Chapter 481
Stella
I slept late the next morning. By the time I got up, morning sun was slanting brightly through the
window of my attic room. I watched the dust motes dancing in the beams for a long time. If I
concentrated, I could see right inside them, like each was a tiny little planet all on their own. I
imagined each one filled with civilizations, rising and falling. Maybe on one of them, a tiny Celestial,
all alone in her bed, was looking at the dust motes in her own sunbeamâ¦
âGah.â I sat up, shaking off those feelings. I was about to get lost in my mind. Maybe so deep I
wouldnât be able to get out.
Anyway, my stomach was rumbling. It seemed impossible that I could be hungry with my heart so
heavy, butâ¦no matter how many supernatural talents I could use, I was still in this body, and
apparently, this body needed to eat on a regular basis.
Iâd left my clothes from the night before in a pile on the floor. They stank of sweat and spilled beer,
with the faintest hint of the other odors that had filled The Silver Crescent. I wrinkled my nose but
tossed them into the hamper. I wasnât sure what to do about washing them.
Here was another thing I was having to learn about skipping from childhood right to adulthoodâwas
I going to have to do my own laundry?
I showered quickly, brushed my teeth, and dressed in a pair of flowered leggings with a long tunic
top. I paired this outfit with the same ballet flats from the night before. The mirror told me I looked
cute, but I didnât feel it. I looked tired.
Not feeling like putting on makeup, I used a little bit of energy to pink up my cheeks and darken my
eyelashes. Nothing too obvious, but at least I didnât look hungover anymore. I didnât want to have to
explain to my parents why my face was so haggard and drawn.
I could smell something good wafting from the kitchen as I went downstairs. I followed my nose
along the corridors, past closed doors, pausing to peek into any rooms with open ones. I couldâve
dug into the minds of the various staff members passing me on their way to their duties, or even into
my Dadâs or Papaâs, but I was trying not to overextend myself. Using powers on people without their
knowledge felt icky, but especially when it wasnât for their benefit, but only for mine.
Was I ever going to figure out how all of this was supposed to work? Shaking my head, I peered into
an open room that featured floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. It also had a nice fireplace, no fire lit now,
and a set of cozy looking armchairs facing it. Tall windows let in a lot of light, but sheer curtains
diffused it, making it soft. I stepped inside to take a closer look and let out a slow breath.
It was the library from inside my head. Right down to the scrolled woodwork on the arms of the
chairs and the floor lamp with the stained-glass shade. With my mouth open in wonder, I went to the
shelves and studied the books. I ran my finger along the spines.
The books here were different, anyway. Which made sense, since in my head, the books were a
construct Iâd imagined as a way of helping to catalog and coordinate the myriad of supernatural
powers I could access. Here, they were just books. Novels, non-fiction, even a few photo albums.
Intrigued, I pulled an album off the shelf and flipped through it. I recognized my grandma Gabriela
right away, even though she looked so much younger. She was smiling, happy, her arm linked
through a manâs. That must be my grandfather, Orion. I studied him closely. He didnât look evil.
Frowning, I flipped through more pages. Pictures of my Daddy when he was a pup made me giggle.
I could see myself in those pictures. I traced the lines of his face for a moment, imagining what it
might have been like if Iâd been born a normal pup.
Strangely, the photos comforted me in a way the Moon Goddessâs words from the night before
hadnât quite managed. I might stumble through social encounters, but these pictures and the
resemblance I shared with my father showed me that I did belong here in Constantine. It was my
lineage. My home.
âOh, shit. Sorry. Didnât know anyone was in here.â
I turned at the rasping female voice and saw Aunt Selena in the doorway. She carried a carafe that
smelled like coffee and an empty mug. Dark sunglasses covered her eyes, and her hair was wet like
sheâd come right out of the shower. She wore a plain T-shirt and a pair of fuzzy pajama bottoms
emblazoned with cartoon characters, along with a matching set of bunny slippers.
âI was trying to hide from my sister,â she said.
Quickly, I moved around her to close the door. I locked it. Turned back.
âYeah,â I said. âMe too.â