Orryx Enchanted

Together again

Amara’s POV

The light is blinding.

I feel my body shift—warped, weightless—then solid again as my boots touch the floor. I stagger slightly as the magic settles, the sudden shift leaving a buzzing sensation in my skin.

Orbing.

Layton’s way of showing up unannounced.

But I didn’t ask to be orbed. I barely had time to grab my jacket, let alone breathe.

The second I recognize where I am—the Blackthorn Manor foyer—I whirl on him.

“Seriously?” I snap, my voice echoing in the high-ceilinged hall. “You couldn’t have given me a heads up before dragging me halfway across the country?”

Layton doesn’t flinch. “You needed to be here. Now.”

“And you all knew that. You waited to tell me.”

My sisters are already here. Thalia and Selene stand a few steps ahead, frozen as I turn toward them.

Selene’s eyes are already soft with guilt. Thalia’s arms are crossed tight over her chest, jaw clenched like she’s bracing for impact.

“Amara—” Selene starts gently.

“No.” I hold up a hand. “Don’t ‘Amara’ me.”

The weight I’ve been carrying for weeks—the gut-twisting dread, the whispers of something coming, something wrong—finally explodes.

“You knew something was happening, and you left me out of it. Again. I’m always the last to know, like I’m some kid you’re trying to protect. I’m not a baby anymore. I deserve to know the truth when you know it.”

Thalia’s mouth opens like she’s going to argue, but I keep going.

“I’ve felt it for weeks—something is wrong. I knew it in my bones. But when I called, you brushed it off. Told me to focus on school. Told me not to worry.”

“I wanted to tell you,” Selene says, stepping forward. “But we weren’t even sure what we were dealing with. I had a premonition, yes—but I didn’t know what it meant yet.”

“And I didn’t want to believe it,” Thalia admits, her voice lower, rougher. “Because if it was true… then everything changes.”

There’s a long silence between us.

“I don’t want to be shut out,” I finally whisper. “Not again. If something is happening, I need to be in it with you. Not behind you.”

Thalia sighs, stepping closer. “You’re right. We messed up.” She meets my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Selene nods beside her. “Me too. We were trying to protect you, but that’s not fair anymore. We’re in this together.”

Something in my chest unclenches.

“I just… I don’t want to be the one you have to shield. I want to fight with you. Whatever this is, I can handle it.”

Layton clears his throat behind us. “You’ll have to.”

A pulse of magic fills the air again, and this time it’s heavier—older. The kind that settles into your bones like you’ve just stepped into a different time.

And then she’s there.

Nana.

She orbs into the study doorway, wrapped in her deep green cloak, her silver braid falling over one shoulder. Her presence immediately grounds the room.

“Nana?” I blink, stepping toward her.

“I came as soon as I could,” she says, her voice firm, commanding. “There’s much we need to discuss.”

We follow her into the study. The room is warm, lined wall-to-wall with ancient books and maps, magical tools and strange relics. A fire crackles in the hearth, casting golden light across her face.

We sit in silence, waiting.

Then Nana speaks.

“This has never happened before,” she says. “Not in our family. Not in the Blackthorn line. Three sisters—born of the same bloodline, bearing power strong enough to shift the balance of the magical world.”

I lean forward, heart pounding.

“Wait… never?”

She nods. “Others have been born under the prophecy. One sister here, another a generation later. But never like this. Never three at once. This is new. And it is dangerous.”

Selene frowns. “But why didn’t we know about any of this? Why didn’t Mom or Dad ever tell us?”

Nana’s eyes darken. “Because they didn’t want you to live this life. They tried to spare you. Your parents have spent their lives fighting—protecting magical realms, closing portals, keeping dangerous creatures in check. Every time they left… they were trying to ensure you could grow up in a world that wasn’t consumed by magic. They took the burden so you wouldn’t have to.”

There’s a beat of silence. Then Thalia speaks, voice tight. “So all those times they were gone…”

“They were keeping the magical world from bleeding into yours,” Nana finishes. “But now, the prophecy is in motion. They couldn’t stop it. No one can.”

“What’s the prophecy, exactly?” I ask.

Nana stands, walking over to an old glass case. She opens it and draws out a scroll, aged and cracked.

“In every few decades, three sisters are born to carry the weight of the magical realm’s future. Their bond, their blood, their powers—intertwined. It’s not just about strength or power. It’s about responsibility. And danger. With your rise, you become targets. The underworld will sense you. They’ll want you destroyed… or claimed.”

I feel the chill of that settle in the room.

“We didn’t ask for this,” Selene says softly.

“No,” Nana agrees. “But magic doesn’t ask. It chooses.”

We’re quiet, each of us lost in the weight of it.

“What are our powers exactly?” I ask.

“You already know pieces,” Nana says. “But they will evolve. Amara—your telekinesis will grow into spatial manipulation. You’ll learn to bend space itself. Distance, weight, even reality will shift in your hands. But it will be volatile at times. Dangerous if unchecked.”

I swallow.

“Selene, your gifts go beyond sight. You don’t just see futures—you feel the truth inside people. Emotions will appear to you like auras. You’ll be able to trace fear, joy, lies. You’ll even be able to pull someone into a trance when needed. That’s rare. It makes you a beacon… and a threat.”

Selene says nothing, just nods.

“And Thalia,” Nana continues, “your power is the most dangerous of all. Time, force, manipulation of matter itself. You can freeze time, unfreeze it. Later… even detonate force in ways that can destroy. But it requires control. Without it, you could unravel everything around you.”

We all look at her, but Thalia is silent, stone-faced.

“And spellcasting?” I ask.

“All of you can spellcast. With focus, with intent. Words have power. You will learn how to wield them.”

Thalia finally breaks the silence. “So what now? Do we train? Fight demons? Save the world?”

Nana’s eyes narrow slightly, but there’s sadness behind her smile. “This isn’t a game, Thalia. There are entire factions in the underworld that will feel your magic awaken. Some will want to use you. Others will try to kill you. And none will show mercy.”

My chest tightens. “And there’s no turning back?”

“No,” Nana says. “But there is something else you should know.”

She walks to the far wall and presses her hand to the wood paneling. With a low hum, part of the wall slides back, revealing a staircase spiraling downward into darkness.

“What the hell…” I whisper.

“This house,” Nana says, “was built on the threshold of a magical realm. The passages beneath it lead to other worlds—places your parents swore never to show you. But now, you must know them. The magical world isn’t just hiding in shadows anymore. It’s waking up. And you’re at the center of it.”

We all rise slowly, peering into the stairwell.

Selene clutches her arms. “Can we really do this?”

Thalia lifts her chin. “We have to.”

And me? I breathe in, my fingers tingling with power I barely understand.

“We’re in this together,” I say.

Nana nods. “Yes. But understand—magic always comes with a cost. Your parents sacrificed everything so you wouldn’t bear it too soon. But the world is changing. And now, it needs you.”

Thalia, Selene, and I look at each other.

Our lives will never be the same.

And this?

This is only the beginning.