Prologue

Jessamine POV

Growing up my father always told me tales of life beyond the veil. They were fantastic stories about elementalists and dragons, shapeshifters and magic users. He would tell me about the four elementalist kingdoms. Home to the Ethreli, who wielded the four natural elements: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. He would speak of the Despari people, who were bonded with animals. They were able to take on their form, talk with them, and heal them. Then came the Gyenshin, the dragons. They wielded powers related to plants, metal, and weather and had a humanoid form. Finally the Vampyr, a race that drank blood to fuel their magic.

My father told me that the realm beyond the veil housed all the beings that were the source of human myth and legend. I always thought that the stories were made up, that my dad had an amazing imagination. My name is Jessamine Renée Aloré, and in my first year of high school, I learned otherwise. Now I must learn to cope with the truth and accept my new reality.

Chapter 1

Jessamine POV

Heat pressed on my skin as smoke filled the air. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. The room was dark, I coughed as the smoke thickened.

“Dad?” I called, coughing as my lungs protested the smoke coating them. I climbed out of bed and was startled to find I was much shorter than I thought I should be. I counted it as a blessing, as the smoke was higher in the air. I laid on the ground and crawled toward the only bit of light I could see. It was a thin line that showed where I believed there must be a door.

“DAD!” I yelled more loudly. Once more I was racked by coughs as the smoke continued to thicken. There was no answer. I reached the door and placed my hand upon it, heat emanated from the surface. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I knew it couldn’t be good.

I whimpered and backed up to the bed, coughing and calling out for my dad. The heat grew and I felt my skin straining against the dry air. Suddenly the door burst open. A shadowed form quickly stepped through and forced it closed behind them. I stared at the shadowy figure.

“Ya must get out of ‘ere sweet Jessamine. Run ta tha forest and ‘ide. Yer father will find ya there.” The sweet feminine voice with it’s lilting Irish brogue seemed familiar. I felt I could trust this person. They crossed the room and motioned for me to join them. “Ya won’t ‘ave much time. Run, run as fast as ya can. Don’t look back.”

Something in my heart yearned to see the face of the mysterious woman. But her countenance was blurred by the darkness and smoke. She unlatched the window and lifted me up. Her bright blue eyes, much like my own, were all I could make of her features. “Ah love ya lass, now go!” She hefted me through the window, and as if by magic flames followed mere moments later. I knew she was gone.

I felt tears run down my cheeks as I looked around. All the buildings were burning, and people were screaming. I saw people running around, some with weapons, others with nothing. Directly before me was the forest the woman spoke of. I took one last look at the burning building I had been thrown from and then ran for the trees. I found a fallen tree that had a hollow dugout beneath it. I tucked myself into the hole and cried for the woman I didn’t know.

***Beep, beep, beep, beep***

I rolled over and smacked my hand down on the alarm clock. I opened my eyes and stared up at the clouds painted on my ceiling. I had the dream again. I reached up and swiped along my damp cheeks. I always cried when I had that dream, and it always ended with me in the dugout hollow beneath the tree. I had no idea who the woman was, but her death always made me very sad.

Dad told me it was just a dream, and to stop being so worried about things all the time. He said the dream meant I was afraid of everything going out of control, like the fires that raged in the village I saw. I don’t know if he is correct about their meaning, but I do often worry about being in control of things.

I took a deep breath and sat up, swinging my legs around so I was sitting on the side of my bed. I looked at the clock and verified the time, seven in the morning. Perfect. Although I would have loved to sleep more, maybe even somehow re-enter that dream, I needed to get ready. Today was going to be busy. I had my eighth-grade promotion at eight and then my dad and I were going to spend the rest of the day just hanging out together. First we were going out to eat to celebrate my promotion, and also my birthday. It was both neat and crappy that my promotion and birthday were on the same day. It meant places to eat would be busier. Also, Dad said he had a surprise for me, one he would tell me more about at breakfast.

I took a quick shower and dressed in a navy blue skirt with powder blue flowers on it that hung just above my knees. I paired it with a powder blue button down blouse with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. I put on a pair of powder blue socks and navy blue Mary Janes.

I looked at myself in my full-length mirror that hung on the back of my door. I had spent a lot of time deciding on this outfit, and the colors made my blue eyes pop more. I took some time to brush out my curly red hair, not that there was much I could do with it beyond that. Once I was satisfied with my look I glanced at the time. Seven twenty, not bad. I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, just as my dad exited his room a few doors down.

“Good morning, Dad!” I called, a big smile on my face.

“Good morning, sweet pea.” My dad replied, his deep voice resonated in the hall. He walked down the hall to me. “Happy birthday!” He exclaimed and wrapped me in a tight hug.

“Thanks Dad.” I replied, hugging him back.

We walked down the rest of the hall to the kitchen. We each grabbed something quick to eat and headed out the door. Time to get this show on the road

Chapter 2

Jessamine POV

“Presenting, this year’s graduating class from Barcelona Elementary School.” Principal Evans stated as the audience clapped and cheered for us. I smiled and waved at my dad, the only one here to support me. The staff guided us off the stage and into the audience where we met with our families and friends.

There were only a few kids who greeted me and gave me hugs. I wasn’t particularly close to any of my classmates. I was too focused on schoolwork or my extracurricular activities. I was polite and congratulated my peers as I worked my way to my dad.

“And it’s done!” My dad exclaimed as he gave me a hug. “Now, where do you want to go for a real meal?”

I smiled and replied, “Denny’s of course!” He smirked and nodded, leading the way out to the car.

At Denny’s we were seated quickly, and I was given a plethora of congratulations by the employees. We had been going to this Denny’s since we moved here when I was six. They had always made us feel like family.

The service was amazing, even though the place was crowded with other graduates. Our server, Rohde, was attentive and kept our drinks filled. Dad and I talked as we ate. We discussed how after this we would head home and maybe play some games together.

As Rohde brought our desserts, the entire Denny’s crew gathered around. Rohde set my lava cookie down and then the whole started clapping and singing a birthday ditty. I smiled and laughed, thanking them and giving hugs to those who knew me well.

After they left, my dad got really quiet. He stared hard at the table before looking at me with his amethyst eyes. His lips were pressed tight together. He looked more serious than I had ever seen him before. I frowned and reached out to touch his hand. “What’s wrong Dad?” I asked, my voice filled with concern.

“Jess, there’s something I need to tell you.” His tone suggested this was major news. I nodded, encouraging him to continue. He took a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh. “You won’t be going to high school here.”

I blinked, uncertain of what I heard. “Uh, what?”

“There’s a school, in Ireland, I want you to go there.” Dad stated. His voice was gruff, like he was uncomfortable talking about this.

I blinked, trying to process his words. “I must be hearing things, because it sounded like you just said you were sending me to Ireland for high school.” I said, quite flabbergasted.

Dad nodded his head and looked straight at me. “It’s where your mother went to school. She wanted you to go there too.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re sending me away?” My throat began to close as I felt tears building in my eyes.

“No, sweetie. At least, not in the way your thinking.” He sighed again. “I want the best for you. This school has the best reputation. It’s very exclusive, so you getting in is an amazing opportunity.”

I felt a tear escape down my cheek, “But, everything I know is here. We’ve never even been to Ireland and you want to send me to school there!?”

Dad glanced down at the table before returning his gaze to my face. “Yes. You know your mother’s family was from there. I always meant to take you, but time got away from me.” He sat back in his seat. “Look, I need you to at least think about this. I have some information at home about the school. I promise, you’re going to love it there.”

My heart was shattering. My dad was all I knew, and he was sending me half a world away to go to a school I had likely never heard of. “What’s the name of the school?” I asked, as he had yet to say.

“It’s called Starlight River Academy.”

I frowned. That name rang a bell, but I couldn’t think of why. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

My Dad’s eyes focused sharply on me. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged, “I just feel like I heard that name somewhere.”

Dad’s eyebrows drew together as he frowned. “Maybe you saw it on one of the flyers I have?”

I pursed my lips and shook my head. “I don’t think that’s it.” I shrugged, “Oh well. No big deal at the moment.” I decided to brush it off, maybe someday I would remember.

Dad continued to frown as he paid the bill. I wondered why he was bothered that I recognized the name of the school. Starlight River Academy. It sounded like some fancy rich people place. If so, how the hell could we afford for me to go there? And again, why was my dad sending me so far away from everything I knew? A constant stream of questions rattled through my mind as dad drove us home.

As soon as we walked through the door of the house I headed for my room. “Jess,” my dad said as I walked down the hall.

I ignored him. I was upset and hurt. I didn’t want to talk about it right now. I needed to come up with a plan to convince my dad to keep me here.

“Jess, at least look at the information about the place.” He followed me to my room.

I turned to him with a frown. “Not right now, Dad.” He was barely a foot away, a stack of papers in his hands. “Maybe I’ll look later. I’m too upset right now.”

He nodded, holding the papers out to me. “For when you’re ready.” His voice was very soft. I knew he felt a little bad for how he sprung this on me.

I sighed and took the papers. “I’m going to be upset for a while. I’ll talk with you when I’m ready.”

Dad smiled. We were very close and he had always worked hard to let me know I could tell him everything. We talked freely about how we felt about pretty much everything.

I closed my bedroom door, placed the papers on my desk, and collapsed face first on my bed. I let out a scream into my pillow and allowed the tears to flow as I cried in frustration and hurt.

Chapter 3

Jessamine POV

I spent the first few days after my birthday researching Starlight River Academy. What I discovered made me really not want to go there. The place was located in a mountain valley on a remote island near Ireland. The pictures I saw showcased a main school building that looked like a mall and dormitories that looked like they belonged in a garden. The auxiliary buildings and athletic fields were spread out over the 640 acres the school claimed to cover.

The school offered classes in just about anything and everything. It was more like a college than a high school. The school year was broken up into trimesters that were thirteen weeks long. There were three extended breaks and three weeklong breaks. The school year started in early September, later than it would start here by over a month. Additionally, the year would end in early August, very different from here, where it typically ended in late May. That was just one of the many changes that I would have to experience.

I really could not understand what my dad was thinking. This place was so far away and so different from everything I knew. Why was he so set on me going to this place? The school looked ritzy as hell and that made me worried that everyone going there was going to be some rich kid. I definitely did not fit into that category. Sure, dad made enough for me to take all sorts of lessons, but our house was small, and our car was old. Our cell phones were older models and the only computer we had was dad’s work laptop. I had done all my schoolwork on a tablet the school had provided, which was now returned as I was done with school.

After researching all I could about the school I tried to convince my dad to not make me go. I argued about the cost of tuition, he said the school was free. I argued about the travel expenses, he said there was a fund in place just for that. I argued that I wouldn’t know anyone there, he said it would be a good learning experience for me. Every argument I made, he had a valid rebuttal. After weeks of not getting anywhere, I tried one last time.

“How about we compromise Dad?” I asked, as we sat at the table for dinner.

He raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’ll go for the first trimester. If in December I still feel like I don’t belong there, then I can come home and start school here in January.” I really wanted to have an out.

“If you make an honest effort to make friends and get along in the school, then fine. If you want to change schools after the first trimester, we’ll make it happen.” He nodded agreement.

I was shocked. I hadn’t expected Dad to agree so readily. “Thanks, Dad.” I smiled at him.

“You’re welcome. Now eat your dinner.”

That night I went up to my room and continued to research the school. Now I needed to know what to pack. I discovered the school had uniforms that they would provide. It was your typical school uniform. Pleated skirts or slacks and button-down shirts with blazers. It looked like there were different color options available, pictures showed students in red, green, blue, and yellow shirts under their black blazers. The skirts I saw had accents of red, green, blue, and yellow, too. I figured this was good, it would mean people couldn’t tease one another about their clothes. Though the website did say that students could wear their own clothes on weekends and during holidays, so I would still need to pack clothes. I couldn’t find anything about the supplies needed, so I guessed I would have to wait and see if I got more information.

I spent the rest of the summer in lessons. I had dance three times a week, music and vocals twice a week, and mixed martial arts daily, well Monday through Friday anyway. Dad also made me work on some minor science experiments and math worksheets. He didn’t worry about me reading and writing, as I did those for fun. In the last week of August, I got a thick envelope in the mail. Inside was the student handbook for Starlight River Academy and a list of supplies I would need for school. Dad and I read the handbook and shopped for what I needed. The handbook said students could come to campus as soon as they were ready.

It took us three days to complete our shopping. Dad took every opportunity to remind me of how to be safe while travelling. He couldn’t go with me, he had too much work to do. He showed me pictures of a person he claimed was a friend of the family. He said she would be take me to the school. Two days after we were done shopping, I was on a plane to Ireland.

Chapter 4

Jessamine POV

There were no direct flights to Ireland, so the first leg of my journey was from Phoenix Sky Harbor to Heathrow in London. I was expecting to transfer to a flight from Heathrow to Ireland, so imagine my surprise when I was greeted by the family friend in Heathrow Airport.

Lianra dei Kyzin was a petite woman. She stood around five feet in height and her silver hair fell to her waist. Her green eyes were vibrant and full of life. She wore a renaissance style dark green peasant dress covered by a light purple traveler’s cloak. Her choice of clothing made her stand out in the modern airport. Her smile was brillant as I approached her “Ah, young Jessamine Aloré. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Your father has told me so much about you.” She said, her voice warm and kind.

I smiled nervously as I got closer. “Thank you Miss dei Kyzin. My father said you were a family friend and you would escort me to the school.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s get your luggage and then we can head to the plane that will take us to the island.” She replied, motioning for me to hurry along and walk with her.

I may have only been about three inches taller than Miss dei Kyzin, but I had to hustle to keep up with her. She walked quickly and gracefully. It was almost as if she were gliding instead of walking. It didn’t take long for us to collect my luggage and head to the gate for our next flight. I was expecting another commercial plane. So, I was rather shocked when we entered the small plane and I saw comfortable looking seats that were quite spaced out. With confusion written all over my face, I looked at Miss dei Kyzin.

Miss dei Kyzin chuckled. “I know, it’s rather extravagant. However, it was donated to the school by an alumni. He wanted future students to have an easier passage to the school than he did. Students used to fly to Ireland and then take a ship across to Liadky. It was a rather miserable sixteen hour trip across the ocean.”

I blinked and nodded in understanding. “I see. “ I relaxed and walked to one of the seats. “Although a boat trip sounds fun, I am grateful to have a short flight instead.”

Miss dei Kyzin nodded and sat in the seat facing the one I had chosen. “Indeed. Now, a few things must be discussed before we get to Liadky.”

I perked up a little and looked directly at her after I buckled myself in. “Really? Like what?”

She smiled warmly, “Well, first of all, when we arrive at the school you will need to address me as Headmistress or Headmistress Lianra.” I blinked and nodded in understanding. “Second, we will be met by your gem.”

“My what?” I asked, once more befuddled.

“Your JEM, Junior Experienced Mentor. We partner each freshman level student with a junior. The JEM is responsible for looking after their freshmen level student and providing guidance and support as needed. Furthermore, they will answer any questions you have about the school, classes, living arrangements, etcetera.” Headmistress Lianra explained.

“Oh, that sounds helpful.” I smiled, feeling a little more confident knowing there was someone who would act as a guide for me.

“It has really helped develop a sense of community and fosters connections between students.” The Headmistress continued. “Anyway, your JEM will take you on a campus tour and help you get settled in your dormitory. Over the next few weeks she will help make sure you are ready for classes. Do you have any questions?”

I shook my head as I sat back in the comfortable plane seat. “Not that I can think of.”

“Alright, well if you do think of anything, feel free to ask. The flight is about another hour, and then we have a half hour drive to the school grounds.” Headmistress Lianra stated.

I nodded and looked out the window. There were clouds everywhere, hiding the Earth below. I fiddled with my necklace as we sat in silence for the remainder of the flight. I thought about my mentor and wondered what she would be like.

Chapter 5

Serinda POV

“Guys! Cut it out!” I grumbled at my cousins. They were arguing about the pros and cons of fire and lightning.

“I swear, fire is much more versatile. I don’t just have control over flames, but just heat as well. It’s great for staying warm. Lightning is just bright flashes of electricity.” Seriana declared.

“Well, at least I can give someone a jolt to bring their heart back into a natural rhythm!” Serilyna’s rebuttal was spoken with a pout on her face and her arms crossed.

“Well I can…” Seriana began.

“I said ENOUGH!” I shouted. My cousins shut their mouths and looked at me. “I am tired of the debates about which of you has better magic. You should know by now that all powers have their strengths and weaknesses. It is by combining our strengths we help negate those weaknesses.”

Seriana and Serilyna bowed their heads. “Sorry, Rin.” They both mumbled.

I took a deep breath and exhaled before giving each of them a hug. “Look, I need to go meet my Frosh, and Lyna you need to find your JEM. We can meet up later to see how things are going.”

Lyna nodded, her long blonde hair flying around her head. “Oh yeah, she said to meet her at the freshmen dormitory.”

I grinned, “Ana can walk you over.”

Ana glared at me with her flaming orange eyes. “Fine, but I’m just leaving her there.” She said, flipping her shoulder length green hair to her back.

I rolled my eyes, “Fine, just get going. My Frosh will be at the main building soon. I don’t want to be late and disappoint the Headmistress.”

My cousins nodded in agreement and gave a little wave as they walked away from me. I looked around at the beautiful landscaping around the junior dormitory and began to walk toward the main school building. The air was warm and slightly humid, though, not unpleasantly so. I listened as the birds discussed the weather and how their hunting was going. Various insects complained as they tried to escape being a meal for a bird or other animal. The conversations of the animals filled my ears and mind, causing me to sigh.

The sounds of animals had been the soundtrack to my life. Up until two years ago I had no problem pushing the noise to the back of my mind. When I started honing my skills and opening up myself to improve my range, it became harder to put the other animals into the background. My Despari teachers didn’t know I could hear all animals, so they didn’t understand how I got distracted so easily. Maybe I should talk with Headmistress Lianra about specialized training.

As I pushed that thought to the back of my mind to discuss with the Headmistress later, I finished walking to the doors of the main school building. I stepped up and entered as the doors slid open. I headed straight for the center of the building, where I saw the Headmistress standing with a young girl. Her bright red hair immediately caught my attention. Though her attire swiftly shifted my focus from her hair to her clothes. She was wearing a purple plaid gothic style skirt, a black corseted long sleeved top, black knee socks, and purple combat boots. This girl definitely had a look all her own.

“Good afternoon, Headmistress Lianra.” I said as I approached the duo.

“Ah, good afternoon, Miss Reina. Let me introduce you to Miss Aloré.” She turned to the young woman beside her. “Jessamine Aloré, may I introduce your JEM, Miss Serinda Reina. Miss Reina, this is Miss Aloré.” The girl nodded her head in acknowledgement of the introduction.

“It’s good to meet you, Jessamine.” I smiled at her. “I’m sure your luggage has already been moved to your room; would you like to start the tour there?”

The girl, Jessamine, looked at the Headmistress, who nodded encouragingly. “Um, yeah. That sounds good.” She said, softly.

I thanked Headmistress Lianra for her time and proceeded to guide Jessamine to the freshmen dormitory. I checked over my shoulder to make sure the girl was following, and sure enough, she walked quietly behind me with her head down. I stopped and waited for her to catch up to me, her walking behind me just wouldn’t do.

“Hey, you can walk next to me, you know. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to hear anything I say about the school.” I said as she stopped beside me.

“Oh, uh. Sorry, I’m just really nervous.” She said quietly.

“I was nervous my first year, too. But, my JEM helped me see there was nothing to be scared of. So just stick with me, and you’ll do fantastic.” I flashed a wide grin her way.

She smiled back at me. “Okay.”

I gestured toward the building ahead of us. “That right there is the girl’s freshmen dormitory. Boys are permitted only during daylight hours and only in the common areas. They have their own dormitories on the other side of the main school building, or as we here like to call it, the Mall.”

She looked over the building ahead of us, and then back at the one behind. “I can see why you call the main school building the Mall. I thought it looked like one when I was researching the school this summer.”

I chuckled, “Yeah, apparently the Headmistress was inspired by old out of use malls in some place called the United States.” I kept grinning and turned to walk on to the dormitory.