Prologue

I don’t remember much before the fire…

     When I was 4 years old I was found huddled under a table in a burning building, I was later told that I was the only one to survive the fire and no one ever knew what started it.

I had been staying at a hotel with my parents, I remember my mother trying to ease my fears because I wasn’t sleeping in my own bed, I remember someone placing a pendant around my neck and I remember hiding when there were loud voices and lots of smashing. I don’t remember what happened to my parents or where we were from, just my first name and my mother’s kind smile and twinkling eyes when she used to sing to me at night. She always sang such sweet songs…

White coral bells upon a slender stalk,

Lilly of the Valley doth my garden walk,

Oh! Don't you wish that you could hear them sing,

That will only happen when the faeries sing!

I always wished that I could hear those fairies sing, or even hear my mother’s voice again. 

     I was adopted by a nice couple who couldn’t have children of their own when I was 6 years old and they loved me unconditionally, but some part of me always remembered the parents that I had lost.

I did remember my birthday, it was easy  enough since it was the first day of fall (the year that I was born it started on September 22). Why am I telling you this, because today is my 13th birthday, it has been just under 9 years since the fire, 9 years since I became an orphan, next week is the anniversary of the fire. 

     I still wear the pendant that my parents gave me for my fourth birthday, it is all I have left of them, except for the few memories that haven’t faded. 

     “Selyna! Time to wake up!” my adoptive mother, Jane, calls up to me from the bottom of the stairs. 

“I’m coming , Mom!” I hop out of the bed and rake my fingers through my long black hair…I think I want a more grown up haircut, I am a teenager as of today, I am sick of the ponytails and braids my adoptive mom likes to put in my hair. I want to look more grown up. 

     As I pull my jeans and t-shirt on Jane comes into my room, beaming “I made that appointment for the salon that I promised for your birthday, I will pick you up after school!” Yay! She really is going to let me pick my own hairstyle! I smile as I tie my sneakers and grab my hoodie, Jane brushes my hair into a high ponytail (I can’t wait until that is no longer necessary,it doesn’t feel like  “me”) and then we head downstairs for breakfast. After scarfing my berry topped waffles I grab my backpack and run out to meet up with my best friend, Ashe.

      “Happy birthday, Princess!” Ashe shouts and throws their arms around my neck…they are so dramatic. I roll my eyes at being called “Princess” only Ashe can get away with that, we have been best friends since we were 6 years old, when I first started school here and it doesn’t hurt that they live only 4 houses away. About Ashe, they are non-binary, they just came out as such about 6 months ago, about 2 months before they turned 13…some kids tease, but most are cool with it. Ashe is pretty laid back, but i’d fight anyone who tried to hurt or harass them, so most people keep it to themselves if they have an issue.

      “ ‘Sup, freaks? Happy birthday, kiddo!” Ashe’s older sister wraps an arm around me and hands me a card. Before heading over to her friends. She’s cool for an older sibling and treats Ashe and I a lot better than some of her friends, especially that jerk, Noah that she has been hanging around. I mean sure, he is a good looking 15 year old, way taller than many of the other 15 year old boys and muscular, and he has a really cute smile, but I think she can do better, she's the prettiest girl in our school and one of the smartest and kindest as well. 

     I wish I could say the school day flew by but, it didn’t it dragged by slowly. Then, at lunch something strange happens. I trip and nearly spill my lunch then everything goes slow motion, not quite frozen. I grab my tray before it can fall and right myself. Speed doesn't seem to change to normal until I am sitting. Ashe looks at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you hiding something from me? What’s with the superspeed?” they ask.

     I laugh “I don’t know what that was, or what it looked like to you. Heck, I am not even sure my brain registered that correctly!” Maybe I am going insane, but then Ashe is too.

     Mom picks me up after school and we go to the salon…I pick a cute shoulder length cut with some layering and the hairdresser gives me tips on styling my wavy hair and some hair products. Jane tears up at how grown up I was getting, and almost misses a step as we are leaving the shop. Again, things slow down then the ground seemed to shift to accommodate Jane’s footing to avoid her fall. Yup, I am going crazy!

    The rest of the day goes as expected. Homework, dinner, birthday cake and icecream and presents, with Ashe joining us as soon as our homework is done. But that night I have the strangest dream…I see my mom. My real mom! She is sitting in a dark room quietly and weakly singing. Right before I wake up she looks right at me and says “happy birthday, Angel! Momma loves you!” It was definitely a dream. I was the only one to survive the fire,  but I really wish there was a chance that it could be real. 

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Halloween:

     Ever since my birthday strange things have been happening. I shared some with Ashe, that they hadn’t witnessed and they told their parents this morning. I don’t know why, but their parents want me to come by after school and talk. They will be throwing a Halloween party in the school Gym tonight, but I feel like things could just keep getting weirder and weirder if I go, so Ashe and I are going to watch horror movies and gorge ourselves on popcorn and candy.

     We go straight from the bus stop to Ashe’s house. (Jane and Patrick already know the plan, so they won’t expect me home until curfew. Ashe’s mom, Melina, is in the kitchen when we get in and she calls out to her husband, Logan, who comes out of his home office to join us in the living room. She brings us a plate of oatmeal cookies with chocolate chunks and dried cherries. She made my favorites! Her cookies are the best! We all sit on the sofas and Ashe's father starts. “So, Selyna, you don’t remember much of anything about your parents? Your past?” He asks. I shake my head, then remember my mother’s eyes and some of the songs she used to sing. I tell them about the songs and about the dream that I had on my birthday. “Sweetie, this all started on your 13th birthday, am I correct?” Melina asks. I nod. Then ask if they think I am crazy, because it feels like I might be going crazy. They all laugh and try to get me to calm my nerves.“Sounds like your a witch, Kiddo!”  Ashe's sister Wendy (who I hadn't noticed standing in the doorframe) states very matter of factly, like she was serious. Not. Joking. She has to be joking, right? Right??? I mean it is Halloween?

    Melina and Logan have a meeting to go to after dinner, but promise it will be brief and that they will talk to an acquaintance who may be able to help me while they are there.

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    I slept over Ashe’s house last night, it was a full moon, and their parents went to some community event that they do every full moon. This morning I get to meet my mentor, she is supposed to help me with my abilities, she actually lives almost 2 hours away, but is renting a cottage nearby to help and mentor me. She is on some council with Melina and Logan, all stuff that is kind of kept secret. I still haven’t told Jane and Patrick that I am a witch. They are ordinary humans. I assume that the only reason Ashe’s family knows about witches is because of this witch and the council, but sometimes I think there is more going on than I realise. 

      Ashe and I are eating breakfast. Melina is an incredible cook and I wish I could eat as much as Ashe does, but I am afraid if I wolfed down as much as they do I would blow up like a balloon or barf. Ashe must have the fastest metabolism. They eat 4 times what I do at any given time. Ashe tells me “I think I am supposed to be your protector.” 

    I laugh and remind Ashe who it is that usually does the protecting. They shrug and say “I just get this feeling, like that is what I need to do”. It is hard to picture laid back Ashe protecting anyone.

A knock on the door followed by some giggling announced my mentor’s arrival.

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May:

    For 6 months I have been mentored by Rayanne. She is fun and funny. She never seems to use the right tools, or at least improvises. One day it is a carrot instead of Athame, then another a cucumber for a wand. Although, she is light hearted, good natured and very powerful. With her sparkling bright blue eyes and lavender hair, she always seems to brighten a room. Even when I have messed up the incantation for the fifth time, like today. We are practicing in Ashe’s house. Logan set up a space next to their home gym, in the basement. 

    Right as I finally get it right and manage to create the protective shield around the bubbles that Rayanne was blowing (“target practice” she called it) a boy barges in. “Alpha Logan said I could come down and workout!” he briskly grumbles as he heads over to the weights, with barely a glance in our direction. We are ready for a break anyway, but as we go to walk upstairs something stops me. I smell pine and cedar and  petrichor ? It smells good. It must be off that grumpy boy, who I notice is now looking my way. His black eyes, black hair, and serious face make him look hard and angry, but there is something beautiful about the muscular teen. He is a few years older than me. I can tell that much. He takes his jacket off and reveals muscular arms that are decorated in tattoos. He scowls and adjusts the weights, glancing at me once again before he starts his workout. He shakes his head and starts lifting. I reluctantly follow Rayanne upstairs, then it hits that he called Logan “Alpha Logan”...are they wolves or something? Yeah, Right? What is this some fantasy?