Lila spun, her skirt a whirlwind of color around her. The crowd watched breathlessly. Each step that she took was carefully rehearsed, yet she knew that her dance appeared magnificently wild. She knew because that was the way it felt as she performed it, and she knew because of the particular way that the audience looked on. Each kick and twirl and sway was fluid. Her movements quickened until they could no more. Then she slowed, taunting the crowd with a smile and a wink, twirled across the stage, and ended with a flourish and a bow. The tune that had sped up and slowed down, leaped and fell with her, ended with her as well.

Feet pounded against the uneven cobblestones in Lila’s honor, as was traditional. In the city of Caeli, stomping was for dancers, whistling for musicians, and clapping for thespians. Lila stepped to the ground just as the band walked onto the stage to be greeted by enthusiastic whistles.

She began to creep away, while the audience was still distracted, so that she wouldn’t be pestered by men made brave by the excessive amounts of liquor in their stomachs. The stage was surrounded by a loud marketplace. She inhaled. Sweat, spices, hot food. The rich scent made her feel dizzy. Shopkeepers shaded themselves with tents and umbrellas that they had draped in colorful cloths.   

Lila felt a light tap on her shoulder. Damn, she thought, I’m too late. She whirled around to face a man; he was sober, which was unusual enough on its own. He was five foot six or so, shorter than her, with pale blond hair that outlined his thin face, straight and silky, down to his chin. His eyes were grey, framed by long pale lashes that were barely visible, his skin fair. He was thin lipped, with an elegantly humped nose and a chiseled jawline. A small scar was indented above his left eyebrow. He wore a long cerulean blue cloak that was clasped with a silver bird. Underneath she could see a simple white shirt and black slacks that were tucked into black lace-up boots. He was slender, yet his strength was evident in the way that he held himself. The combination of a thin face with a large nose was a bit odd looking, and he certainly wasn’t handsome, at least in the traditional sense. No, he wasn’t handsome, Lila thought to herself, but he was dignified. Nobody could deny that.

“How can I help you?” She asked the man politely.

His eyes were cast towards the ground. “It would be greatly appreciated,” he said quietly “If you would come with me.” Despite his politeness, there was an air of danger about him that unsettled her and thrilled her at the same time.

Lila drew her eyebrows together. “Now why would I do that?” She gave a small, close-lipped smile.

He looked up, straight into her eyes. “It would be greatly appreciated.” He repeated. She noticed that he had a slight accent-- rolled rs and clipped syllables. It 

wasn’t immediately evident. She wondered where he was from. The accent was unfamiliar to her, although the marketplace in Caeli was quite diverse, as was the city itself.

“Will you at least tell me your name?”

He stuck out a hand, and she grasped it. “Leo Elwell. And yours?”

“Lila Abbott.”

He smiled for the first time. “I only want to show you something. I swear, I mean you no harm, Lila.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“You will soon.” The note of desperation in his voice made her want to follow after him, despite the fact that she knew it was probably a terrible idea. She had a slight tendency for recklessness, usually overridden by the more essential sense of self-preservation. Still, she could take care of herself-- and she did like to have a bit of fun, now and then. So she followed, and he led her through the crowds, no one paying them any mind. Leo moved with smooth, practiced movements. He had told her that she would know him soon, and she couldn’t help but hope that she would. Finally, he slipped into a quiet winding alley that was empty of people. Nondescript brick buildings lined the sidewalks. They were all identical, impossible to tell apart.

He turned to her. “You need to trust me.” Her heart thudded for a moment, but she did trust him. Leo moved closer, pulling a brass key out of his pocket. “We’re going inside.” He pointed to one of the buildings. He unlocked the door, and they entered. Time sped up for her, and all the small details blurred together, soon indistinguishable from one another. Inside, there was a single large room with a concrete floor and a simple mahogany chair in the middle. Lila should have felt frightened, or felt something at all, but she still felt nothing but a compulsion to continue on. A steep staircase led to another identical room, then another, and one more after that until they were on the top floor.

“Sit.” Leo told her and she did as she was told, empty inside. He had emptied her, she knew now. The room went dark suddenly and then there were sparkling white lights and a bloodcurdling scream and the scent of peonies and an acidic taste in her mouth that made her want to spit or throw up but she couldn’t do anything but sit in the goddamned chair.

And then Lila wasn’t empty anymore and she felt everything that she should have before. Awful fear eating away at her, anger burning through everything, doubt, thick in her mind, as she waded through it slowly. And then her eyes, which she hadn’t known she had closed, flickered open and Leo came into focus. And she hated him with a deep passion because he had changed her and she somehow knew that she could never go back and that it would never, ever be the same. And she rose from her chair and 

glowered at him. And he smiled angelically. And he spoke. And the ringing in her ears that she hadn’t realized was there stopped.

“You’re welcome.” He said. And it was too much for her then. And everything went black.

Lila woke up in a cocoon of  blankets. For a moment she thought that she was in the dinghy boarding house that she had called home as of late. But those blankets was rough, the cot thin and hard. This was luxurious, a sharp contrast from the places she usually stayed. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up. Without success. Her head throbbed painfully and she sank back down into her pillows.

Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. There was an odd taste in her mouth, partially because she was thirsty, but also something else. It was sharp, almost metallic with hints of something earthy as well, like she had eaten soil. Lila swept her tongue over her teeth, attempting to rid herself of the unpleasant taste.

She lay in a circular sort of bed-bowl thing that was sunken into the floor. It was lined with warm furs, gray, white, brown and softer than any she had ever felt before. It was also filled with the blankets that covered her, also soft, but of a different, unidentifiable material. The strange bed took up a good portion of the room, which was small and circular. An entire wall was a window of cloudy glass that she couldn’t see out of. The remaining walls were made of intricately carved wood. The floors were constructed of the same dark wood.

Once she had fully awaken, Lila realized how dire her situation was. She had been kidnapped, stolen from her rightful place in Caeli. And she had been changed somehow. That she knew, although she didn’t know how. Questions and emotions swirled around inside of her. She somehow managed to keep them contained, likely because there was no one to take them out on. She would find someone to take them out on. Preferably Leo. He had done this to her after all. She contemplated her current circumstances. First she had to find some answers, figure out what was going on. She didn’t know where she was, what had happened, how she had been changed, why she was here. She knew nothing. Knowing nothing was not a pleasant feeling, nor one that she was accustomed to.

Lila tried to sit up again, slowly this time, and found that the headache had thankfully disappeared. She rose out of the bed-bowl, as she had come to think of it, and leaned against one of the walls.

It gave way under her and her heart leaped in her chest as she tumbled into the next room. She landed on her back, fingers splayed out above her head.   

She stood up gingerly, checking for any potential injuries. There were none, and she turned around to examine the newly discovered room. 

It was quite similar to the first in decor, but much larger, and circular, with higher ceilings and shelves filled to the brim with books. It was a library, and although Lila didn’t care much for books, she was awestruck by its unfamiliar beauty. A spiral staircase led up to an interior balcony that contained more shelves.

As there had been in the bedroom, one wall was a massive window made of the same cloudy glass. In the center of the room another spiral staircase led somewhere else; she would go down there soon. There were tables scattered throughout the room with comfortable looking armchairs arranged around them invitingly. By the window, there were more armchairs. There were carvings everywhere: on the banisters, the bookshelves, the tables, anywhere with wood--and everything had wood.

But Lila only saw the most magnificent thing in the room when she looked up. The ceiling was a giant stained glass skylight. It was exquisite. The light shone through and cast the colors of the glass onto the floor. The skylight depicted a swirling pattern of birds, their wings spread majestically outwards. They felt to her almost alive, as if any minute they would swoop down from the ceiling and circle the room. Behind them, a night sky dominated their tiny world. Lila wanted to reach up and touch them, stroke their silky wings, feel them brush past her in their endless journey onwards.

She shook her head to clear it. It was time to move on. Maybe she could find some information in the books on what was happening to her. Now, though, she desperately needed to relieve herself, and have something to eat and drink. She could find answers later.

She strode over to the staircase in the center of the room purposefully and began to walk down it, her hand skipping lightly over the top of the banister. She wondered if anyone would be here. Or was this her private prison? Nicest prison she had ever been in. Caeli’s jails were a hellhole. She found herself comparing everything she saw to its equivalent in Caeli.

Lila completed her descent and found herself in yet another room.

This one was stocked with food and had a doorway leading into a sort of washroom. Instead of wood this room was stone, and she immediately felt it. It was much colder down here. One corner of the first room contained a shallow pool of water. More water trickled down into it through a hole bored in the wall.

Lila walked over to the pool and scooped water into her hands, slurping it up thirstily before noticing a waterskin perched on the edge of it. She took this into her hands, opened it and held it against the wall so that it collected the water trickling out of the hole. She tilted her head back and held the waterskin to her mouth, allowing the cool water to bathe her tongue.

She closed her eyes and smiled, then refilled the waterskin, screwed the cap on and slung it over her shoulder. It dangled at her hip, bouncing gently as she stood to get some food. There were shelves carved out of the stone and she surveyed the food 

happily. It was enough to last her for a while. Just in case, she decided to make it last. The food was organized into categories. There was a shelf for vegetables, one for meat, one for dairy, one for fruit, one for spices and grains.

Lila wasn’t going to cook for now, although there was a fireplace at one end of the room. She had other things to do, other things to figure out. She also knew that it wasn’t good to eat too much after not eating for a while.

So she grabbed a wooden plate, a knife, a hunk of goat cheese, an apple, and a small round loaf of bread and sat cross-legged on the floor to eat it. She sliced the apple and bit into it. Juicy, sweet, crisp. It was good. But pretty much anything would have tasted good to her at that moment.

Lila was ravenous and struggled to eat slowly, but eat slowly she did. Experience told her that otherwise she would be rendered useless for a while. It was all delicious, fresh food, wholesome and practical.

As she ate, the empty, gnawing feeling in her gut began to ease and she went to see what she would find in the washroom.

It too was stone, cold on her bare feet and arms. The washroom contained another pool, clearly for bathing. A bar of soap lay on the edge of the pool, the edges sharp and new. There was also a piece of rough cloth, for washing her teeth, a hairbrush and a small cabinet containing clean clothes. A hole in the ground for relieving oneself was in a corner.

But the biggest surprise of all was the full-length mirror on one side of the room. That was not because of the actual presence of the mirror, but of the reflection she saw in it. Rather than the full skirt that she had been wearing on stage, Lila was now wearing a simple white shift. They had probably taken her clothes. She was tall and slim, with a classic dancer’s body. Her black hair was pulled back into a loose braid, mussed by sleep, and she was, unsurprisingly, slightly paler than her usual warm terracotta. Her large eyes, ringed with dark circles and short eyelashes, were a deep brown, flecked with gold. She had thick, dark eyebrows, a softly sloping nose, and a birthmark near her left ear.

Normal, all of it, at least for her current circumstances. What wasn’t normal, though, were the holes in the back of her nightgown, neatly sewn around the edges, as if they were a normal part of any clothing. Lila, in a panic, checked the clothes in the cabinet. Those had the holes too.

This was how he had changed her. Wings. She had wings. She couldn’t believe that she hadn’t noticed them before. Now that she knew, she was acutely aware of them, folded neatly behind her back. She used the new muscles in her shoulders and back to unfold them gently. They spread out at her sides, huge and feathered. They were beautiful, she had to acknowledge that. They were shades of mottled browns and whites

grays, soft as anything she had ever felt. Either way, no matter how beautiful, he had no right to do anything to her without her permission. And what the actual f***?

Lila wouldn’t go in blind. Not again. Not this time. She didn’t know what lay outside of this place. She would wait. She folded her wings against her back again, took the braid out, letting her hair fall around her shoulders and slid the nightgown off, folding it neatly and placing it in the cabinet.

She dipped a toe into the bathing pool. It was pleasantly warm. She slid into the water and bathed quickly, washing her hair and body with the soap, which was slightly rough to the touch, smelling milky (though she could tell it wasn’t cow milk).

She stepped out of the pool, wringing the water out of her hair and drying herself with a towel she found. She put on the clothes that had been provided for her. They were practical, leather boots, like Leo’s, and loose drawstring pants with a long-sleeve shirt. There was a fur-lined coat that she brought with her in case she went outside. All of it fit quite well. That made it worse. She hung the waterskin over her shoulder again.

She strapped on the arm-sheath that was also there. It already had a knife in it. Lila almost laughed. They had been stupid enough to give her a knife. Last of all, Lila tied her hair back with leather twine.

Even though it gave her an advantage, it made her hate them more. They probably thought that she was a weak child. That they could give her weapons, resources, without consequences. She wasn’t. They couldn’t. Maybe she wasn’t a trained warrior, but she could take care of herself. She had been for a long time. Lila didn’t die. She survived. She was going to survive. Self-preservation. No matter what it took.

Lila slunk through the room up the stairs into the library, flattening herself against the wall, just in case somebody had come while she had been down there. Even though Lila was being cautious, she hadn’t really expected somebody to be there.

When she saw them, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. She stared at them quietly, reluctant to reveal herself.

They sat at one of the tables in the armchairs that had tempted Lila with their soft embrace earlier, talking amongst themselves. She couldn’t hear what they were saying. She allowed herself a sharp intake of breath. Leo was there. His very presence frightened her. The others were older, a tiny woman with a severe expression and sleek, long hair, along with a big blonde man. They all wore tight, dark green jumpsuits that fit them like a second skin. They also all had those big wings too, all different colors. Leo’s were solid black, the woman’s dark gray, and the man’s brown. None of them had those mottled feathers that adorned her own wings. Or the wings that they had somehow attached to her back. She didn’t want to think of them as hers.

The man was laughing at something that Leo had said, leaning back in his chair, shoulders relaxed, when the woman stiffened. They all stopped talking right away, obviously aware of her presence.

She stood and looked directly at Lila, her features relaxing into a smile.“Lila, finally. Welcome. You startled me!” She had the same accent as Leo.

F*** subtlety.

Lila smoothed her own features into a deceptively calm mask. She strode into the room confidently. She addressed the woman.

“He kidnapped me,” She pointed to Leo, “And you expect me to take what you’ve forced on me without a second thought? What kind of person do you think I am?” Her voice rose as she went on. She smiled coldly. “Well let me tell you: I am not a child, and I don’t take shit from anybody.”

Lila already knew that that had been a foolish move. She didn’t know who these people were, or how they would react. She didn’t know what they wanted. It had been the wrong time to let her temper take over. It was three against one. The odds would be against her if they decided to… do something to her.

The woman frowned and turned to Leo. “Leo.” She narrowed her eyes at him, going from friendly to threatening in a split second. Leo averted his eyes. “Leo. Where did she get that idea?”

He looked up at her. “She got that idea when I kidnapped her.”

The woman’s eyebrows went up and the man looked shocked, but stayed silent. The woman was clearly in charge. She glared at Leo. “Get out. But don’t think you won’t be hearing about this later.” Leo exited a bit meekly, though his eyes still shone like a crow’s, or an evil toddler’s, she thought bitterly, through another secret door that he pushed open on one side of the library. What did these people have against normal doors? “You too.” She said to the man. “I think it’s better if I talk to her alone.”

The man shrugged and followed after Leo. They were clearly both used to her authority.

The woman pointed to the seat across from the one she had been sitting in. “Sit. Let me explain. Please.” Lila sat warily, perched on the edge of her seat. The woman sat in the chair that she had been in before. “My name is Odessa Elwell.” She said carefully, trying not to infuriate Lila further, she was sure. “Can you please explain what happened?”

She bit her lip and nodded. What else did she have to lose? Lila told her the whole story while Odessa listened carefully, frowning throughout the whole story. Something about her demeanor made Lila want to trust her. Same as Leo. But she shouldn’t have been ready to trust another stranger.

When Lila was done, Odessa closed her eyes for a moment. She rose again, and this time she had the air of an avenging angel about her. Lila could see that she was truly lovely. It was a unique kind of beauty that took Lila by surprise. She was all sharp bones and flat planes and dark hair. More like Lila’s own beauty. Not at all like the curvy blond beauties that many men mooned over in Caeli. She was lovely all the same. 

Odessa spread her wings out and lowered her eyes to the ground. “I am sorry. A terrible injustice has been done unto you.” She looked at Lila. Her eyes were big and full of tears. “And I am afraid that it cannot be undone.” Lila’s eyes, in turn filled with tears, and a single tear trickled down her cheek.

Odessa’s demeanor changed as quickly as anything. Suddenly she was apologetic and kindly again. “Oh, Lila. I cannot believe this. This was not the way things were supposed to be at all.”

Lila waited expectantly for Odessa to explain how things were really supposed to be. When she didn’t continue and only sank back down into her chair, Lila asked her a question.

“Odessa?”

“Yes.”

“Where am I?”

Odessa put her head in her hands. “Leo really didn’t tell you anything, did he?”

“No, he didn’t.” Lila said bitterly.

“You are in Avem.” She had never heard of Avem before. Lila had traveled her country, Odiosis, dancing on hundreds of stages. So Avem wasn’t in Odiosis.

Odessa smiled at her sweetly. “Ask as many questions as you wish to. I am sure that you must have many.” Lila was beginning to like Odessa. She kicked herself mentally for being too trusting. She had to be on her guard until it was truly safe to trust someone here. She needed solid proof, or at least more time. It wouldn’t hurt to ask questions.

“Is Avem in my world?”

She shook her head. “No. You are far away from your world here.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Four days. We gave you water while you were asleep and… cleaned you up.”

Lila looked away, embarrassed. These strangers had changed her, seen her naked. Few had seen her naked. She flinched a bit, then turned back fiercely. It was the least of her worries. She shouldn’t be worrying about such trivial things. “Are you all birds?” Lila asked hesitantly.

Odessa laughed. The sound was deep and throaty. “Actually, we are related to birds.”

“What are you? Who are you?”

“We are part bird, part human, part magic.”

“Just magic?”

“There is no name for that part of us.” Lila didn’t know why she wasn’t losing her composure. This was all crazy. She had always known that magic existed. She had seen glimpses of it on her travels. Many did not think that it was real, but she knew. And she had been right. But she couldn’t have begun to imagine the extent of it. 

“Why me?” That was the question closest to her heart. Why her? Why not anyone else? Had it been random? Had she been selected specially?

Odessa took longer to answer this question. “You… did not belong there.”

That only added to Lila’s confusion.

Odessa sighed. “You have the right to know, I realize, but I am not sure that you can take another shock after so much recent trauma.”

Lila scowled. “I’ll survive. And you’re right. I do have the right to know.”

“Alright. I’ll tell you.” Lila clenched her fists and dug her nails into her skin, bracing herself. “I’m going to tell you a story now. Your story.” Lila nodded and Odessa reached over the table and placed her hands on Lila’s head.

She tried to struggle away, but found that she could not. There was a sharp pain, then quiet darkness.

“There was once a woman. A woman of Avem. A bird woman. She was strong and beautiful. Her name was ODESSA.” The voice was soft and crooning as a bird to its young. The darkness became light in a flash. A woman swooped down from the sky, wings outstretched. She rode the wind currents masterfully, riding a puff of wind upwards. Odessa was young here. Her raven black hair streamed behind her. Talons protruded from her fingers. She sped along, her sights set on a large buck that ran across the valley below. He was no match for her speed. She dove quickly, raking her talons along his broad brown back. The deer fell to the ground and she stood beside him, mercifully ending his agony with a quick swipe of her talons. She pushed off of the ground with her feet, taking flight again and grasping the deer in her talons. She carried him off, a blur of feathers, and placed him on a craggy cliff. Odessa landed hard, breathing heavily. She balled up her fist and knocked on the side of the cliff,  shaking her hand out afterwards. A wooden door appeared on the side of the cliff. She walked in. Everything went black. Then there was another image. Odessa was slightly older, this time pregnant. She had her arm around a man with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and warm terracotta skin…

When Lila came to in the library, Odessa still had her hands pressed tightly against Lila’s forehead and her eyes closed tightly in concentration. Lila shook her off and burst out of the chair, unsure of her feelings. Mother? Mother, mother. (Mother). Mommy? Mom. Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama, mama, mama. This was not the beginning, but a beginning.