Astra Iishayel
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Place: Iishayel Estate
I stand panting at the front door of my family home, my chest heaving as I take sharp, quick breaths. Without pause, I open the door and head straight to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. The house is silent—everyone else is still asleep. They usually are when I finish my jog around the estate each morning.
With a steaming cup in hand, I make my way upstairs to the second-floor library. Dad gifted it to Mum as a wedding present. She loves reading—her passion for books and knowledge is matched only by Ana and me.
Today is a day to be inscribed in history. An auspicious event is about to happen. And that event is—dramatic pause here—I’m turning eighteen at exactly 11:33 p.m. Cheers to me for surviving eighteen long years in a world filled to the brim with idiots.
Anyway, leaving the idiocy of the masses aside, today I’m expected to take part in a ritual that will open the magical channels in my body, making them accessible. The magic will also manifest as a specific power. Dad is a healer, and Mum is a powerful empath. I’m quite curious about what my gift will be.
After about an hour lost in a book, my stomach rumbles, reminding me it’s time for breakfast. I mark the page, close the book, and head downstairs.
“Good morning, Dad.”
“Morning, little flower. I was just coming up to get you. Your mum says breakfast will be ready in five minutes.”
If there were a competition for “Coolest Dad,” Marcus Iishayel would win, hands down. He’s one of the kindest men in the kingdom. And his patience... it’s oceanic. Honestly, I don’t know how someone like him fathered someone like me—the exact opposite.
I enter the kitchen to find my twin sister, Ana, setting the table. Ana is the golden girl—every parent’s dream. Kind, soft-spoken, endlessly patient. She doesn’t raise her voice. Unlike me, who yells, snaps, and fights like a proper delinquent.
“Happy birthday, dears,” Mum says, placing a cake in the center of the table. “This day marks the start of your journey into adulthood. So enjoy your last day of happiness before you’re burdened with adult problems.”
“What a way to wish someone on their birthday,” I mutter under my breath, failing to hide the fondness in my tone.
“Thanks, Mom,” Ana says brightly.
“Let’s not dally. Come on, cut the cake, girls. Some of us are hungry.” Dad’s mock whining makes us all chuckle.
After a simple breakfast, I bid my family goodbye and head out to meet my friends.
---
Time: 11:20 p.m.
Place: The Temple of Mirethys
The graying moon gazes down at us, surrounded by his starry companions. The breeze is cold, yet oddly comforting beneath the cloak of night. We watch in silence as the priestesses move gracefully through the chamber, ensuring every detail is perfect for the ritual about to unfold. My mother and father are deep in conversation with the head priestess.
The door creaks open, and Ana walks in, dressed in a flowing white robe, looking serene. Her auburn hair is unbound, dancing freely in the chill air. She’s removed all her jewelry—even the ring that marks her as heir to our family.
“Ana, stand in the center of the runic structure. The rest of you, please step back. You may disturb the ritual,” says the priestess my parents were speaking to—her voice soft but firm.
Ana steps forward and does as instructed. As the clock strikes 11:25, the devotees begin their chant, praying to Mirethys—the goddess of magic—to bless Ana, to guide her and awaken her gift.
Ana glows like a star, her body radiating a warm, white light. Her magic spills into the chamber—gentle and melodic, like a flute’s song on a spring morning. After a full minute, the glow fades. Ana looks up and smiles, her joy pure and radiant.
“Astra, you should get ready. You’re next.” Mum gently nudges me toward the adjoining chamber to change.
With trembling hands, I slip into the white robe. My heart pounds. When I step back into the chamber, my parents offer small, reassuring smiles. Ana gives me a huge thumbs-up, grinning from ear to ear.
It’s 11:31 p.m.
I take a deep breath and step into the center of the runic circle.
The clock strikes 11:33.
And the chant begins.
