, he's like the anti-Brad."
Reka could only agree. Her love's devotion and obedience to her would be well-rewarded in the fullness of time. Moreover, it was his gratitude that made him worthy. To this day, Brad felt that he didn't deserve to be with Reka at all. It was charming, but also a little sad. She wanted to reassure him, to let him know how special he was to her.
"Oh, and he asked about you," Julie added. "Wanted to know what you were doing with all those rats."
Could it be? Does he know? Reka worried.
"And what did you tell him?" she asked carefully.
"Blew him off!" said Julie boldly, "told him it was none of his business. The date didn't last long after that."
Reka felt relieved at that, but then a nasty thought emerged from the depths of her mind.
Inquiring about my activities was his objective all along; once that failed he left swiftly. This is concerning.
Alex Kagan just kept sniffing around: first herself, then Brad, and now Julie. What did he want? The warlock's interest troubled her greatly.
"Well, I regret your date did not go well," Reka said magnanimously, "though I can't say I approve of your choice in company. Alex Kagan vexes me greatly."
"I know, I know," Julie acknowledged. "But I've been single since undergrad, and seeing what you and Brad have drives me crazy sometimes."
Reka didn't quite follow. "Drives you crazy?"
"You guys are just so perfect," Julie said, frustration apparent in her voice. "It's like a daily reminder that true love is real. I want that for me. Where is my person, Reka?"
Matters of cosmic destiny were beyond even one such as Reka Fekete. She had little guidance to bestow, so settled for encouragement, "I am sure you will find your love when the time is right."
Julie sighed, munching on her chocolate croissant. "I hope so, Reka. I hope so."
Reka muttered a few more words of comfort, but inwardly she was seething. The next time Alex Kagan crossed her would be the last time.
Just give me an excuse, warlock!