CHAPTER 2: Ava-Marie

The day I was born, the world went mad.

And I went mad with it.

The pounding of the hippogriff’s hooves beneath me was like a war drum beating a prayer song. I could feel the music that resonated through the earth as it sent power flowing through my blood. The valley ahead of me was green and open, welling with sunlight on a fresh August morning. The hippogriff herd pressed around me as the mountains of Northern California rose in the distance, redwoods like soldiers standing tall against the blue sky.

I could feel everything that was alive, smell the resonance of life as energy ricocheted through the air. I could see the entire universe, spread out like a map that was mine for the taking. I rode upon a euphoric high, feeling more powerful than a god and never wishing to come down as the colors began to bleed together into a watercolor painting.

I dug my hands into the creature’s feathers and held on tight, pressing myself to the bird’s neck and urging it to go faster. The half-horse, half-eagle creature let out a low whinny, enclosing its wings around my legs. I laughed along, giving a sound that was shrill and ignited the world.

Eventually, the valley came to a close as the mountains grew higher above us. The hippogriff slowed, until it jogged to a stop by the opening of a cave entrance. I slid off and patted the hippogriff’s neck as the colors of the world bled away and became normal once again. “Good girl. Thanks for the ride.”

The hippogriff snorted, blowing back my hair before taking off into the sky. The herd followed, spreading their wings to follow the lead mare into the clouds.

I looked back. My brother was clinging to the back of the slowest hippogriff, who rounded up the last of the herd. His black hair was wild and stuck up on one side, and his cheeks were bright red.

“Ava-Marie, wait up!” he complained. His hippogriff skidded to an abrupt halt. Ezekiel yelled as he was tossed forward and sent sprawling into the ground, tearing a hole in his jeans.

I put a hand over my mouth and laughed again as Ezekiel spat out dirt. The hippogriff huffed and kicked up its hooves, flying into the sky with the rest of them.

Ezekiel gave me a sour look. “You could wait for me every once in a while.”

“You wouldn’t fall behind if you were a better rider.” I reached out a hand to pull him to his feet. Ez and I often raced hippogriffs, but he rarely beat me. He could never tell which ones would be the fastest. I could.

We turned toward the cave entrance. Ezekiel’s mouth fell open as he gazed upward, taking in the sight of the cave— and the various signs around the entrance warning that further venturing would be trespassing on government property. As this cave was outside the Hawkei reservation, whatever was found within it was free for anyone to take— as far as the colonizers were concerned.

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” Ezekiel asked. “It definitely counts as illegal activity.”

“Stop being such a baby.” I reached into my backpack and took out a headlamp, fastening it before clicking on the light. “It’s the weekend. No one’s at the worksite.”

“If we get caught here, it’s a federal crime,” Ezekiel said, pointing at the cords roping off the entrance.

I rolled my eyes. “What, like the colonizers committed a crime by stealing our land? Those artifacts are Hawkei property, Ez. They belong to the tribe. Now we’re going to get them back. Do you really want the colonizers to put our heritage in one of their museums? It’s not right.”

“No, but—”

“Then what’s the issue?”

Ezekiel’s tone was flat. “I don’t feel like going to jail.”

“You’re such a goody-two-shoes. Let’s go.”

“Ava-Marie!”

I’d slipped under the ropes before he had a chance to stop me. Ezekiel fastened on his own headlamp and hurried in behind, like I knew he’d always do. The sunlight vanished as we wandered further into the cave.

I got that Ez was nervous, but he needed to chill. This was the right thing to do. The supernatural world had suffered enough from humans in the past— the Hawkei being one of their greatest victims.

The Hawkei were an indigenous people who’d lived in California for thousands of years. We’d nearly been exterminated when the colonizers came to our territory and began terrorizing our tribe. We’d pleaded with the ancestors for help, and they’d answered our prayers, and gifted us our powers— the magic of the elements.

We became the Elementai— elementals— and grew strong enough to defend ourselves from the humans. We separated into five Houses for each of the five elements— Koigni, for Fire; Toaqua, for Water; Nivita, for Earth; Yapluma, for Air; and Anichi, for Spirit.

Though we had to keep our magic a secret, I wasn’t about to let some colonizers get their filthy hands on what belonged to us. I was doing the right thing. They were trying to steal our culture. Now I was stealing it back.

The headlamps didn’t provide enough light, so I lifted my hand. A ball of fire burned within it, illuminating the path ahead with light.

Ezekiel looked on in awe. “I’m so jealous. I can’t wait to get my powers.”

“You’re seventeen. They’ll show up soon.”

Supernaturals got their abilities when they came of age, but Ez hadn’t shown any magic yet. I was almost two years older than him, but I’d gotten my Fire magic the day I’d turned eighteen.

Though Ezekiel’s powers would be different from mine. Our parents were from separate Houses. My mother was Koigni. My father was Toaqua. Elementai always inherited their powers from their same-sex parent, so Ezekiel would have Water magic instead of Fire like me.

Ezekiel scowled as the walls of the cave began getting narrower. “You could at least tell our parents where we’re going. I don’t like lying all the time. If he finds out we’re here, Dad will be madder than when you got your tongue pierced.”

I waggled my piercing at him. “Well, someone’s gotta be the rebel.”

“Not all the time. Can’t we have a normal day for once?”

“I do what I want.”

I held my arm out as the cave path came to an abrupt halt, leading to the edge of a cliff. I sent the fireball sailing downward. It landed on the cave floor twenty feet below, where it shone light on piles of pick axes, shovels, and wheelbarrows full of dirt. The fireball fizzled out, leaving the area below in darkness.

“There’s the excavation site.” I slipped off my bag and began pulling out my gear. I pounded an anchor into the floor and strung a rope through the safety clips before slipping on my harness. I was rappelling down the side of the cliff before Ezekiel even had his harness on. I landed on the ground safely and unclipped myself while Ez clumsily— and fucking slowly— descended.

Ezekiel got tangled up in his climbing gear a foot above the ground. He struggled with the ropes and glanced at me helplessly as he spun in circles against the rock.

“Um, can you help? This harness is strangling my balls,” he whined.

“Ancestors, Ez, you’re so clumsy.” I got Ez loose, and he staggered against the wall. I had to resist rolling my eyes again.

“Hey, I’m a fat kid. I don’t do things like this.”

“You’re not fat, Ez, you’re fluffy.”

“Easy for you to say. You can’t weigh more than a hundred pounds.”

“Shut up.”

I called another fireball into my hand as I observed the excavation site. There were footprints in the dirt, and a lot of tools, but I didn’t see anything of value.

“They must’ve not found it yet,” I reasoned.

“Do you hear that?” Ezekiel tilted his head. There was a trickling sound. I followed the source of the noise across the area until my boots splashed upon mud and water. The fireball in my hand displayed a river ten feet wide, and probably just as deep.

“It’s an underground river,” I said. “How fascinating.”

I reached into my bag and pulled out a leather guidebook. I scribbled a few things down while Ezekiel groaned. “Ava, can we go? I don’t want to get caught down here.”

I snapped my guidebook shut. “Look. When you’re navigating ruins, you’re supposed to document everything. Otherwise, you could miss a crucial clue that’s important later. I have to practice, otherwise I’ll never be—”

“A real explorer,” Ezekiel echoed for me, like he’d done a million times. “I get it. Where is this thing, anyway?”

“Grandpa said the artifact would be down here.” I followed my instincts and began navigating the river. Ezekiel nearly slipped into it, before I caught him.

“Grandpa’s wrong about a lot of things,” Ezekiel grumbled, but I ignored him. We moved ahead, leaving the excavation site behind us.

We walked for half a mile in silence. The walls of the cave narrowed. Eventually, the river ended, but not before I noticed a small slit in the cave wall near my feet. I’d fit through it, but not Ez.

I had a feeling there was something lying beyond. Ezekiel frowned when he noticed it. “You can’t be serious.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” I asked. I had already dropped to my knees and began squeezing myself through the hole. “I won’t be long.”

Ezekiel danced nervously by the gap as I pushed myself through the claustrophobic space. For a moment, I did get stuck— momentary panic struck me, but I shoved it aside. Fear was a useless fucking emotion. It wouldn’t get me what I wanted.

I finally slipped through. As I did, I was able to stand and light a fireball. I stood in a small circular area, and lying on the floor was exactly what we’d come here for.

I reached out and picked up a small gold sculpture in the shape of a person. It was as big as my hand, and depicted each of the five elements throughout. The face showed half the face of a man, and half of a woman. It was meant to be a carving of one of the Hawkei gods— a piece of the Great Spirit we worshiped alongside our ancestors.

After a quick inspection, I rendered it had to be authentic. A piece like this was invaluable. To the colonizers, such an item would sell for millions at auction, but to our tribe, it was priceless.

I wriggled out from underneath the gap, and Ezekiel sighed in relief. His smile brightened when I showed him the figurine.

“Finally. Let’s head out.” We turned to go, but as we did, the idol in my hand started to burn. I let out a gasp. Being Koigni, it shouldn’t have hurt, but the statue was actually able to singe my skin. Both of our mouths dropped open as we realized the idol was glowing bright red. From the mouth of the idol streamed black smoke, which formed into a transparent man with a malicious grin.

Shit. The idol was a piece of Spirit Art. Grandpa had told me about these things. If a supernatural cared about their creation enough, they could actually seal a piece of their soul inside it, preserving their spirit forever within an item they treasured here on this earth. Usually, people who made Spirit Art were benevolent and kind beings, meant to help others.

But whoever had made this piece of Spirit Art was a fucking asshole, because this spirit was obviously not here to help. Dark magic like whips began gathering at his sides as the entity readied to attack. I saw fire flickering on the spirit’s form— this man had been Koigni in his former life.

“Ava, run!” Ezekiel cried. He grabbed my wrist, but the dark entity lashed out, knocking him to the ground. His headlight went out, and I heard glass crack.

The spirit smacked me across the face. My helmet went flying off, and the light broke against the stone.

We were locked in darkness. I threw a fireball in the direction I thought the dark spirit might be. It sailed right through him. I saw with horror that the monster was advancing on Ezekiel, who was scampering backwards trying to get away from it. The evil spirit reached out its dark tendrils, wrapping them around Ezekiel’s form and squeezing him tight. He gasped, pulling at the tendrils around his neck as they suffocated him, his feet kicking at the water of the river as he tried to escape.

When I saw that my brother was in danger, I didn’t think. I reacted. I flung out my left hand, expecting flames to shoot out my fingers at the entity, though I knew it wouldn’t do any good.

That’s not what happened. A shiver ran from my core all the way out to the tips of my fingers as I felt my skin turn cold, not hot. I’d never experienced such a chilling feeling before. When I cast Fire, there was anger, passion, exhilaration— nearly on the bounds of being out of control.

This magic was different. It was calming. Cool. And had an ancient power within it that scared me.

The water in the river rose upward. The riverbed drained. Ezekiel gasped. The spirit just had time to look up before the wave crashed into him. The dark entity gave a wicked cry as the water smashed into his body, putting out the flames licking his form. There was a sizzling sound, and the spirit dissolved, leaving the idol silent and immobile on the ground. The water trickled back into the river, and I was left completely dumbfounded.

What did I just do?

Ezekiel shook, but it wasn’t because of the entity. “Ava, you— you just used Water magic!”

I clambered to my feet. “No… it isn’t possible.”

“It has to be.” Ezekiel got up, and his feet splashed on the stone. “I saw you do it. You’re not just Koigni. You’re Toaqua, too.”

Denial flashed in my mind. I was a Fire caster, through and through. I had the fiery temperament for it. The ability to call upon Fire was as easy for me as breathing.

And yet… I’d told the river to protect Ezekiel without any effort whatsoever, and it’d obeyed.

I wouldn’t accept it. It wasn’t real. I couldn’t have inherited my father’s powers, too. This had to be a fluke.

I wouldn’t have one more thing that made me more different than I already was.

“Ez, you can’t tell Mama and Daddy about this,” I said as he approached. “It has to stay between us.”

His face fell. “If you’re both Houses, it’s important for them to know.”

“No! I want to be Koigni— I want to be normal,” I pleaded. “I’m already a fucking freak.”

Ezekiel’s eyes turned sad. “You’re not a freak, Ava.”

I let out a snort. Yeah, right. I’d been the weird kid at school. And weird was putting it lightly. People were afraid of me.

It was exceptionally rare— nearly unheard of— for an Elementai to have the ability to cast more than one element. Most could only cast the element of the House they were born into. Sure, there were exceptions, like my mother, who could use both Fire and Spirit magic.

But there’d never, in the history of all the Hawkei, been an elemental who could use both Fire and Water. The elements were total opposites. And I didn’t want to be the first anything.

I picked up the idol and shoved it into my bag. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“Ava!”

Ezekiel protested all the way behind me— even as he struggled to climb the wall that led back out of the cave. When we burst out into the sunlight, he grabbed my shoulders to stop me.

“This isn’t something we can hide,” he said. “Nor should you.”

Ezekiel was stubborn. He wouldn’t give up.

“Let’s just drop the idol off at Grandpa’s,” I said with a sigh. “Then we’ll talk about it.”

Or like, never.

Ezekiel’s shoulders sagged. “Okay. We can stop by on the way home.”

“Like hell! I need makeup.” I could deal with jeans just fine if I was running around in a cave, but any other time of day, I wanted a dress on. Crawling in the mud was no excuse for not looking fabulous— and I was not walking through town with my hair like this.

“Ugh. Fine. I guess I’m hungry, anyway.”

“You’re always hungry.”

The hippogriff herd had returned by this time. They were grazing in the valley beyond. The lead mare lifted her head as I walked toward her. I pulled myself onto her back, and Ezekiel climbed onto the same tawny stallion he’d fallen off of earlier. I nudged my heels into her sides, and the hippogriff spread her wings, taking off into the air.

There was nothing like feeling the wind on your face while you were flying on a hippogriff. I looked down, and as the valley shrank beneath me, I turned my gaze toward the city beyond.

Kinpago was my home, and always would be. I admired the beautiful skyline as the hippogriff tilted in the air, directing us toward an island that sat surrounded by the crystal clear ocean.

The two hippogriffs landed on the sandy beach of the island. Ezekiel and I fed them treats before bidding farewell and walking up the brick pathway to the grand stone mansion beyond.

I loved our house. It was open-concept, decorated in white and blue tones with a crystal chandelier hanging in the main entrance. The kitchen connected to the living room, and the porch doors were open, letting in the breeze from the beach. Some would say it was too big, but I had such a large family, it always felt warm and welcoming to me.

My younger sister sat on the couch, reading, like usual. Her red mane of hair fanned out behind her on the pillows. She looked up as we entered.

“Where’ve you guys been?” Alana asked. She was only fourteen, but she was fucking sharp— nothing got past her. She got off the couch and threw her book aside as Ezekiel began rummaging through the cupboards to make a sandwich.

I took the idol out of my bag and set it on the counter. “Getting this.”

“No way. You found it?” Alana’s eyes widened as she took in the statue.

“Yeah. It only took vanquishing an evil spirit out of the statue,” Ezekiel said with a mouth full of food.

“Really? How’d you do that?” Alana asked.

I glared at Ezekiel, and he shut up as Alana inspected the idol.

I could hear swear words coming from the garage. I poked my head in.

My eleven-year-old brother, Maverick, was sprawled on the floor, surrounded by tools as he messed around with an old motorbike. The bike was an antique. It had been my grandfather’s, passed down to my dad, then passed down to me. I took it to the mainland sometimes to ride it around. Maverick was itching to be old enough to drive it. I’d told him he could tinker with it. He was good with mechanical things. His brown hair was matted with oil as he tightened loose bolts.

“You got it, Mav?” I asked.

Maverick threw a wrench down. “Stupid chains are busted.”

“Well, if you need help, ask.”

Ez and I took after our dad— Alana and Maverick our mom. Ezekiel and I had tan brown skin, while Alana and Maverick’s was lighter. Ez and I looked native, and the other two didn’t— even though we had the same Hawkei blood running through our veins.

I returned to the kitchen. “Where are Mom and Dad?” Ezekiel asked Alana before he chugged a glass of milk.

“Dad’s at the office,” Alana said. “I guess Mom went with him for some reason.”

Thank the ancestors that Mama and Daddy weren’t home. Ezekiel had a big mouth.

“If they’re both there, it must be important,” Ezekiel said.

Alana shrugged. “Maybe.”

Daddy was the chief of Toaqua, and responsible for everyone in the Water tribe. Mama was on the Koigni Elder Council, working alongside him to maintain peace amongst the Houses. During the Elementai Civil War twenty years ago, there’d been a prophecy about my mother and how she would save the tribe. I’d only been a baby then, but according to my parents, it’d been a terrible time of war and suffering amongst the Houses. As the chosen one, my mother had led the tribe into a new age of peace— but not without a lot of sacrifice.

Because I was her firstborn, I was expected to live up to her incredible story. And I’d thoroughly disappointed everyone.

As if being the daughter of the Water chief wasn’t enough publicity. My parents were tribal heroes. Me being able to cast magic from two different Houses would cause more undue attention to our family.

Like I hadn’t done that enough already.

While Ezekiel ate, I ran upstairs. I showered, dried and curled my hair before flinging open my closet door— which was packed to the brim with poofy dresses, bedazzled jean jackets, and six-inch pumps.

I stood at the door and tapped a finger against my chin. What was I in the mood for today?

I had this fabulous pink tulle skirt I’d sewn myself that fell around my knees, with a cut-off cream shirt. They’d go perfect with a white pair of heels. I slipped them on, then sat at my vanity and began applying primer and foundation before working on contouring my cheekbones. I tossed lipsticks and eyeliner around my messy room carelessly, looking for the right one.

I was nothing more than thinly organized chaos. Everything in my room was pink— I loved pink— though you could barely tell under the piles of clothes I had lying around. My bedroom had a theme; unicorns. I had a unicorn bedspread, unicorn posters, and unicorn lamps.

I collected unicorns. I was fricking obsessed with them. I even wanted a unicorn tattoo one day. It was all so pink and girly, and it made me feel fabulous. Anyone who thought my room looked like a five-year-old’s could suck a dick, because I liked it, and that’s what mattered.

I had a wardrobe full of makeup products. I didn’t need them as much anymore… not since I quit my beauty vlog, but it felt like a sin to throw them out.

Mama and Daddy wanted me to pick it back up again. But I hadn’t made a video since Monica died. It felt like a betrayal to make one without her.

Thinking of Monica always made a pang run through my chest. I threaded my fingers over the bracelet she’d woven me, which I never took off. Red and green, for Koigni and Nivita.

It was the last piece I had left of her. Sometimes, I still heard her laugh echoing through the house. The memory of her smile got me through my bad days. I had a lot of those.

I rummaged through my vanity drawer, looking for the final touch. If Uncle Jonah had taught me one thing, there was never enough glitter. I dusted a tiny bottle of it over my arms and cheeks before I posed in the mirror.

I looked so hot. Looks were everything. People judged with their eyes. I loved makeup, because there was nothing you couldn’t hide with it.

Ezekiel was messing around with his guitar when I came downstairs. “Finally.”

He put his guitar aside. Alana gave a wave as we headed out. We’d asked her to come with us, but she was an introvert and liked her alone time.

We took the motorboat into town. I watched as dolphins and whales swam between hippocampi— half-horse, half-mermaid creatures. Their scales sparkled in the water, making me wish to reach out and brush my fingers over their spiny manes. Everything about my world was magical, and I savored each moment of it.

We docked the boat before walking up the winding path to Kinpago. As we entered the city, another invigorating sense of home struck me. I watched from the streets as dragons flew overhead, twirling with griffins and birds with rainbow feathers that were bigger than buildings. The streets were packed with Elementai walking side by side with direwolves, basilisks and three-headed animals like chimeras.

The perytons were always my favorite. The winged deer had such spirits as they bounded through the streets, bobbing their antlered heads.

The Elementai had the most important job in the world— protecting and defending magical creatures. We were their caretakers as designated by the ancestors themselves, and the creatures depended on us for survival. Every magical creature imaginable that existed in the world had a species based here in Kinpago. More often than not, we were the only thing that prevented them from going extinct. As a result, many of them became our Familiars.

A Familiar was an Elementai’s soul, the part of their spirit that existed outside of their body. Every Elementai was bonded to one, and you usually met them sometime after you got your powers. Elementai couldn’t live without their Familiars, as they were the source of our magic, our life energy. If you died, so did they.

I hadn’t gotten my Familiar yet. I’d desperately looked for one the first day I could cast my element, but I hadn’t found them. Somewhere, I knew my soul was out there waiting for me, and the longing to join the pieces of myself together was almost like an obsession. What would they be, and what would my Familiar mean to me?

There were so many colors in Kinpago— streamers hung from buildings, and Hawkei music played as people danced in the streets beneath the skyscrapers and shops. I smelled fry bread, cinnamon, and freshly baked pizza. Vendors on the street sold beads for making jewelry, white sage and woven baskets.

I wanted to stop and look— shopping was my favorite activity— but Ezekiel pulled me along in the direction of my grandfather’s house. He knew once I went on a shopping spree, I wouldn’t stop until I was flat broke.

In the distance, I saw the spires of a white castle rise into the clouds, and my heart thudded with just a little bit of magic.

Ezekiel nudged me knowingly. “Are you ready? Just a few more days now.”

Excitement welled in my chest. I couldn’t wait to attend Orenda Academy of Magical Creatures. I’d heard so many stories from my parents about how amazing it was when I was growing up. I wanted to have those incredible experiences, too.

“I’m glad I’m going with you,” I told Ez. I’d taken a year off after graduating from high school and postponed my enrollment because… well, Monica.

And something else I didn’t want to think about.

But now I was ready. I was sure of it. And Ez would be there, right alongside me in the same grade. I could handle it.

Ezekiel came to an abrupt halt. I nearly slammed into him, but held myself back at the last minute.

An annoying laugh caused a twinge of irritation to pass me by. I saw the bleached blonde mane of hair before anything else. Ezekiel’s mouth became thin, though I felt the hints of desperation oozing out from him.

I grabbed Ezekiel’s arm and steered him in a different direction. “Just ignore her. She’s not worth it.”

His eyes remained glued to the back of blondie’s head. I took another glance back. When I saw who she was talking to, my mouth ran dry.

I really didn’t like Rosary, but it was the sight of the person beside her that churned my gut. I took a short look before I set my eyes forward. The small movement was just enough to make a smirk cross John’s face.

Fuck him. I hated him.

I forced my hand not to shake on Ezekiel’s arm, and we took a different path. Even when we were well out of John’s sight, I still felt sick to my stomach.

I wouldn’t acknowledge it. I’d forgotten. That was that.

Ezekiel hadn’t noticed my momentary panic. He was still miserable. “Do you think there’s a chance she’ll take me back?”

I focused on the conversation with Ezekiel, to redirect my nauseated feelings. “You’ve gotta let her go, Ez. She’s no good for you.”

“I know.” His shoulders slumped. “Just wish things would’ve turned out different.”

Rosary had completely broken my brother’s heart. He’d never been the same after she dumped him.

Good riddance. I thought of wrapping my hands around her neck and squeezing, and a smile crossed my face. “She was abusive. You can do so much better.”

Rosary had hit my brother once. I’d made sure she’d never do it again. The burns were so bad she still had a scar on her arm. Nobody fucked with my little brother.

“I’m sure things would’ve worked out.” He dropped his head. “If the baby would’ve survived.”

Okay, Ezekiel was a goody-goody until it came to one thing— girls. He thought with what was in his pants instead of in his head. I guess the condom broke one time. Not gonna lie, it was kind of nice when Daddy and Mama found out. They’d grilled Ezekiel’s ass instead of mine, for once. He and Rosary were set to become teen parents— until Rosary had lost the pregnancy last year, and dumped him right off the bat.

My brother had taken the miscarriage harder than Rosary had. Ez had such a sweet heart— he’d cried for days. My whole family had just managed to bring him out of it. And as much as I despised her, I felt sorry for Rosary. No one should lose a baby, but the way she’d treated Ez after the fact was just plain cruel.

I felt the tension in the air alter as Ezekiel changed the subject. “Maybe you should try talking to Johnny again. I know you guys had a falling out after Monica died, but you two were really close. It’s sad you don’t talk anymore.”

A pit in my stomach opened up and devoured me. He wasn’t Johnny anymore. He was John. And Ezekiel didn’t know what happened between us. Nobody did.

Thoughts came rushing back. I tried so hard to push them out of my head, but they kept coming, pouring over me like an endless waterfall. I literally felt the color from my face drain. I let go of Ezekiel’s arm, so he could no longer feel my hands quiver.

“Ava, are you okay?” Ezekiel noticed my pale expression. “Did you take your pills this morning?”

“I always take my pills.” Not that they helped. I was still three fries short of a Happy Meal.

Ezekiel watched me carefully. “Are you sure you’ll make it to Grandpa’s? Maybe you should go back home.”

“You’re probably right. I’m not feeling great,” I mumbled. I reached into my purse and gave him the idol. “Take this to Grandpa’s. I’ll meet you later.”

He eyed me up and down. “It might be a good idea to walk you back.”

“I’m fine, Ez. I promise.”

I was not fine. Yet Ezekiel knew I hated it when people hovered over me, so he stepped back to give me some space. “Okay. You can take the boat back. I’ll grab the ferry. See you.”

Ezekiel started down the road. I turned the other way, though I didn’t go back the way we came.

I needed to take a different path. I had to be alone.

As I wandered down the city streets of Kinpago, I felt a burst of energy fizzle through my brain. It felt like I could run a hundred marathons without breaking a sweat. I wanted to run right now— get all these eyes off of me. Dozens of people were passing me by, and it felt like all of them were staring right through me.

They’re spying on you, Ava.

They’re following you.

You’re not safe.

Run!

“Shut up,” I whispered under my breath. I shut my eyes for a few moments to make the voices stop, but they kept coming, so numerous I could no longer make out what they were saying. It was like an entire auditorium was screaming at me all at once, amplifying the volume with every word.

I could taste metal. I could smell blood. It was so overpowering it made me want to vomit. All those eyes were still on me. The buildings were leaning inward and threatening to topple over. I diverged from the main street and began jogging down a deserted alley, trying to escape the ringing in my ears.

“It’s just a hallucination. Ignore it,” I told myself.

Yet I couldn’t. Voices. So many voices echoing in my head. There was no way of escape—

I was thrown off balance as someone slammed into my side. I thought it was another part of the hallucination, until I felt a strong hand on my arm keep me from falling over. I tottered on my heels and my purse slipped off my arm, falling onto the pavement. The voices abruptly stopped as I turned to face the person I’d accidentally run into.

“Easy there, pidge,” a cool, smooth voice said. “Don’t want to scrape up those pretty little knees.”

I caught the flash of a remarkably cocky smile, and for no reason at all, it instantly put me at ease. My eyes roamed up and down the man who’d caught me. He had to be in his early twenties. He was a few inches taller than me, around six foot two. His dark hair fell into his murky eyes. We were so close together I could see the emerald flecks within the hazel tones, which appeared to be honey pools I could dive into. His skin was brown, darker than mine, and his body was corded with muscle. His ripped jeans and tight t-shirt was like something straight out of a magazine.

A bad boy. I liked bad boys. At his side, a gray husky with a star marking on its forehead sat panting in the sun.

I tried to place what ethnicity the guy might be. He had to be Hawkei, like me— he had a Familiar after all— but besides being an indigenous North American tribe, the Hawkei had been intermingling with other races for centuries. I thought I could place him as Latino, but I could see some Middle Eastern features as well, mixed in with African traits.

Hey, I liked multicultural guys, and this dude looked like a world tour. For my vagina.

Then I noticed something— how the man’s gaze didn’t quite connect with mine. The dog eyed me with a shining expression, one that was confusing to put together.

The man was blind. I felt stupid for not noticing sooner. Should’ve paid more attention instead of ogling over him like the god he was.

Which is why what came out of my mouth next was just as stupid. “How… how can you tell I’m a girl?” I asked. I didn’t know if it was a rude question, but he couldn’t see me, right?

The man smirked again. This time, I noticed he wasn’t actually looking me in the eye— he stared in my direction, but his gaze went right through me, confirming my theory he was blind. “Most men don’t wear perfume, pigeon. Or dresses that make that much noise. Your heels click on the stone.”

His hand was still on my arm. The feel of his touch smoldered against my skin. I knew he couldn’t see me, but when I looked into his eyes… I don’t know. I felt a powerful connection, something that drew me in and absorbed my thoughts, making everything in my universe center upon this one man.

I didn’t like being alone with guys, but this was different. I had an immediate knowledge that this stranger wouldn’t hurt me. I noticed there was a jar on the ground, filled with a collection of coins and a few dollars. He’d been panhandling.

Sympathy filled my chest. I came from a rich family, so I’d never known what it was like to suffer financially. And however this guy had ended up in his situation, I didn’t feel he deserved it.

“You dropped your purse.” The guy took my purse from the husky’s mouth. The dog must’ve fetched it, but I hadn’t seen.

I took my purse back from him, still fixated on the sight of this guy. What was it about him that drew me in? “Thank you.”

“No problem, pidge.”

I felt like doing backflips. “Why are you calling me that… pidge?”

“Short for pigeon.” He flashed another attractive smile. “Old timey slang for a hot dame.”

He thought I was hot? I mean… he couldn’t see me, but he had to be attracted to me all the same, to say something like that. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I loved vintage movies. I’d grown up on black and white films from the 1940’s my Grandmother Eleanor loved. I thought the nickname was cute. “You new around here? I’ve never seen you before.”

“Charlie Wahkin, ma’am,” he drawled. “And you?”

“Ava-Marie.” I knew better than to give him my full name. And yet we were like two magnets, drawn together as if by fate. Charlie. I liked it.

“You might want to be a little more careful next time,” he said. “There are worse things in these alleyways than me.”

I laughed. “Now why do I doubt that?”

He cocked his head a little. “Just mind what I told you, pidge. The back parts of any town are no place for a lady.”

Charlie’s smile smoldered, and my eyes went immediately to his lips. I had the thought of pressing mine against his… just to see what he would taste like. Gunpowder and lead came to mind. It would be explosive. I mean, it was insane to think of kissing a homeless guy, even one that was really, really cute. Hot damn, this guy was a full-course meal with dessert on the side. Could I put in an order for delivery? Because I’d totally eat him up.

I brushed off my skirt— it’d gotten some dirt on it when Charlie had grabbed me. “Well, Charlie, I hope I see you again soon.”

“Don’t count on it, miss. I don’t stick around.”

He inclined his head. The tiniest movement he made was sexy. I smiled back, though I realized he couldn’t see it, so instead I said, “Thanks again, Charlie.”

When I was at the end of the alleyway, I dared to turn around. Charlie was gathering the few things he had, stuffing them into a backpack before he and his husky wandered the other way.

Once Charlie was out of my sight, cold deadness settled back into my chest, bringing my heart down with a heavy weight. As I left the man behind me, the hallucination came pouring back into my thoughts. If I hadn’t run into Charlie in the alley, and stopped the hallucination, no telling how far I’d fall into it this time.

I suffered from psychosis. Often. It was a symptom of my bipolar disorder. Not all people with bipolar saw and heard things that weren’t there, but I did. I’d talked to invisible people long after it was appropriate to have imaginary friends, and described things I could see that other people couldn’t. Sometimes, it happened in school and I’d scared my classmates. By the time my doctors had put together a medication regimen that lessened the severity of the hallucinations, my reputation had already been tarnished. Crazy Ava-Marie. That’s what people called me.

Growing up, the response to that would always be I wasn’t crazy, but now I wasn’t so sure they were wrong. I’d been in and out of therapy all my life. I wasn’t going now, because I’d been crafty enough to convince my parents I didn’t need it. The truth was, I’d just given up hope, and didn’t see how talking to someone would help me now if it hadn’t in the past. The hallucinations had been under control, before Monica died.

Ever since? They were worse than they ever had been.

I got back on the boat so I could head home. I rummaged through my purse to find the boat key. I found it, but not much else. My guts bottomed out when I realized my wallet was missing.

What the hell? How did I lose it? My mind raced. I hadn’t touched my wallet once since we’d left the house. I had no idea how it could be missing.

Then I pieced things together. My purse had fallen off my arm when I’d stumbled into Charlie. His Familiar was the one who retrieved it for me. The dog must’ve snatched the wallet before Charlie had given me back my purse! I’d had over a hundred dollars in there. This was bullshit!

I let out a huff and rolled my eyes. What the fuck ever. I never carried my credit cards with me, anyway, so those were safe. If that guy was lousy enough to steal, he needed the money more than I did.

Geez, what a loser. I thought that guy was hot. I had the shittiest taste in men.

I drove the boat back to the house in a bad mood.

It was a Sunday, so like always, my giant family was here, getting ready to have our afternoon get-together. My Uncle Cade was at the grill, while my Aunt Imogen was doing the hula to tropical music that played on the radio. Her fox Familiar, Sassy, rose up on her hind legs to sway to the beat. Four of their boys, all various ages, were playing football on the beach. Their fifth son— the oldest, same age as my younger sister, was talking to Alana as he swam around the pool. Alana never swam— she was afraid of water. She sat on one of the lounge chairs and screamed as Luis tried to splash her and missed.

“Ava, my darling!” A wet kiss was placed on my cheek as I felt arms the size of tree trunks wrap around me and squeeze.

“Can’t breathe,” I gasped. I fell several feet as my Uncle Jonah let me go. He was a giant of a man, but he had the biggest heart.

“You’d better be taking my dance class this semester,” Uncle Jonah said as he waggled his finger at me.

“I’ve already signed up.” Jonah was the Dean of Yapluma at Orenda Academy. He mostly taught Air magic and psychology classes, but his dance class was not to be missed. His Familiar, a hippogriff named Squeaks, trotted up to me and nudged me with her head.

Her offspring were a part of the hippogriff herd I’d gotten a ride from that morning. I scratched her shoulder feathers, and she cooed happily.

“Don’t expect to get by so easily because you’re my niece. I fully expect you to shake that booty until it falls off,” Uncle Jonah teased, and his eyes sparkled.

I laughed. “Yes, Auntie.”

Whether we called Jonah auntie or uncle depended on what personality he’d decided to put on that morning. He was fine with either. He crushed the beer can he was holding against his head and ran down the beach, screaming, “Save a touchdown for me, boys!”

His husband, Jake, was tossing the football. Jonah hurtled toward him and tackled him onto the sand, where they wrestled for dominance. Squeaks danced around them awkwardly, until her tail swished and knocked a tray of hot dogs off the picnic bench and onto the ground.

Jonah’s daughter, Josee, was messing around with a soccer ball like always. She kicked it to Maverick, who tried to navigate it around her to score a goal. He failed when she snatched it out of the air effortlessly.

Josee was a total tomboy. All she cared about was sports. Not me. I liked looking pretty, thank you very much. She waved me over to join them, but I shook my head no and continued onto the porch.

Mama was there, taking pictures with her professional camera. The cutest little creature sat on her shoulder. It had big eyes, with fluffy brown fur, a poofy tail and long ears like those of a fennec fox. Her name was Buttercup, and she was a kurble— a type of marsupial. Buttercup trilled when I climbed the porch steps, and Mama looked up.

I always thought Mama was one of the prettiest women alive. She had long brunette hair with eyes that were always welcoming and kind, and she held herself in a dignified way I never thought I could imitate, or achieve. My mother radiated power like the sun radiated heat, and people respected her for it.

Mama put the camera down and smiled as I came by.

“Did you and your brother have a nice hike?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I lied. “He’s still out there. Wanted to stop by Grandpa’s for a minute. What did you and the council talk about?”

Mama’s smile faltered for a brief moment. “It was nothing important.”

Nothing, huh? I wasn’t the only one telling tall tales.

Just then, a dragon’s roar rang across the wind. I looked up. A ruby red dragon, with scales glistening in the sunlight, spiraled down from the sapphire skies. The dragon was massive, and was almost as large as our house. As the dragon landed, shock waves resonated across the beach, and a man slid off the dragon’s back.

“Watch your tail, Julian,” Daddy said. “You nearly knocked down the house.”

Julian grumbled and curled his tail the other way. It hit Squeaks and sent her flying into the water. The hippogriff made an angry sound, while Julian grumbled an apology.

Daddy was tall, with long black hair and a strong jawline that made him appear proud. The chief of the Water tribe always looked strong, even when he was at his weakest.

I wished I could emulate that kind of confidence. My dad had never been a fish out of water.

Unlike my Mama, Daddy was very sick. I could see it clearest when he was trying to hide how he really felt. Daddy suffered from a rare disease that caused his magic to weaken his bodily systems, his immune system getting the brunt of the illness. It was genetic, but so far, neither me nor my siblings had developed it.

And I hoped none of us ever did. It was tough growing up, watching your dad be in and out of the hospital. A few times, he’d barely pulled through. But I’d never have it any other way, because I really loved my Daddy, and I didn’t care if he was sick, so long as he was here.

As he drew closer, I noticed the bags under his eyes, and the way his steps faltered slightly on the sand. He could smile, but I wasn’t fooled. He was tired today.

Still, he put out an arm and drew me into a hug. “There’s my peanut. I missed you this morning.”

My stomach wiggled uncomfortably. I’d left before Daddy had gotten up, to retrieve the idol. “Ez and I wanted to get a head start on the hike.”

“See anything interesting?”

I swallowed. Lying to Daddy was always the hardest. “Nah. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Daddy gave me a warm smile. Before he could ask anything else, I said, “You and Mama were gone for a long time. You don’t work on weekends. Is something up?”

He frowned slightly. “You know tribal business can happen at any time. It’s nothing to be worried about.”

I knew exactly when Daddy wasn’t telling the truth. He blinked twice.

It was strange Mama and Daddy were being shady about the Elder meeting this morning. Why didn’t they want me to know about it?

I decided I didn’t care. I trusted Daddy with everything. If he was keeping something from me, it was for my own good. He wouldn’t lie to me about something important. He never hid secrets from me that mattered.

Mama’s bit her lip as she took in my father’s appearance. “You look tired, Liam. Come inside.”

“Only for a moment.” Daddy’s eyes crossed to Aunt Imogen and Uncle Jonah, who were shaking their butts on the beach to the music. It was very typical of them. That was my crazy aunt and uncle.

Daddy shuffled slowly up the steps. I walked behind him, to catch him just in case he fell.

“I don’t need to be nannied, you know,” Daddy said crossly as he sat on a kitchen chair. He sent a surly gaze to me as Mama placed a glass of water on the table.

“What kind of daughter would I be if I didn’t?” I asked. I hovered beside him, but not too close. Buttercup perched beside the glass of water and tilted her head before Daddy took a sip.

Mama sat across from Daddy and laid a hand on his chest. As she did, a white glow emitted from her fingertips and spread over Daddy’s body. I watched, entranced by the silvery strands that wrapped around Daddy’s form.

Mama could treat Daddy’s disease with her Spirit magic. She couldn’t cure him, but she could heal him partially, and treat his symptoms. Her powers were the only thing that kept him going most days. Watching her use her magic on him was always beautiful. Spirit magic came from love, and I could really tell that Mama loved Daddy.

All at once, the color in Daddy’s face brightened, and he sat taller. It was like I could see his illness visibly ebbing away from him as Mama’s Spirit powers worked their magic. When she was done, the glow faded and Daddy’s voice was stronger.

He turned toward me. “So, what path did you and your brother take today?”

Before I could answer, the door burst open and slammed against the wall. I heard footsteps run into the kitchen as Ezekiel screamed, “Ava’s got Water powers!”

Fucking dammit. Couldn’t trust Ez to keep a secret to save his life.

Ezekiel skidded to a halt. The color drained from his face as he realized I’d gotten back first. My lips formed into a sneer. Mama and Daddy’s mouths dropped open at the same time, looking from me to my brother in surprise.

I pounced. I jumped on Ezekiel’s back and locked my arm around his neck. “You little snitch!”

Ezekiel grabbed my arm as he fell to his knees. We struggled violently before he wrenched me off. I went tumbling to the floor. I went to launch myself at him again, but Daddy held me back.

“Ow! You kicked me in the face!” Ez complained, holding his eye.

“Good, you probably look better,” I shot back at him.

“Enough,” Daddy said firmly. “Ava, what’s this about?”

I took a few ragged breaths and refused to answer. But Ezekiel, who went to pieces under any sort of interrogation, blurted, “Ava and I were at the dig site, and—”

“You two went to that excavation?” Daddy leapt up from his chair. “I specifically told you not to mess around in those caves— don’t roll your eyes at me, young lady!”

He’d caught me at it, but come on. This was stupid.

“Forget about that,” Mama said quickly. “Ezekiel, you said Ava used Water powers.”

“Uh-huh.” Ezekiel’s head bobbed like he was a little boy. “We found the idol, but it turned out to be a malevolent Koigni Spirit Art. It was going to kill me, until Ava commanded the underground river within the caves to attack it. I watched a wave rise up and destroy it.”

“Honey, is this true?” Mama’s eyes were wide. Buttercup mirrored her expression.

“I mean…” I shrugged. “Yeah, it happened, but it must’ve been a one-off thing. I don’t have Water powers. I’m Koigni!”

“That’s not what she asked,” Daddy said. I was trying his patience.

“Look, I just did it to protect my brother! I don’t know if I could do it again!” I said.

Mama nodded. She’d first discovered her powers doing something similar, defending her sister from an attacking lion years ago.

I fisted a hand in my hair. “Maybe we shouldn’t have gone to the caves. But whatever happened this morning, it won’t happen again. I’ve never felt partial to Water. I like Fire. I’m a Koigni through and through, and—”

As I was rambling, Daddy purposefully knocked over the glass of water that was sitting on the table. I gasped and reacted instinctively. My left hand shot out. The water that was about to hit the floor suspended in the air, hovering at my command.

I was so shocked that the spell broke, and water splashed all over the hardwood. Nobody moved to clean it up. Everyone stared at me, like I was some sort of freak animal.

Daddy took in a breath. “Ava, you’re incredible.” Daddy was fit to boasting. He was proud I’d inherited his side of the magical spectrum. But why were they all so happy about this? I didn’t feel like it was anything to celebrate.

There was no denying it. Or hiding it. I did have Toaqua powers. I just didn’t understand why.

“How could this have happened?” I asked. “I thought Elementai always inherited the powers of their same-sex parent.”

“Ava, you have multiple generations of Fire and Water running through your veins. The same-sex parent rule must be canceled out once your genetics become diluted enough. Fire and Water are both dominant traits in your genes,” Mama said, marveling at her own words.

“Does this mean I might get Fire powers, too?” Ezekiel asked in excitement. He was thrilled about becoming a dual-caster, but he didn’t get it. It wasn’t a gift to be different. It was a curse.

“It depends on what traits are dominant. My traits are from my Spirit and Fire side, but they can co-exist peacefully. But I’ve never heard of Fire and Water traits being dominant at the same time,” Mama said.

“Exactly. It’s never happened before.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. This was just one more thing that would set me apart from everyone else.

“Ava, the ancestors chose to give you this gift,” Daddy said. “Why not use it for good?”

“Because I just want to be normal, that’s why!” I burst. “People already think I’m crazy. What are they going to say when they find out I’m a dual-caster? The press is going to go nuts!”

As the daughter of the Toaqua chief and the chosen one, I’d been the subject of Hawkei tabloids multiple times. Most of the articles weren’t very kind. I couldn’t imagine this one would be, either.

Mama’s eyebrows scrunched together. “You’re not crazy, sweetheart. You have bipolar.”

I blew a lock of hair out of my eyes. “Big difference.”

Ezekiel came close to me. This time, he looked a little bothered. “Are you okay, Ava? I was worried about you when you left earlier.”

“I told you I was fine.” Did he really have to bring this up in front of our parents? He could’ve asked me later.

“I just… I don’t know.” Ezekiel shrugged. “You had that look in your eyes you used to get when you were hearing things.”

Daddy and Mama went rigid. I suppressed a groan. “You’re hearing voices again?” Mama’s eyes narrowed in concern.

“No,” I lied. “I haven’t heard anything. I was just tired earlier.”

“Ava, you’d better be telling the truth,” Daddy warned.

“Not a single sound.”

I couldn’t let them know the voices were back. They’d give me a kiss and ship me off to the loony bin before I had a chance to pack my designer heels. I’d told them the voices had stopped years ago, to keep them from worrying, when in reality they never had.

Ezekiel gave me the look. It was a secret gesture only we understood, and he was telling me I was full of shit.

“Ava, whatever happens, we’re here to help you,” Mama said gently. She took my hand, like she was good at doing, and squeezed it tight. “If you’re hearing voices, or if you don’t understand your magic, we can work it out. There’s nothing we can’t do together as a family.”

Tears started to bead at the corners of my eyes, but I pushed them back down. I didn’t cry. “You guys don’t understand. I’m tired of being different. My magic was one thing that felt safe. And it doesn’t feel like that anymore.”

I turned away from them and ran. My parents called after me, but I ignored them. Everyone on the beach looked up as I bolted to the shoreline.

I didn’t think about what I did. Just like my Fire, my Water magic erupted from me by feeling. I didn’t know how I did what I did, but one moment, I was on the sand, and the next, a wave had risen up to catch my feet. I continued running, and the Water crashed upward to support my weight. I fell into the water and surfed across the waves like I would on my board. People gasped when they saw me riding upon the water. I heard more cries, but I pretended like I didn’t hear them, keeping my eyes on the horizon.

Soon, the island was long behind me. I collapsed on the shore of the mainland on all fours, breathing heavily. My shoulders shook. My clothes were soaked, but I didn’t care.

I felt like I was going to crack. If I didn’t maintain control, I would crack, and everything I was holding inside would break free. I had to get it together. I forced myself to stand and slicked back my wet hair, eyeing the span of the empty beach.

I was so empty inside. The hollowness just wouldn’t go away, and I didn’t know how to fill it.

I was Toaqua now. Maybe I could drown it.

As the dark thought crossed my mind, I heard a rustle in the trees coming from the forest beyond the beach. I stood up slowly as a creature emerged.

By the ancestors, she was beautiful. The creature was a tall and slender unicorn, with a coat dark as night and an obsidian horn rising out of the center of her forehead. The mare’s eyes were black, and her mane and tail burned with flame, sending embers to the ground as the fire that made up her hair trailed over her neck and withers.

A Fire unicorn. I’d heard of them, but I’d never seen one before. She was looking right at me.

I advanced toward the Fire unicorn. As I drew near, my clothes and hair dried automatically at the presence of her heat. The air around her was hot, but I didn’t mind at all. The unicorn was completely still as she faced me head-on. In the middle of her forehead was a singular white mark— a seven-pointed star. She nickered as I dared to reach out a hand. I placed it on her velvety nose.

The moment I touched her, the entire world opened up. I saw so many colors at the edges of my vision, colliding together in a gorgeous rainbow. The purpose of my life entwined together with this creature, sucking me in and holding me in an embrace that was welcoming and home. I felt the fires of her passion burning away at me, taking away anything that was bad and leaving behind only what was right. This wasn’t like the visions I experienced during psychosis. This was real, and it was comforting. I smelled sandalwood, the ocean, and the remnants of a burning fire. I heard my brother’s laughter and the sound of Monica singing. The song continued, wrapping around me as I felt Daddy’s hug and Mama braiding my hair. I imagined sunlight hitting my face, and the glow of a candle in the dark. Images flashed before my eyes, like they would if I was experiencing my last moments before death; but instead of death, this was a new awakening.

The unicorn placed her nose to my chest. When she touched my heart, I felt such a powerful wave of emotion that my knees buckled beneath me and I cried out.

As the music faded and Monica’s voice ebbed away, I knew immediately that I had bonded. I didn’t need to question it. This unicorn was my Familiar. My soul. Familiars always came to you at your weakest point— and she had known I needed her now.

“Who are you?” I whispered. I was completely enchanted by her.

The mare blinked. She didn’t speak to me, but I felt a strong feeling in my heart, and a name popped into my head… Oberi.

“Oberi.” That was her name. I reached out and wrapped my arms around her neck. The unicorn turned her head inward and nuzzled me, as if hugging me to her chest.

The hollowness inside me went away, and I reveled in the feeling of touching my Familiar for the first time. I had found who I was. I’d discovered myself. Everything in my life tied me to this creature, and I knew then that I wasn’t alone.

As I pulled away, the unicorn turned to me, offering me her back. I reached up to take her mane in my hands. Though it was made of Fire, the flames didn’t burn me. I pulled myself onto the unicorn, and Oberi gave another knicker. She bounced a few times on her hooves before giving a tiny rear, then bolted forward.

Her feet kicked up sand as she galloped down the beach. My hair was blown backward by the wind, and I gave a cry of joy. This was entirely different than riding the hippogriffs. It was like Oberi and I were one, a singular being with no start and no end. Her flames blew by as I twisted them in my hands. It was like my spirit left my body as I felt her powerful strides pound the earth, creating a song in my heart as we splashed against the waves. As we ran, I saw other unicorns made of Water rise out of the ocean, charging alongside Oberi as we ran.

I had done that out of my emotion. My magic. Maybe being Toaqua wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Oberi slowed to a halt, and I took deep breaths to stabilize my shaking form. I slid off her back, still winded. My mind calculated the possibilities as I stroked Oberi’s midnight coat.

I’d bonded with a Fire creature. This proved I was Koigni, right? Maybe I could hide my Toaqua side. Nobody needed to know about it, right? They’d never guess, not with a Fire unicorn at my side.

As I was still taking in the incredible moment, an angry cry rang out across the beach. “Get away from my Familiar!”

I turned around. My stomach bottomed out when I realized who was shouting at me. It was Charlie— the blind man I’d run into earlier. The one who’d taken my wallet. He was stomping up the beach, his bag thrown over his back.

Anger rose within me. This guy was a piece of work. What the hell was he doing, bothering me and Oberi? How did he even know where we were? He couldn’t see us.

“You’re going to get a fireball to the face,” I snarled. I conjured one and drew back my hand to throw it.

Before I could, Oberi gave a high-pitched whinny. She ran toward Charlie, tossing her head. The fireball dropped out of my hand and fizzled on the sand as I watched Oberi change. In seconds, she’d morphed from a female Fire unicorn… into the same male husky I’d seen with Charlie earlier.

The husky barked and wagged his tail at Charlie’s side. Shock twisted my guts when the husky turned to look at me. I noticed the same seven-pointed star on his forehead that Oberi had.

This was impossible. How could Oberi have two different genders? Two different forms? I’d never heard of such a Familiar before.

Then my heart twisted sickly as I watched Charlie pet the husky. His blind gaze rose to stare in my direction. When my eyes connected with his, I knew.

I wasn’t just bonded to this creature— to Oberi. I was bonded to Charlie as well. His Familiar was also my own.

My spirit was split into two pieces. And the other half belonged to him.

I shared a soul with a complete stranger.