We've reached the end of the road, and we're surrounded by Redwoods.
As the falcon doors swing open, my heart jumps in my chest and settles into a crazy nervous rhythm.
"Good luck." Ethan offers me a small, encouraging smile from the driver's seat.
"Thanks," I murmur as I hop out and sling my new backpack over both shoulders.
Chloe's got the trunk open, so I stand there awkwardly, unsure what to do next.
"Here. Oof." She pulls a suitcase from the trunk and drops it to the pavement. "This is also yours."
I feel my face flush. "What...? Mine?"
"Yeah, it's yours."
It's a medium-sized hard-shell turquoise suitcase with chrome trim. Really cute, honestly. And... if it's really mine, it'll be the first suitcase I've ever owned. My eyes are really starting to sting. Might even be watering a bit.
"I ordered some clothes for you while you were at orientation. I hope they fit. There's also some toiletries... and a few other small things."
"Thank you. Really. You didn't have to do that." I let out a breath and pick up the suitcase. It weighs a ton.
"Come along." Chloe leads me around the other side of the car.
There's a dirt path winding between two enormous Redwoods here, and a short wooden sign that reads "Grove of Wisdom."
"Follow the path right here. You're in Building A, Room 12."
Anxiety floods me at the thought of whatever's to come. Wait... What room did she say? My ADHD is already reminding me how bad I am at remembering stuff.
"What was the room? I'm gonna forget... I need to write it—"
"It's okay." Chloe puts a hand on my shoulder and looks into my eyes. "The key in your bag says A-12 right on it."
I nod my head and swallow.
"Don't worry. You've got this."
I guess I look afraid. And I am. About everything!
I lick my dry lips. "What about Cerberus...? What about what happened this morning? What about... my house, all the debris and... everything I left behind. Doesn't someone have to clean that up? And the police... they'll ask where I am. And my co-workers... And, and..."
"One thing at a time," Chloe says soothingly. "According to our intel, you don't have any living relatives... right? Would anyone outside your town be looking for you?"
"My mom was... No. I don't think anyone else would be looking..."
"Alright. Then that's all been taken care of already."
"How? What do you mean?"
"Your house burned down, but you were safe. And then you moved to another town. That's all anyone will remember about this."
"But there was a body, and..." I'm starting to breathe too fast.
"Taken care of. The Atlantis Society has literally thousands of years of experience cleaning up magickal incidents. Okay?"
"Okay," I say weakly.
"You need to focus on your training. That's it. Ethan and I can worry about the rest. When the Trials are complete, we'll interview you again and get your official statement about what happened this morning with the Aether. But..."
She glances back at the SUV and leans closer to me, lowering her voice. "If anyone other than Ethan or I tries to question you before the Trials are over... I think it's best you continue not to remember much. Our goal is to get you through those Trials. That alone will be enough to get Cerberus off your back. Then we can deal with the rest."
I slowly nod. Message received. Don't incriminate myself until after I pass the Trials.
"Good," Chloe blows out a breath and straightens. "Oh, and Caelum Westgard?"
I flush.
"I have no idea what you've done to that boy, but keep doing it. He's from an ancient, powerful family line. Which makes him a powerful ally. And you'll be needing as many of those as you can get."
Jeez, no pressure or anything.
I'm even more embroiled in Atlantean politics than I was when I arrived. And in deeper trouble. How am I supposed to focus on the present moment with all that looming ahead of me?
"Good luck!" Chloe gives me a nudge to send me on my way, but I can't seem to take the first step onto the dirt path.
I'm paralyzed, my heart going a million miles a minute.
"I don't feel ready." I blurt out.
"I know you're nervous, but you have to get to your room—"
"I'm not ready!"
"Ah." Chloe raises a brow at me. "Wanna know a secret? None of us felt ready when we first got here. But we did it anyway. You have to start before you're ready. In all things in life, not just magick." She nods to herself. "When you were a baby, do you think you waited until you were "ready" to try and walk? Of course not. And yet look at you now."
I let out a choked laugh that sounds like a cry. "But I did start using magick before I was ready... And look at the giant mess I made. I'm... I'm scared. To ever even touch magick again."
"I don't blame you." Chloe puts her hand on my shoulder again and gives it a squeeze. "You probably won't believe me, but we're all scared from time to time."
I flare my nostrils at her in disbelief.
"You've glimpsed your true power. And the first time you feel your own power and potential... it's terrifying. But it can also be exciting."
"I'm not feeling the exciting part," I whisper.
"It'll come."
"In four days?"
"Probably not." She shrugs.
"Then what do I do?"
"Be scared. And do it anyway."
She makes it sound so easy.
"Go on," she says, letting my shoulder go.
"Thank you... for everything."
"I believe in you, Lyric Hart." She gives me a small smile. "You've got this. Now get going so you have time to change before the opening ceremony."
I try to return her smile. Then I force myself to take a step down the path. Then another.
My anxiety's blowing around inside me like a tornado, and I don't know how many steps I've taken when I finally stop for a second to glance back.
I can't even see the road anymore.
I'm all alone.
On a dirt path, in a real old-growth Redwood forest.
I've been dreaming of this moment for years...
I inhale a deep, cleansing breath, and the sweet, earthy, citrusy scent gets me high as ever.
I set my sights on the nearest tree. It's enormous, and once I focus on it, I realize I can feel the energy coming off of it in waves.
A flicker of fear runs through me, and my anxiety's back.
And I can't feel the forest anymore.
All I feel is my own fear and dread.
I've never been afraid of the Redwoods, but I am now.
I'm scared.
Too scared to feel that power beneath my fingertips after all that's happened. Too scared of what I might accidently do.
Be scared, and do it anyway.
I blow out a breath and lower my suitcase to the ground. Then I approach the nearest tree, stopping when I'm a few inches away.
I raise my shaking hand to the trunk, but I can't bring myself to touch it. My heart's beating so fast, and I have to take a few more breaths to calm myself.
I stare up at the canopy, hundreds of feet above me.
"Hello," I whisper.
I press my palm to the reddish-brown bark and close my eyes.
My chest instantly buzzes, and a surge of joy and love dances through me.
It feels like... home.
Or like home would feel if it was a safe, loving, happy place.
I let out a laugh and swing my other arm against the trunk, hugging it. I press my temple to the bark, too, and that happy buzz races through me, from my fingertips to my toes, leaving me tingly and grinning.
I'm not sure how long I stand there, but my muscles are starting to cramp when I finally pull away.
Excitement hums through me as I skip back to the path and pick up my suitcase.
I won't let fear get in my way.
Or my ADHD.
I won't let bullies get me down.
Or my own self-doubt.
I'm gonna pass the Entrance Trials.
No matter what.
I may not know what the future holds, but I do know one thing for sure.
I'm an Atlantean.
And I belong here.
Thank you so much for reading! This book comes with free reader gifts! Head on over to AutumnKalquist.com/Atlantis to grab your unique and exclusive Atlantis Academy gifts (Elemental House banner artwork, professional photographs of the Redwoods, and the song that played on Lyric's clock radio!) All artwork, photography, and music was created by me. :)
Then keep reading for a sneak peek of Atlantis Academy: The Second Element, before the book is released!