I’d never see my sister perform magic before, and that had beenstrong.She must’ve just gotten her powers!
Alana shook her red hair out of her face. There was a low growl, and a couple of people gasped as a tigress emerged from the middle of the crowd. It was a beautiful animal, with shining orange fur and dark black stripes. As the tigress prowled, I watched the colors on its coat change, from white, to purple, to green, with multi-colored stripes like a rainbow. With a low, guttural sound, the tiger planted herself by my sister’s side and refused to move.
Alana stroked the tiger’s head and stated, “Attack my sister again, and we’ll put you in the ground.”
Rosary gave a choked laugh. “You want to fight? I’m all in.”
She went to raise her arm again, but Daddy had stormed into the middle of the argument. He grabbed Rosary’s wrist and didn’t let go.
“Rosary, you need to leave,” Daddy said firmly. “Or therewillbe consequences.”
Rosary ripped her arm out of my father’s grasp. “Whatever. I’m done withallof you.”
She ran off. As Rosary sprinted away, a towering figure loomed over my chair.
“Ooh, that was very exciting.” Uncle Jonah inched forward, appearing giddy, while his hippogriff Familiar chirped happily. “Almost as juicy as what happened back in my day.”
I laughed and leaned over to give him a side-hug. “You’re always around when the drama happens, aren’t you?”
“Always, boo. Theteais what keeps me young,” he replied, fluffing his hair.
I did the math in my head. Rosary had gotten pregnant when she was sixteen. John was older than I was— he was already an adult at the time she’d conceived. He’d definitely groomed her to get what he wanted.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, Rosary was a victim, too. Just in a different way. I was lucky enough not to be in love with my abuser, and though she was an awful person, I felt sorry for Rosary… because she wasn’t mature enough to understand the consequences John’s behavior would have on her.
It was a good thing John was behind bars. Now Rosary would be safe from him, too.
“I can only buy you a few more minutes,” Takahashi said quickly. “Please say your goodbyes, Ava.”
Alana turned toward me. She laid a hand on her Familiar’s head, who gave a chuffing noise. I couldn’t believe I’d watched my sister get her magic and find her Familiar, right before my eyes. It was such a special and magical moment.
“What a cool Familiar,” I said as I gazed at the tigress. “She’s like a chameleon. Her coat color changes with her mood and her environment. What’s her name?”
“Zareen. And sheispretty cool. At least she knows who she is,” Alana said glumly. “I can feel it through our bond. It’s so new, but she’s confident. I have no idea who I’m supposed to be.”
“It’s not unusual to feel lost at seventeen,” I told her. Hell, I felt lost all the time at twenty-one.
“I just… didn’t expect this. I always thought I’d have Fire magic, like Mom, but I can’t be Koigni at all. Fire burns me,” Alana confessed. “And I know I don’t have healing powers like you or Ez, so I must be full Toaqua.”
“I guess so. But you should be proud! You’re still in high school. Very few people bond or get their magic that early in the tribe,” I praised.
“But I’mafraidof water. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t even like to swim!” Alana said in frustration.
“Sometimes our magic doesn’t make sense when it first comes into our lives. I was upset when I found out I was a dual-caster, and overwhelmed when I realized I was actually a tricaster, but now, I think it’s one of the best things about me. You’ll grow to love your Water magic, too,” I insisted.
Alana looked away. “I sure hope so. I just… don’t understand why I have magic that feels so disconnected to who I really am.”
“One day you’ll learn that it’s not a disconnect. It’s actually who you are,” I promised. “Things in life don’t always make sense when they happen, but once you get some distance and look back, I swear it’ll all make sense.”
Alana’s Familiar gave a slumbering sigh. The rest of my family and Takahashi neared, signaling I had to leave.
“Professor Hemlock is waiting for us. It is time to go,” Takahashi said, placing his hands behind his back.
“Are you okay, Ava, after everything that happened today?” Mama asked.
“It’s been amazing, being with all of you,” I stated. “But I think I’m ready to go home.”
Daddy’s expression seemed quizzical. “You are home, sweetheart.”
