Chapter 17

Zoe awoke the next morning to the soft glow of dawn filtering through the tall windows of her room. For a moment, she wasn’t sure where she was - everything felt surreal, from the towering castle walls to the weight of her new reality. But the warmth of the fireplace and the familiar scent of her mother’s old pendant resting on her nightstand grounded her.

“First day,” Zoe muttered to herself, stretching and feeling a mixture of excitement and nervous energy bubble up inside her.

Nila stirred in her mind, her voice was soft and encouraging. “You’re ready for this, Zoe. We both are.”

As she dressed in her new school robes- elegant but practical, with the symbol of Nighthaven embroidered on the sleeve - she thought about the conversation with her mother the day before. The realization of her witch heritage still felt unreal. How had she gone so long without knowing such an essential part of herself? And how much more was there that her mother hadn’t shared?

Her thoughts were interrupted