"You've been watering that plant a little too long now," I said, matter-of-factly, noticing the pots overflowing with water.
She didn't answer at first, lost in thought again. She'd been like this for days — quiet, distracted, always searching for something.
"Oh my! I didn't even notice. Heh." She turned her back to shut off the hose.
Nan is my grandmother. From what she's told me, my mother died during childbirth. My father hasn't been around since. Nan raised me.
Our house isn't big. Just enough space for the two of us. It's warm, colorful, mostly because of her potions.
"Are you hungry, dear?" she asked.
"Yes, but don't worry. I already cooked something. Pasta and bagels sound good?"
"Oh, sorry dear, I forgot. That's so lovely of you to cook for us. And yes, that sounds delicious. Come on, I'll set the table."
She led me back inside.
I sat on the old couch and watched her move around the kitchen. I didn't say it out loud, but I'd been worrying a lot lately. She was acting strange, caught in thoughts she wouldn't share. And I thought… maybe now was the time.
I stood up, grabbed the utensils, and placed them on the table. We ate in silence for a while, until I finally asked, "Nan… is something bothering you?"
She stopped eating. Gently set her spoon down. Then looked at me.
"For a few days now, I've been thinking about us. About you, Solana."
"What is it, Nan?" I asked. My chest already felt tight.
"There are things I haven't told you. About the past and…" She sighed.
"The past and what?"
"The past, and the truth. Your birthday is coming soon, and I can't help thinking about what's to come," she said softly, almost out of breath.
In six months, I'll be eighteen. Nan has always seemed nervous about that age, like something was waiting on the other side of it.
When I was little, she raised me on her own. No one helped her. She did everything she could to protect me — from the world, from the Mereworld, and from the Virealis. And both worlds are dangerous.
I reached for her hand. "What are you thinking now?"
I understand her worry. Nancy Wales possesses the Shadow Sight, a rare ability to sense or see things hidden from others. I think she's sensing something now. Something coming.
"It might be hard for both of us," she said. "But I have to take you to the school. I need help, Sol. We need help. Sending you to the Academia is the right thing to do. It's not too late."
The Academia Magnivar is a school for those born with mystical abilities, like us.
Most families enroll their children by the age of five. There, they learn control, gain knowledge, and begin their training.
I've never been there.
Nan taught me everything she could from home. The students at the Academia are trained, confident. They've had the kind of lives I've only imagined.
But maybe that's about to change.