Drowning Flames

Chapter 1

My brother has managed to get himself locked in a closet.

"How did you even get stuck in there Mak?" I look at the worn wooden door that I passed by every day. Covered in scratches from Insten my cat. It was a dark oak color bleached by the sun from our boat house's porthole.

"I went in to grab my red shirt, you know the really cool one, and the door closed behind me. When I grabbed the knob it came off. Probably from all the damp weather it can harm the wood you know." That's my twin, going off on some little thing every time he opens his mouth.

I decide to mess with him since he was the one making me late, " I could go and fetch Da and let him see what you've done or I could just smash the door down and tell him it's your fault."

"Callida don't you dare!" his voice had a trace of fear in it.

"Ok, ok. Give me a second" I jiggle the knob and ram my shoulder against the door. It doesn't work and I try again. The door gives and I fall forward onto Mak.

"So graceful Cal" He smirks and helps me up.

"You're lucky I didn't just leave you in there you jerk," I snap and brush the dust off my boots. Mak doesn't say anything else just walks out of the closet. "Why do you even need a shirt we're going swimming."

"Because, I need it for the Onyx festival tonight." He doesn't even look back. Walking along like he owns the place.

"Don't you walk away on me. I'm sick and tired of having to save your sorry butt." I follow him as he makes his way down the hallway. I don't know what I'm doing but I am seriously mad, "I mean it this time Mak just listen for a second"

He whirls around suddenly and I barely stop before running into him. "What is it Cal? You aren't usually this worried about everything." His eyes, a brilliant green like mine, stare straight at me. They always seemed to look right through me.

I look at him for a second. Mak and I are both tall but I'm an inch or two taller. We have this weird silver hair that we supposedly inherited from our grandmother, I think it's unnatural but everyone else calls it pretty. Mak keeps it in a messy haircut with bangs that cover his eyes. It annoys me so much when he starts flipping it around girls. He's tan from working out on the boats all the time, we both are. He's handsome, though, with a strong jaw and a straight nose, pretty much all muscle. He could get any girl he wanted in town. I, on the other hand, am not a beaut. Often the housewives in town call me too gangly and that I should eat more. I have plenty of muscle too, but it doesn't really add enough bulk. My face has a spatter of freckles that seem to somehow stand out on my tan skin, not in a flattering way. Plus, unlike Mak I have scars running up and down both my legs and my right arm. They were from an accident with a Bystyx when I was 12. Now they have faded, but still stand out against my skin in long jagged lines. I seem to only be at home in breeches and a shirt, while my brother wears everything and looks good. Even though we look similar it's obvious who was more attractive.

As I watched my brother, I realized I was worried that he would get chosen to join Wyltern academy. It is an honor to be chosen. Every year five young adults are chosen to be a Teglers, humans that can control different types of magic, one for each. There are Zennals who can control their gravity. Impents control water and ice, even pulling moisture out of the air. Salans who can communicate with all living creatures, plants, and animals alike. Polors can read minds, the most skilled can change memories. Ghifats are the most deadly. They are able to control fire conjuring it out of thin air. Many have turned evil. I shiver that's enough thinking about them.

Then I realized why I was feeling off. He would be perfect for a Tegler, strong, smart, and handsome the whole package. Most likely an Impent because of us living on the water since we were little. I was honestly scared, we have never been separated for more than a day, how would I live without him? Once you became a Tegler all family ties are severed, each group goes to a different location with only the caretakers, trainers and others as company. The lucky families can meet them once they graduate. That takes 5 years alone, the training is supposedly quite serious.