Weren’t Fridays supposed to be like a celebration? What happened to being glad it was Friday? It didn’t feel like anything. Except just another day.

  Another day under a strange spell.

  Placed by who-knows-who or for what purpose.

  Okay, I might have been still freaking out a little.

  I hadn’t told Mom or Dad. I didn’t know how. I thought anything would easy after…well after they realized that the chances of me liking anyone in any non-platonic way were basically nonexistent.

  Hey Mom and Dad, did you know that I’m under a spell that’s making me unable to cast?

  My heart raced at the thought. And not in a good way.

  I needed answers.

  (*********)

  Angelina still looked nervous. But at least my eyes had finally decided to stay their normal color. For now.

  My eyes could glow.

  I really was like everyone else.

  There wasn’t anything wrong with me.

  I was like everyone else.

  Was is it strange to be excited by the thought? To be happy that it wasn’t me that was the problem?

  In a way, it was more than I ever hoped for. I was ready to be the only person here unable to use magic.

  But I didn’t have to be.

  It wasn’t me.

  Someone did this.

  There was someone to blame.

  There was someone to blame.

  (*********)

  History class was uneventful. Thankfully. I’ve had enough excitement this week.

  “And don’t forget, next week your papers are due and I look forward to seeing what you all learned about the Towers. They are the namesake of our school for a reason. And for those of you interested, we have Chaser practice this Sunday.”

  Great. Well, I’d be busy on Sunday.

  Sealie better have answers.

  (*********)

  Dragon Tower’s dragon statue was staring at me again. Or maybe I was seeing things.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  But staring into its eyes felt like making eye contact with something. Or someone.

  “Are we sure this thing isn’t sentient?” I asked Fethris. On a whim I poked the tip of the statue’s nose as we passed.

  Fethris suddenly stopped. “Did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  Fethris was looking at the statue very warily. “It speaks?”

  “Wonderful. Living statues. Just what this haunted Tower needed. It will be so homey.” Was I rambling? I was rambling. Oh boy.

  “Correction, apparently the statue prefers ‘he’. Also he says that he was impressed by your fire spell.”

  Wonderful. This was just what I needed.

  “I assume he can hear me?”

  Fethris nodded.

  “You suck,” I told the dragon.

  It’s (his?) eyes started glowing a deep red.

  I stormed off.

  “Just so you know, he’s laughing.”

  Something in my chest swelled. My face felt warm. Was it too late to want to go back to human schools?

  I knew the answer was ‘yes’.

  (*********)

  “Should we really be looking in the fifth year spellbooks?” Jarec asked.

  “If we’re right,” I sighed as I put another dead-end back on the shelf, “then whatever happened to me has to be pretty advanced. If it’s here, it’s in one of these.”

  If.

  “I don’t think it’s an ‘if’ Serafina,” I heard him mumble.

  “I don’t think it either. It’s just…a lot to process still.”

  “And you have no idea why?” Jarec asked.

  I shrugged, though I don’t think he saw it. “The way I see it there are two options. One: someone doesn’t like that my parents are together for reasons. Two: someone in my family tree somewhere made another person angry and that somehow is affecting me. I am open to other theories.”

  “There are books with hexes, but a hex wouldn’t affect a person their whole life. Maybe a day or two.”

  And charms weren’t nearly strong enough to almost completely block one’s ability to cast.

  “Here’s what’s confusing me the most. Why was I able to cast in Dragon Tower? I know I did. You guys saw the ashes from the death spiders.”

  “That is definitely strange. Malicious enough to place a spell on a child to cripple them, no offense, but still allow casting under certain circumstances.”

  “None taken,” I told him. “It’s not exactly wrong. And then there’s the glowing eyes thing. What was that about? I mean…what kind of spell is this supposed to be?”

  “Crazy idea time,” Jarec said, he was suddenly behind me.

  I startled and turned around to face him. “What?”

  “But first, a question. Do you know that there is a block keeping people’s magic from interacting with you?”

  I blinked at him. Angelina had said something like that, hadn’t she?

  “I’ll take the lack of expression as a ‘no’. I can read minds. It’s a spell I picked up from my parents. I’m also highly sensitive to the feelings of others. It’s not something I actively do all the time, it just kind of there.”

  Telepathy! “Of course! That’s how you were talking to me the other day in Spellcraft. I was wondering how you were doing that.”

  “Yep. Except you never hear it, do you?”

  “Do you do that frequently?”

  “Okay don’t be mad. I didn’t know until just now.”

  Something in his tone worried me.

  “Don’t be mad at what I’m about to tell you.”

  (********)

  I wasn’t mad.

  I was furious.

  “You all have a telepathic group chat and none of you thought to tell me?!”

  Russel sent a glare at Jarec, who was pointedly not looking at anyone. “I thought you knew.”

  “Is that why you never respond? I have been trying to set up a time to do your nails all day!” Celica shoved at Jarec.

  “You can’t hear it at all, can you?” Fethris spoke softly.

  I shook my head. “I didn’t even know that Jarec could do that until about ten minutes ago.”

  “I think it has something to do with the spell she’s under,” Jarec added.

  “I hope it’s that. Unless all of my problems are a bunch of vaguely related things. I’d rather just have one big problem to deal with.” I rubbed at my face with my hands.

  “That seems like a lot of effort for someone to go through. Why bother? What kind of trouble-maker were you before coming here, Serafina?” Celica teased.

  “Would you believe I was never in trouble before coming here?” I asked.

  “No,” all four of them said at once.

  “Life and death kind of trouble,” I clarified.

  “Still no,” Celica added.

  “I see how it is. First you all leave me out of the group chat and now you all make fun of me. It’s fine. Maybe the ghosts will avenge me once we get into Dragon Tower.” I rolled my eyes while I teased.

  Russel laughed. “I hope it’s vengeful spirits. I could use a few of them. For reasons.”

  “Please don’t do anything that would get you expelled. If I get to leave Kelpie Tower I am not going back.”

  “That’s not a ‘no’ to the spirits.”

  “I mean…I could name a few people who could use a fright or two. Just don’t get caught.”

  “Get me names. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Aren’t you still in trouble for what you did to the Newspaper Club?” I asked Russel before he and Fethris unleashed an abomination on the Kelpies.

  Russel chuckled. “They’re lucky I didn’t get pictures.”

  Why were my friends like this? “Floating skulls though?”

  “They’re easier to make in batches.” Russel was grinning.

  That’s not an explanation. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”