"You're looking at it very strangely," Jarec commented as I continued to stare at the Metallica record.

I snapped back to where and when I was. "Later," I told him. I couldn't have this conversation in front of both Angelina and Vivian.

Were we going to have to make like a code word or something for things related to Red? Next Tower meeting.

Deciding I was going to have to unpack all of this at a different time I open the sleeve and pulled out the record carefully before placing it in the phonograph.

Everyone in the room looked more than a little confused at the song playing but that was okay. I'd just have to get them used to it.

"Human music is…strange."

I laughed. "Give it time. This band's been around a while. Over forty years."

There was a flash of something across the face of Jarec. "Is this that song you mentioned?"

This must be his hint of Pegasus speaking. "Yep."

"That's neat," Jarec commented. I think he was trying to mask his confusion and interest and I mentally prepared myself for a long conversation about that later.

"Yeah."

Angelina was looking between us with clear confusion on her face. I think she saw right through him. I couldn't tell if Vivian Hearth did though. But he probably knew better how to do damage control with her than I did.

Deciding that we needed a distraction I picked back up the box from Mom. I already knew what was inside.

"This one might be better off until later," I commented. "Professor," I turned to Vivian, "what are the rules about firework spells indoors?"

The sigh from Vivian sounded amused and fond. "Not in the Tower."

That was probably fair.

"She sent you a box rigged to explode?" Jarec asked.

"Every year since I was like four."

Vivian had a strange look on her face. I couldn't decipher it. Should I ask? Would I get an answer that didn't make me sad?

"Apparently, small child me was entertained by pretty lights and noises and Mom's refused to stop doing it since. I think it's part of her being in denial about me getting older."

"That does sound like Lucinda," Vivian said. She almost looked sad about it.

Thinking about it, I wondered if she regretted not being able to see some of those things happen in real time? But then again, I hadn't fully reconciled what both her and her coven were to me. Even Jarec's cousin status still didn't fully feel real.

Just how different could my childhood have been?

Jarec looked between us. I wasn't sure how much of the story he really knew.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Angelina must have sensed something. "Your mother sounds…unique. Like you."

I laughed, "Oh no, if you think I'm weird wait until you meet her. And you will. She's going to be here in a few weeks. And I assure you she will not be on her best behavior."

"Has she said that?" Vivian asked. She sounded worried. Good. Someone here knew what that meant.

"She's talked about how excited she is. And she's apparently planned her wardrobe for the whole trip. I live in fear."

To her credit, Vivian looked nervous.

"I don't know what that means, but I have never seen her look that nervous before in my life. I'm starting to get excited for this," Jarec was grinning.

"Don't be excited. Be afraid. Be very afraid. I fully expect you to be high on her target list."

"Target list?" Angelina sounded worried.

"As the person who will be at the top, I fully expect to walk away from the whole thing with bruises and cracked bones," I told her as matter-of-factly as possible.

"You shouldn't say stuff like that so calmly," she said.

"Blame my father for that. Anything calm about me I got from him," I told her with a smile.

"I'm starting to worry about your mother being here by herself," Jarec commented.

"Good. That would be the point of telling you that."

(*********)

Later Jarec, Angelina and myself moved outside.

Celica, Russel, and Fethris were waiting for us by a bench by the wall of Dragon Tower. The statue had spent the whole day on the roof. It was curled up like it was napping or something.

"Hi guys," I waved.

Celica's disappointed frowning stare said it all.

"I told them," Jarec informed me.

"If I had known it was going to be such a big deal-"

"First of all, sixteen is a big year. Second, I can't believe you're the oldest of us," Celica pointed an accusatory finger at me.

"I am?"

Celica inhaled angrily. Like she was trying to calm herself and failing. "Do you have any idea what that could mean?"

"Look, I spend all my focus on classes. I'm still learning the other stuff, And I think we've established that my mother is terrible at sharing information. If you want to interrogate her, she'll be here in less than a month."

"Oh you bet I have questions. I don't even care if she is still the Heir of Fire," Celica's determined glint in her eyes made me really glad it wasn't aimed at me.

Jarec burst out laughing in a way that made me worried. "Right, that's your problem now."

"What? What's my problem now? I have enough problems!" I looked towards the other two in hopes that someone would explain it.

Russel looked confused for a second then he must have come to the same conclusion as Jarec and Celica, "Oh shit."

Terrible. Was Fethris going to betray me next or continue to leave me in the dark?

Fethris sighed. "You know how Malcarg is the Ancestor of the entire Hearth coven?"

"Yes."

"Right, and you know how he's famous for his fire magic?"

That's when it clicked. "No. No! I am not getting involved in coven politics. Hells no. Jarec can have it."

"But you're the older one and tradition states that it's you," Jarec said around his laughter.

"Nope. Daughters of women who run away after marrying a human man don't get to be heirs to anything." No. No. No. The Tower Representative stuff was bad enough.

"But eldest child of the eldest child," Fethris added.

"Shh!" I told him. "That's enough of this."

"The Heir of Fire has spoken," Jarec teased.

"You shouldn't pick on people on their birthday," Angelina huffed.

"Thank you, you might be my only true friend right now."

She looked proud. Good for her.

"Before I forget what I came out here to do," I held up the box from Mom. "Everyone, you may want to stand behind me."

"Your mother sent you something dangerous?" Fethris asked. He sounded so concerned.

"Fireworks in a box. Some kind of enchantment. Vivian said I wasn't allowed to open it in the Tower."

I got a skeptical look from Celica but she and the others moved to be standing behind me.

I set the box down on the bench in an attempt to mitigate the fire risk. I pulled the ribbon holding it together and lifted the lid and moved back as quickly as I could.

Pale yellow light lifted up from the box to form the number five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Then it started.

Loud and bright and beautiful.

I instinctively covered my ears. They may have been magic, but they were still just as loud as regular fireworks. They were also just as bright. Though they were all the same color, the showers of smokeless sparks brought a smile to my face.

While it was a little different than birthdays previous, it was worth it. Even with the terrible people I chose to spend time with.

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