That night, we y beside each other, Morganna's arm drapped over me like a warm, comforting bnket. Her presence was steady, grounding me in ways I couldn't quite expin.

  When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, my eyes fluttured open to the gentle chirping of birds outside. A small smile tugged on lips despite heaviness that lingered from the night before.

  Morganna had never looked so peaceful. Her features, softened in slumber, made her seem otherworldy. I carefully lifted her arm and pced it gently onto the mattress, not wanting to disturb her rest.

  My head felt clearer than it had st night, as though the chaos had receded just enough for me to breathe.

  Stretching out arms, I sat up in bed and cast her once st gnce before stepping off with quiet grace. Tidying my hair with quick, absent motions, I resloved to her sleep-it was the least I could do after all that had happened.

  My gaze drifted to my hands as I stood by the bed, mimiMorgcking the motions she had madema while casting her spell, my fingers dancing in the air as if trying to summon some unseen force.

  Nothing. Not even the faintest flicker of magic. I r

  "Give it time, huh?" I muttured, pressing my palm against my forehead with a frustrated sigh. "What if I don't want to?"

  Turning away, I moved toward the mirror in the corner of the room. Its surface marred with cracks and streaks of dirt, distorting my reflection untill it felt unfamir-like a staring at a stranger.

  "Who am I?" I muttured, leaning closer to the cracked mirror. "What isn't she telling me?"

  "You won't find answers in that dirty old thing, sweetie," Morganna's voice chimed from the bed.

  I turned to see her sitting up, her hair draped over her face like a veil. The sight drew a quiet giggle from me despite my frustation.

  "That's rich coming from you!" I quipped, a pyful edge creeping into my voice.

  She let out a loud, weary yawn, rubbing her timeworn eyes with slow, deliberate movements. "Still acting so cheeky, I see," she said, her tinged with amusement.

  "Well, I haven't totally forgiven you for whatever you did to me," I replied, shrugging my shoulders with exaggerated indifference.

  Morganna giggled softly, shaking her head in disbelief. "Goodness me," she said, her voice light but teasing. "And you want learn magic from me?"

  I stared quietly at her, the warm breeze drifting through the room making strands of my hair dance around my face. A faint smile tugged at my lips despite myself.

  "Does that mean you actually intend to teach me anything?" I asked, lowering my voice ,though I already knew what the answer would be.

  For a moment, our gazes met, an unspoken understanding passsing between us, before she turned away, curling slightly into the bed. "I've already told you," she said, her voice muffled yet firm. "When you're ready."

  "Don't you mean: when you're ready?" I shot back, moving to the edge of the bed. A spark of fustration flickered in my tone. "Or are you pnning to spend the entire day burried under those bnkets?"

  She groaned dramatically, waving a hand in the direction of the bedroom door.

  "Don't you have to get ready for school, or something useful like that? I'll be down shortly, don't worry."

  Her ziness was infuriating. With an exasperated sigh, I relented, stepping back from the bed. She always had a way of deflecting things just when I thought I could push her for answers. I shook my head and left her to her so-called 'rest'.

  The lounge was still in usual state of chaos. Piles of books, scrolls, and papers littered every avaible surface, as if some whirlwind of research had swept through and given up halfway. Her grimore sat perched on her chair, its worn cover slightly akar with a thin bookmark poking out.

  My gaze lingered on it. It couldn't hurt to take a little peek, right? Just a tiny gnce. Maybe I'd find some sort of clue about what happened st night-something she wasn't telling me.

  I edged closer, my heart beginning to race. Slowly, carefully my hands reached out to hold it, the faintest tremor of anticipation running through me.

  PART TWO

  I made myself confortable in her chair, my hands trembling as I carefully pulled the grimore open. A cascade of glowing words and intricate symbols spread across the pagem pulsating faintly like a heartbeat. Though I couldn't decipher their meaning, I felt something stirring within me- a quiet yet unmistakable hum deep in my core.

  Was this the spell she had used on me? It didn't look like much, more like a blessing to some ancient deity or a forgotten prayer.

  "Bst it!" I muttured under my breath, frantically flipping through the pages. "There must be something useful in here!"

  As my fingers grazed the parchment, a strange heat began buliding inside me, growing stronger with each turn of the page. It felt as though a fire had ignited within, spreading through my chest and into my limbs. My heart raced, my breath quickened, and without thinking, I closed my eyes and held out my hand.

  "Oh, God of warmth and light. Grant me your divine light. FIRE BURST!"

  A jet of fme erupted from my outstreched hand, spiraling across the room before crashing into a pile of books at the far. The heat surged past me, singeing the air, and I stumbled back in shock. My hands trembled as I clutched at the arms of the chair, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath.

  "What...was that?" I murmured, wiping the sweat from my brow. My gaze flickered nervously to the smoking pile of pokes, wisps of ash floating gently in the air.

  The faint creak of floarboards broke the silence, and my stomach dropped. I froze, straining to hear as the sound of movement came from the top of the stairs. Panic bubbled up inside me, and I smmed the grimore shut, my hands shaking as I tried to calm myself.

  My heart thundered in my chest, each beat louder than the st, as my eyes darted back to the smoldering books. A nervous whisper escaped my lips, acompanied by the faintest smile.

  "Did I do that?" I asked myself, a strange mix of pride and terror swirling within me.

  "My books!"

  Morganna stormed down the stairs, her movements sharp and deliberate, pressing a hand against her forehead as if trying to steady herself.

  "What have you done, child?" she demandedm her voice quivering with a mix of shock and anger.

  "It was... an accident...I swear!" I stammered, scrambling to leap out of her chair as guilt surged through me.

  Her piercing gaze darted from my trembling hands to the grimore perched on the chiar. With a flick of her fingers, he book snapped open, pages rustling as though caught in an invisible wind. It settled on the exact page I had just read from, the words and sybmols lifting from the parchment in faintly glowing wisps that hovered like fragile threads of magic in the air.

  "I thought I told you to wait," she said, her tone cutting through the room like a bde, disappointment heavy in every sylble. "Do you understand now? You're not ready!"

  Her words hit me hard, but a flicker of defiance burned in me. How could she say I wasn't ready after what I had done? Sure, few a books had been scorched-reduced to ash-but I wasn't about to apologize for learning something.

  If anything, this her fault. If she had taught me properly, none of this would have happened.

  My chest tightened, frustration bubbling to the surface. I gnced at her, her worn features lined with disappointment, and swallowed the urge to sh out. She didn't understand-not really.

  PART THREE

  Morganna hastily worked to salvage what remained of the smoldering books, her movements quick but careful, My heart was a tangle of pride and regret. I knew how much those books meant to her- "They're packed with whispers of magic," she'd often lecture, her tone revernt. But was I supposed to do? I was just a twelve-year-old girl with curious mind.

  I couldn't help myself. And now I thought about it, she should have been proud of me. I'd cast my first spell-without her help.

  She pced the charred books gently on the table, her fingers tracing the burnt remnants of intricate patterns. Her eyes glimmering with sorrow as she whispered, "What were you thinking, Dorophina?"

  I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My gaze dropped to the floor, and shame crept over me like a shadow. What could I say? Nothing would make this better-not after st nights arguement and now this mess.

  I felt like a criminal awaitinf a sentence. My chest tightened, and I swallowed hard, forcing down the lump risng in my throat as my heart sank deeper.

  My knees buckled, and sank to the floor, tears welling in my eyes. My chest tightend with guilt, the weight of her patience pressing down on me. All this time, she'd tried so hard to guide me, and this was how I repaid her?

  "I...I'm so sorry, Morganna," I choked out, my voice trembling as I avoided her gaze. "I just wanted to-"

  "What if you'd gotten hurt, sweetie?" Morganna interupted, her voice softer but still tinged with exasperation. She crossed her arms, her tired eyes scanning me with a mix of concern and frustration. "You can be so...urgh." she sighed heavily, shaking her head.

  "Just go to school, please."

  "I....yes, ma'am." I muttered, sorrowfully walking to the door. I looked back at her as she slumped into her chair, holding her grimore tightly in her arms, as if she was protecting it from me.

  PART FOUR

  The entire time I sat in css, it felt like eveyone somehow knew. Their stares prickled at my skin as I flicked absentmindedly through the pages of my notebook, barely registering the words in front of me. Did Morganna have some magical way of talking to Ms Boggle? Could she have told her? Warned her? But...warned her about what?

  The montonous tick of the grandfather clock in the corner filled the silence, its rhythm a sharp contrast to the chaos in my mind. Morganna's words echoed endlessly, a loop of shame that wouldn't let go. "You're not ready!"

  "Yeah, right," I muttered under my breath, bitterness curling in my tone.

  What did she know, anyway? She was perfrctly happy to bury herself under the bnkets while I stumbled through everything alone. But...maybe I should've watied for her. Maybe none of it would have happened if I had just been patient.

  I gnced down at my hands, still faintly trembling at the thought of what I'd done. And those books-Could she? The thought twisted something in my chest, but I pushed it aside, forcing myself to focus on the lesson that seemed to drag on endlessly.

  Ms Boggle gnced up at me, her stern expression cutting through the quiet of the cssroom. The other students froze, gasping softly as she gestured me to come to her desk. For the briefest moment, as she adjusted her posture, I could have sworn I saw Morganna standing there instead, her presence looming in my mind.

  "Dorophina?" Ms Boggle voice was softer than expected, ced with concern that caught me off guard. "Is everything okay at home?"

  Home. I blinked at the word, the weight of it pressing down on my chest. Would it still be home after this? I could almost picture Morganna tossing my belongings out the door, leaving me alone in some cold, empty alley again-like before.

  "I...don't know, I murmured, my eyes fixed on the worn grain of her desk, unable to meet her gaze.

  "I see," she said, her tone measured as she adjusted her gsses. Her expression shifted slightly, her sharp features softening with curiousity. "What has that sister of mine done now?"

  The air in my lungs froze, and I stammered, "N...nothing." My voice barely audible, each sllyable a struggle.

  Her brows furrowed as she rose from behind her desk, her movements deliberate. She stepped closer, her eyes steady on mine, her presence somehow both comofrting and intimidating.

  Ms Boggle looked up, closing her eyes as if summoning all her focus. Then, her voice rang out, commanding and sharp:

  "Morganna Boggle! Get your pompous self here this instant!"

  Her words echoed through the cssroom, carrying an almost unnatrual. The curtains fpped furiously as a sudden gust of wind swept through the room. Then, with a shimmer in the air, an image of Morganna appeared before us. She offered me a soft smile, her expression warm and mischievous, before turning her sharp gaze onto her seething sister.

  "What do you want now, big sister?" Morganna asked, her tone pyful yet edged with impatience. "I'm a little busy at present."

  "Oh,spare me," Ms Boggle shot back, clicking her tongue with annoyance. "All you ever do is sleep and bury your nose in those dusty old books of yours!"

  Morganna gasped, her lips forming a pout as she crossed her arms defiantly. "Dusty old books?! Really, big sister? That's rich coming from someone who wouldn't know a grimore from a gardening manual!"

  Their sharp, teasing back-and-forth tugged a giggle from me despite the weight in my chest. But it didn't st long. The guilt crept in quickly, squeezing my heart as Morganna's smile faltered ever so slightly when her eyes flicked to me.

  "Stop it, Morganna!" Ms Boggle commanded, stepping in front of me with her arm outstretched protectively. Her was voice was sharp, cutting through the tension in the room. "This is your fault, and you know it!"

  "My fault?!" Morganna gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "I told her to-"

  "And where was exactly were you when it happened, may I ask?" Ms Boggle interupted, her biting as she crossed her arms. "In bed, no doubt!"

  "But I told her she wasn't ready!" Morganna shot back, her voice faltering slightly.

  Ms Boggle clicked her fingers, and with a sudden burst of magic, the real Morganna appeared in the middle of the cssroom, stumbling as she crashed to the floor. Her eyes darted around in confusion, the once-confident air about her repced by uncertainty.

  "How...did you-" Morganna began, her voice trailing off as she tried to gather her bearings.

  "Not bad for someone who supposedly wouldn't know a grimore if she saw one, right?" Ms Boggle qutipped, her snug grin widening as she adjusted her gsses, The room silent except for her triumphant tone cutting through the tension.

  "Now then," she continued, fixing her gaze squarely on Morganna. "Have you anything to say to Dorophina?"

  Morganna looked at me, her expression softening as she offered a gentle, almost apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she said, her voice calm yet full of warmth.

  "And?" Ms Boggle asked sharply, tapping her foot on the floor with deliberate impatience. "Anything else?"

  "Oh, come on, Amelia," Morganna groaned, her gaze locked on her siser's with a air of frustration.

  "Don't you dare try any of your cheap tricks on me!" Ms Boggle snapped, her gre uwavering.

  "Cheap tricks?!" Morganna gasped, stamping her foot in a childish tantrum. "I've worked hard to master my craft! And what did you choose to do? Tutor a bunch of boring, magicless children?"

  The air in the room seemed to shift as Ms Boggle began to approach Morganna, her movements slow and deliberate. A cold aura surrounded her, making the atomsphere heavy and tense. Her gaze was icy and unrelenting, cutting through Morganna's petunce with ease.

  "Say what you want about me, Morganna," Ms Boggle said, her voice low and chilling. "But never speak a word against these children, They are more talented than you'll ever be. Do I make myself clear?"

  PART FIVE

  As I stood there, listening to their endless bickering, something inside me began to boil, rising and twisting like a raging fire I couldn't contain. My head throbbed, thier voices blending into a chaotic blur. I crouched down, burying my face in my hands, muttering under my breath, "Shut up....shut up...."

  Ms Boggle turned to me, concern flickering across her face. "Dorophina? What's wrong, sweetie?"

  "I said shut up!" I screamed, my voice shaking with raw emotion. My fists clenched tightly as the pressure inside me mounted. "It's too loud-make it stop!"

  Morganna's expression shifted instantly. She knelt beside me, her movements calm and deliberate, and pced a gentle hand on my forehead. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she quickly withdrew it. "She's burning up!" she excimed, her voice tinged with arm.

  "A fever?" Ms Boggle murmuredm tilting her head in curiousity. She gnced between Morganna and me, her concern evident as she slowly nodded toward her sister. "Let me guess- you did Celeste's Blessing, didn't you?"

  "What?! Of course I did!" Morganna snapped, pnting her hands on her hips, Her indignation fred as she added, "I'm not stupid, Amelia!"

  "Both of you just shut up!" I yelled again, my voice rising with desperation, My head throbbed voilently and the roaring pain inside me surged to the surface. I shook mt frantically, as if trying to shake away the growing fire within me, but it was no use.

  A sudden burst of energy erupted from me, raw and uncontrolble, sending a shockwave through the room. Desks smmed into the walls with a deafening crash, papers fluttering like leaves caught ina storm. The room fell silent, the air heavy with the aftermath of the explosion.

  Morganna staggered to her feet, her eyes wide as she took in the devasatation around her. The room was a mess of overturned desks and scattered debris, and her expressoin was a mix of shock and disbelief.

  Ms Boggle rubbed the back of her head, wincing slightly before her gaze snapped to the spot where I had been standing, Her eyes narrowed when she saw only the charred floor in my pce.

  "Where did she go?" she demanded, grabbing Morganna firmly by the shoulder. Her voice was sharpm but her eyes betrayed flickers of shock and concern. "Tell me, Morganna!"

  "How the hell should I know?! Morganna shot back, brushing dirt and ash from her robes with indignant huff. Her voice was ced with irritation, but the faint worry tugging at the corners of her mouth was unmistakable. "All I know is... it's up to her now."

  There was a quiet weight in her tone-calm, but tinged with something deeper. Concern? Regret?

  Whatever it was, it lingered in the air between them as they stood admist the chaos....