Before I can even respond, my father bursts into the room, his gaze instantly alert as he scans for any threat.
"Sweetheart! What's goi—"
But my mother, still staring open-mouthed at the broken window, suddenly starts to giggle.
"Sweetheart! Our daughter is a natural talent!" she exclaims joyfully, her eyes sparkling.
My father freezes, his gaze flickering between my mother and me as he tries to make sense of the situation. He sees the shattered glass, then me, and finally the lingering traces of magic still hanging in the air.
"That... that was you?" he asks, his voice a mix of surprise and concern.
"Yeah, I just wanted to practice a little," I say, trying to defuse the situation.
"And you shot lightning at the window?" he asks incredulously, though the concern slowly fades from his face.
"It just... happened," I reply, uncertain how he's going to react.
"Wait," my mother says, her eyes gleaming as she turns to him. "That means she really has the talent I always saw in her!"
"That's... dangerous, Ilana. You have to learn to control it," my father says, rubbing his forehead.
But my mother is now completely in her element. "And that's exactly why we need to enroll her in the Magic Academy right away! She has the potential to shine there. She can develop her abilities and learn how to control them properly!"
"An academy?" my father asks skeptically. "She's still so young..."
"And now is the perfect time!" my mother counters quickly. "The earlier she starts, the better. There are specialized teachers who can train her! She's going to be amazing you'll see!"
I'm surprised by my mother's energy. She's completely determined to send me to this academy.
"Is Elsie going to the academy too?" I ask, curious, but also a little unsure about what this all means for me.
My mother nods eagerly, barely able to contain her excitement. "Yes, she's going too! I heard the academy accepts many talented children from all over the region. You two can learn together and support each other!"
"That's... actually a good idea," my father murmurs, still a bit skeptical but clearly leaning toward agreement. "If it helps her learn control, then maybe..."
I bite my lip. The thought of having Elsie by my side makes the idea a little less scary.
But... is this really what I want?
"Sounds exciting..." I say at last, even though my mind is still racing in every direction.
"Exciting! It'll be amazing, you'll see!" my mother says enthusiastically. "I'll take care of it right away. You're going to love the academy!"
—
Ever since my mother enrolled me in the academy, Elsie and I have been getting regular sword training from none other than my father himself.
At first, I thought he'd take it easy on us, but no... he's strict. Really strict.
And yet, you can tell he's proud of us.
"You two are making huge progress," he says after almost every session, even though we usually end up lying on the ground like two wrung-out towels afterward.
Elsie might be quiet and shy, but with a sword? She's completely different.
Fast, precise sometimes I think she was a ninja in a past life or something.
As for me, I'm just happy that I don't end up on my butt after every practice anymore.
"Ilana, focus!" my father shouts sharply.
I snap my eyes open — too late.
Whack!
A wooden sword strikes my hip.
"Ouch!" I yelp, hopping back a step as I try to regain my balance. "Oh man..."
Elsie stands opposite me, wide-eyed and looking horrified. "I'm so sorry!" she whispers quickly, even though she did exactly what she was supposed to.
My father sighs. "Your opponent won't wait until you're paying attention."
I pout. "But my opponent is also my best friend."
He laughs. "That won't help you in a real fight."
I take a deep breath.
My heart races, but I force myself to calm down.
I focus on Elsie.
No distractions. No excuses.
Then, I make the first move.
I charge forward, gripping the wooden sword with both hands. Elsie immediately raises hers to block my strike. The sharp clack of wood against wood echoes through the training hall.
She sidesteps smoothly, like a cat, and tries to hit my shoulder with a quick swing but this time, I'm ready.
I duck at the last second and counter with a spin.
Clack! Our swords cross again.
"Not bad," she murmurs quietly, her eyes suddenly sharper.
I flash a quick grin, but then she attacks seriously.
A flurry of quick strikes forces me back left, right, high.
I block each blow, but my arms start to tremble.
She's good. Too good.
I catch a brief opening when she overextends slightly, step in, and try to break through her defense with a strong hit and it works!
Clack! Her sword is pushed aside a little, and I manage to tap her side with the tip of mine.
Hit.
We both freeze, breathing heavily, our foreheads lightly damp with sweat.
My father, who has been watching the whole time, nods approvingly.
"Very good, Ilana. That's it stay calm, observe, and strike at the right moment."
I feel a slight tingling in my hands.
Not from fear.
From excitement.
I did it.
Elsie smiles at me a wide, genuine smile, the kind of smile that always sees the good in others.
"You were really good, Ilana! That last strike was perfect. My arm still hurts from it!"
I grin and lean on my sword. "You're insanely fast, though. I thought I'd never catch you."
Elsie rubs the back of her head, laughing lightly. "I've been training a lot. But I want to get even better... so I can protect my magic if it ever comes to it."
I nod.
That's just like Elsie. Always serious, always focused on a goal.
"Want to train again tomorrow?" she asks.
"Of course. But tomorrow you're the one getting the bruises, not me," I say with a grin.
She laughs. "Deal!"