Chapter 5 Chapter 5

“Oh, honey, you should know by now that you are not the best when it comes to cleaning after yourself. I found a burnt piece of cloth and some ashes on the floor this morning. I first thought that you must have burned it trying to cook or something, but I felt magic residue when I picked it up. It wasn’t mine, and your father only comes into the kitchen to eat, so I knew it had to be yours.”

“Have you ever considered being a detective before? I think you’d do pretty well.” I giggled at the thought of my mom examining the ‘crime scene’ this morning.

“The thought might have crossed my mind at some point.” She laughed with me.

“Alright.” I straightened up in my chair, “Now, how does this magic thing work?” I asked seriously, ready to confront the possibility that I might be an actual magical being.

“The first thing you must know about our world is that mystics come from four kingdoms. Each kingdom represents a magical element, and we each live in the kingdom that harnesses the powers of our main element. Earth users come from the kingdom of Avanindra, a giant forest where the power of Earth is at its peak.”

“Water users are from Glacis, an Island surrounded by the ocean. Air mystics belong to Halitus, which is built on top of a mountain, and fire users like your father and I come from the kingdom of Agni, a kingdom surrounded by volcanoes.”

“Long ago, the kingdoms used to be divided, estranged, and often at war. However, three centuries ago, a treaty was made, and the ruling system changed.”

“It was agreed upon by the elders of each kingdom that every 50 years, a kingdom would get its chance to rule over the four, and the queen would be chosen by a trial of strength and intelligence.”

“When it’s time for a certain kingdom to choose its queen, sixteen-year-old girls from the ruling family would compete for that honor, and the winner would be crowned the queen of the four kingdoms and would rule for fifty years, until it’s time for another kingdom to take charge.”

“That sounds… elaborate. But why aren’t you and Dad living in Agni? Why did you leave the kingdom?”

“Two years ago, it was Agni’s turn to rule, and the competition took place as per tradition. Ahri, a brilliant young girl, won and was about to be crowned when she was attacked and killed.”

“The kingdoms have been at each other’s throats ever since, each ruling family accusing the other of killing their future queen. Your dad and I were away on business at the time, and before we had a chance to go back home, the kingdoms were threatening to go to war. That was around the time you came to us, so we decided it was best to keep you here unharmed than to take you back to a war zone.”

“Oh, and why didn’t Agni select another queen?”

“Killing the queen, even one who wasn’t crowned yet, is an act of treason. The killer must be brought to justice. Not to mention that this has never happened before, so the kingdoms are arguing whether Agni should get to select another ruler or the murder of their queen results in the transfer of power to the next kingdom, which would be Avanindra.”

“This is all so surreal.” I sighed.

“You will have plenty of time to wrap your head around this when you go to Lixierra.” She said with her trademark smile.

“And what is that exactly?”

“Lixierra is a high school for mystics. Built on an island, it is considered a neutral ground where students come from the four kingdoms to learn how to control their magic away from the politics of the monarchy. It is also concealed by magic to protect the students from the wandering eyes of curious humans, so you won’t have to worry about being exposed to the outside world.”

“You are sending me to a high school?” I gasped. This is a part I didn’t see coming.

I am eighteen years old, and I should be heading off to college or getting a job, not going to a magical high school.

“It is not as bad as you think it is. Lixierra has the best magic professors; you’ll be able to control your elements in no time. And it’s not like you will be enrolling as a freshman, you will be a senior, surrounded by mystics your own age.”

“Yeah, mystics who have been practicing magic their entire lives and who don’t suffer from amnesia. Mom, why can’t you and Dad just homeschool me like you have been doing for the past two years?”

“I wish we could, honey. You have to be exposed to the four elements to master your main and discover your secondary power.”

“Besides, this could be a good experience. You could make new friends and maybe even get your memory back. You are a born mystic after all, maybe going back to that world would be what you need to remember who you were.”

“Arrangements have been made.” My father announced as he walked back into the kitchen. “It was a bit difficult to secure proper housing since the school year starts in a week and most of the houses were booked, but I signed you up in a great house with two nice girls.”

“Oh my God, this is all happening too fast.” The panic in my voice was obvious.

“Darling, you don’t have to worry about a thing,” Dad assured me. “You will be well taken care of. I made sure of that. The only thing I ask of you is that you don’t tell anyone about your condition.”

“What do you mean? What condition?”

“Mystics take their title and positions in the kingdoms very seriously. If they were to know you are adopted, they won’t take you seriously.” Mom looked at me sympathetically.

“Your safety and well-being are our priority, Lilith. Please just trust us on this one. Your mother and I are a well-known family in the kingdoms, and people know we don’t have children. Thankfully, we don’t have any immediate family or close friends to question this story, so if anyone asks, you are our biological daughter.”

“You were homeschooled your entire life because your magic was dormant, and now that your powers have sparked, we sent you to Lixierra High to learn about your true nature.”