For eighteen years, I’ve lived in a world where magic was make-believe and Greek gods and goddesses were merely elaborate stories told as a way of teaching, and here she is, expecting me to accept this as if it’s all real.
“I’m sorry, Rose, but so much of this isn’t adding up. If we are good, why would my mom take me away?”
“Oh, Kat—” Rose’s expression falls, revealing her age. She sees my impatience and places a hand on my shoulder. “You will know everything, I promise, but there’s a lot you need to understand first.”
I should have known the secrets wouldn’t stop. It seems Rose is filled with them. I push my frustration aside for the time being. “Are there many others?”
Rose’s eyes light up. “Oh, yes. Some live here, in Apollo Beach. You’ll meet them all soon.”
“What about Charlotte? Is she a Solstice too?”
“She is.” Rose adjusts herself in her chair. “Charlotte lost her parents many years ago. Like you and your mom, she was left without parents at a very young age. She’s traveled the world, alone with her power and a vague understanding of her existence.”
My heart squeezes. “That’s so sad.”
“You’ll find it’s actually a common occurrence in our community.”
I tilt my head but say nothing, allowing Rose to complete her train of thought. At least she’s talking.
“Over the centuries, our kind has been split apart by wars and circumstances beyond our control. Some descendants live their entire lives without knowing what they are or how to control what they can do. Settlements were established around the world to keep whatever communities we could together. One of those settlements is here, in Apollo Beach. Solstices are drawn here like moths to a flame.”
“That’s amazing.”
“It is. Out of all things I do here, my favorite thing is to help the Lost find out where they came from. Some stay, and some leave. That’s how Charlotte found me, and I’m so grateful that she stayed. She’s been a wonderful companion to me ever since George… well—” Her voice catches. “Anyway, I’m used to the Solstice life, but since his death, my powers only grow weaker with age. A direct descendant’s powers are much stronger, and they can survive a longer lifespan.”
“So one day your powers will just fade completely?”
There’s a darkening in her eyes that twists in my gut. “Something like that, yes.”
I frown, her answer not sitting well with me. “So, what is it that we can do exactly?”
“As Enchanters, we can manipulate the natural progression of things. We can even influence the emotions and sometimes the actions of others. What we can’t do is rewrite history.”
“But we can levitate and teleport?”
Rose chuckles. “Levitate, yes. Teleport, not exactly.”
I frown, confused. “But then how do you explain what happened to me yesterday? One second I was at the pool with Alec, and then next, I was on the beach alone.”
“We call that cross-dimensional awareness. It’s when your senses take over your body and allow you to travel between two planes of existence. When I came outside and saw you with Alec, I saw what was happening. I immobilized him so he wouldn’t see. Then I planted a little scenario in his mind before releasing him from the frozen state.” She shrugs like there was nothing strange about it at all. “He walked inside, none the wiser, and I went to the beach to find you.”
“Wow.”
She allows me to process the information for some time before she perks up. “Now that you know I’m not crazy.” She smiles. “What do you say we get started on your training?”
A wild fluttering sensation comes alive in my stomach. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for this, but I follow Rose into the house, past the great room, and down to the library.
Once we’re inside, she takes me up a set of stairs and grins at me from over her shoulder. “You know how there are always secret rooms in old libraries? All you have to do is turn the candlestick?” She places her hand on a wall candle and pulls it forward.
A door doesn’t rotate on a mechanical floor as I expect, nor does one flip upside down to reveal a new wall. Instead, Rose literally pulls open a hinged door. She laughs, watching my shocked expression.
Beyond it is another den, this one filled with loose papers, uneven stacks of books lying about, and another bookshelf stuffed with ragged books of all shapes and sizes. An old desk stands on the far side of the room.
Charlotte sits at it, a titanic-sized book beneath her crossed forearms as she beams up at me. “Hello, Kat. I see you’ve come to your senses—quite literally, I suppose.”
Without answering right away, I sweep the room with my eyes again. A line of photos hangs on one wall, and I stand before them, fascinated. I already know who they are—direct descendants of the Summer Solstice. The first is a hand-drawn illustration of the Goddess of Enchantment, Astina Summer. I stare at her, scrutinizing every detail of her features and soaking them into my memory like I did with her statue.
“I’m still unsure what to make of all this.” I’m breathless as my gaze floats across the room and lands on Charlotte.
“If you’ll excuse me, Katrina. I will have my afternoon tea now,” Rose exclaims. “We will chat later, but for now, Charlotte has everything you need to get started.”
I watch her go, still reeling from everything she’s told me.
“Sit,” Charlotte says, interrupting my thoughts.
And if that wasn’t enough to get my attention, a loud scraping against the floor does the trick. When I turn to see what the noise was, I find a chair sliding from the other side of the den. Before I can react, it hits the back of my legs, tipping me back into the chair. I gasp, and Charlotte giggles like a schoolgirl. For the first time this morning, I start to feel relaxed.
“How long have you known about me?” It’s the first question out of my mouth, although it’s not the first question I want to ask.
Charlotte smiles. “Well, it wasn’t too long after I met Rose. I figured it out for myself after knowing you existed.” Her face relaxes, expressing her sympathy. “How are you doing with all of this?”
I struggle to find my words. “It’s like I know these things are happening, so it’s undeniable, but there’s still a part of me waiting to wake up from a dream.”
“I understand that feeling all too well.” Charlotte makes a face. “Imagine these things happening to you and not understanding a thing for ten years. I can’t believe I survived as long as I did. I thought I was going crazy, but deep down, I knew there had to be others out there.”
Poor Charlotte. “I’m so glad you found Rose.”
She smiles. “Me too. And now,” she says with a wink, “it’s time for me to pay it forward and to help you find your way. Consider me your private tutor.”
For the first time since learning about all of this, I allow myself to feel excited about it. “I can’t believe we’re really talking about practicing magic.”
Her smile softens as she leans in to reach for my hand. She squeezes it. “Well, start believing it. Your powers will be out of this world.”