One last spell | Dick Grayson and Zatanna Zatara

Chapter 20: llac ti cigam, llac ti eurt

The last curl fell warm against Zatanna's shoulder. Finally.

She was ready — or at least, she wanted to believe she was. The dress was still waiting.

She studied her reflection carefully. Half-up, half-down, pinned to the side just enough to look effortless. It framed her face softly. For makeup, red lips — bold, confident — the kind her mother used to wear to galas.

She felt pretty. She always did, but tonight it felt different. Heavier. For a fleeting second, her breath caught. She looked so much like her mother.

The same dark hair. The same posture. The same quiet confidence that seemed almost magical even without spells.

Speaking of her...

The red dress rested on the bed, though it shimmered faintly, refusing to stay perfectly still. Zatanna had been so afraid of damaging it that she'd ironed it with magic instead of touching it. As if the fabric could feel how much it meant.

Choosing hadn't been easy. She had kept all eight of her mother's gala dresses, preserved like relics from another life. M'gann had spent the entire afternoon with her, spreading them across the room, giving dramatic commentary, insisting that this one was the one — until the next one appeared.

Living with one of your best friends definitely had its advantages.

But when Zatanna slipped into the red dress, everything else faded.

The mirror didn't reflect doubt anymore.

It reflected legacy.

And there were no more questions.

Besides, red was Robin's color, right?

Zatanna chose to put the heels on first — also her mother's, of course.

She remembered when her mom bought that pair, during the only vacation their family had ever taken to Italy. Zatanna must have been six or seven at the time, small enough to hold her mother's hand without reaching up. Now, years later, they wore the same size.

The thought felt strange, both comforting and heavy.

After slipping into the dress, she turned toward the mirror again. Once more, she felt pretty — but more than that, she felt certain. Like she had made the right choice.

Not only about the dress.

About everything.

About accepting Nabu as her mentor.
About planning to return to the stage soon.
And about Dick.

Especially about Dick.

Her fingers reached for the zipper at her back. She twisted slightly, trying to pull it up — but it wouldn't budge.

"Ugh," she muttered under her breath.

Wasn't it always the small things?

M'gann and Conner were probably already out by now. She could call for help — or simply use magic to zip it up. That would be the practical solution.

But practicality had never really been her favorite approach.

If she had spent weeks perfecting that teleportation spell, she might as well use it for something more interesting than a simple zipper.

A small, mischievous smile curved on her lips while she grabbed her purse.

"raeppa ni s'kcid moor"

Zatanna landed in Dick's room exactly where she had imagined.