“That’s it, Dayana. This was the last straw,” Madame Flycatcher hisses with venom, and before I can dodge or throw up a shield, her powerful spell sends me flying right out of that wretched academy.
Flying, though, isn’t exactly a skill she bothered to teach me. So, I quickly realize my landing spot is gonna be the gravel path below. It looks pretty enough, but it’s not exactly a soft place to crash. Luckily, I’ve got a knack for conjuring up a little bit of luck when I need it. Instead of the gravel, I splash down into a small pool, freshly built by some academy adept with too much time on their hands.
Now, when stuff like this happens to other students, their world turns gray, and life becomes just another dull routine. But let me let you in on a little secret—I’m not your typical endorka. I’m part of a very small group of folks who don’t need these boring academies where they only teach stuff we’ve known since we were kids. The only reason I even showed up here was to learn how to fly, something I’ve never been able to get the hang of.
And, well… I also loved living in the capital, Capitolia. This place had everything I missed back in my little hometown—gorgeous classical architecture, the latest fashion trends, endless wells of knowledge (libraries, duh)… Okay, fine, that’s just what I told my parents six years ago when I begged them for special permission to study here. Truth is, what I really loved most about the capital was the maximum fun and minimum rules. Back home in Solaytme, the rules drove me up the wall. Some of the stuff they came up with was just plain ridiculous.
“Dayana, what’s the deal? Another three months of grunt work with Laykovitz?” The only person who actually cares about what happens to me comes running up.
“Nah, he got lucky this time. If they’d paired me with him again, I’d be walking back with a grin from ear to ear, a missing tooth, messed-up hair, and a torn dress. And as you can see, none of that’s here,” I say with a dramatic wave of my hand, gesturing at my not-so-shiny, just temporarily damp self. “So, clearly, my legendary victory hasn’t happened yet.”
“Wait, so they called you to the headmistress’s office for nothing?” Belivia—or as I call her, just plain Bel—stares at me with her wide brown eyes, totally confused.
“Yeah… they just kicked me out,” I shrug, brushing off the comforting hug my best friend tries to give me.
For a split second, I feel sorry for myself. I let my imagination run wild with the worst-case scenarios—I’m pretty darn good at that—and almost manage to squeeze out a tear. But then it hits me: I’m a free bird now. I can go wherever I want. Not literally, of course, since flying’s still not my thing, but figuratively, I’m free as can be. I’m an adult now. Heck, you could even call me a grown woman. And yet, my head’s still full of all kinds of crazy ideas.
“So, where are you gonna go?”
“Same as always—straight ahead. We’ll see where the wind takes me.”
“Not thinking about heading back home?”
“Are you kidding?” I snap, instantly on edge. “You know what my family’s like. And that house? It’s packed to the brim. You can’t even take a step without tripping over someone. I can breathe easier out here than I ever could there.”
“Dayana, who are you trying to fool? Your house is massive. If you wanted to, you could wander around for a whole day and not run into a single soul,” Bel says, and she’s telling the absolute truth.
It dawns on me a little too late that she used to live next door to me back home and would pop over all the time. Everyone wanted to play hide-and-seek in our huge house, but I only ever invited her. I knew I could trust Bel.
“Okay, fine. But you know how strict the magic restrictions are there. You can only use it within a three-foot radius of yourself. And I’m just not wired that way. I like lounging in bed while my breakfast cooks itself. Here, you’ve gotta walk to get food, stand around while it’s being made… Ugh, it’s so boring.”
“Wow, what a tragedy,” Bel laughs.
But I’m not in the mood to laugh.
Running toward me, tears streaming down her face, is my little sister Rosalia, the youngest of the Mendgil family. I’ve missed her like crazy. Looking at her pretty little face, all swollen from crying, with even the best makeup smeared everywhere, you’d never guess she’s a beauty.
I know right away that something’s wrong. And I also know I’m gonna have to go back home, which, with all its stupid restrictions, feels like stepping straight into hell in my mind. But for my sweet little sister, I’m ready to do anything, even if it means a boatload of trouble and makes my heart race like never before.
Will it be from hate or from love? Hmm… we’ll just have to wait and see. Either way, there’s only a thin line between the two.