Narrator- Melissa

I’m tired. I say to myself lying down with my arms wide open on the bed. The lights are bright and glittering before my eyes, making my head dizzy. I snap my fingers and turn them off.

“What the hell is up with you?” I turn around and see Alicia in her bed right next to me. She shuts her book and looks at me.

“What happened again? Is it homework? I mean yeah, it has to be. I don’t like Mathew’s class either. It’s him, isn't it? And the homework?” She doesn’t even stop.

“It’s not the homework.” I say. “And neither is it Mathew. I’m just REALLYYYYY tired, I can barely feel the electricity in me.”

“So you're saying your powers are dampening?”

“No! My powers are not dampening, and I said I’m tired. Since when are you here? I didn’t even notice you while I got inside.”

“That’s because you were busy talking to yourself. But yeah, let me massage your head. You might start feeling better.”

“Sure, little sister.” I say as I close my eyes and lay my head on her lap.

Alicia is the third among us Cross sisters. No one ever believes us when we tell them that Patricia is older than Alicia. As a matter of fact Alicia even looks older than me though I’m the eldest among the Cross sisters. Alicia has the same powers as my mother. They can both read minds and understand people’s inner feelings. I didn’t inherit any of my parent’s powers. Neither did Patricia and Catherine.

When I was young, my mom always told me that I, Patricia and Catherine had unique powers that were a gift from our ancestors. Catherine, The youngest among us Cross sisters was gifted by the power of spell. No one in the academy knows how to use spells like her. Our father named her the Goddess of spells. And for Patricia, she has the power to control weather. The weather master.

Erica has the same powers as my father. The power of teleporting. At first we thought Erica was the only one who had such powers, but it wasn't until later when we realised that dad had the same powers too. He never told us. Neither did mom know about it. After we found out Erica is like him, he told us that he never used this power. But he never told us why.

“Oh my! What was that?” Alicia pushes my head off her lap.

“Ouch! What was what? Did you just read me?’’ I hold my forehead in pain.

“I’m sorry I didn’t want to. It’s just, were you tired because you spent the whole day practising how to make a lightning bolt?? Hah! You sounded so serious I thought you were ranting about Mathew or something more important!”

“What’s so funny about it?” I grumble, walking towards the dressing table. “I was practising. Yes I was. It is more important to me than worrying about Mathews' useless assignments! What’s so funny about it? And is this why you volunteered to massage my head? To read me? Damn you, Alicia!”

“I’ll take that as a thank you.” Annoying as always!

“Take what as a thank you?” Alicia jumps off the bed in fright, holding her chest. I flinch from my position as Erica suddenly emerges through the wall.

“Gracious Heavens! Can’t you just come through the door, you idiot!? You scared the soul out of me!” Says Alicia with her hands still on her chest.

“Well, where is it? I don’t see your soul!” Erica laughs at her own lame joke. “It’s fun, you know. One moment you’re in the lobby and then suddenly in your room. Isn’t it a waste of energy to walk thirteen flights of stairs and get up here? Shortcuts are always better.”

“No, it's not!” I yell. “Come through the door next time or I’ll tell mom. What if, what if I was naked right now or changing my clothes?”

“Ah! That would be a sight to see, I guess.” Erica is good at laughing at her own lame jokes. Not even a moment later Patricia walks in through the door with Catherine trailing behind her.

“What’s with the commotion? We could hear it from outside.” Asks Patricia, to which Alicia replies. “Nothin. We were just discussing how Erica should not end up seeing a naked Melissa if she teleports in the room again.”

“Excuse me? You fool!” Of all people, I had to be stuck with Alicia.

‘’Why? Isn’t that what you were discussing?’’

“Were you even listening?” Erica asks incredulously. “And eww! Gross!”

‘’Okay, fine. If that’s not the topic, what is it?’’ Patricia asks. Again.

“They were having a conversation over Erica. That she mustn’t teleport to the room but rather walk through the door.” Catherine says, while she continues staring at her book.

“H- ho- how did you know?” Erica looks at Catherine in horror.

“The situation explains it all. And besides, it’s you Erica. What else would the reason be.” Catherine says nonchalantly, still staring at her book.

“You can use a spell, right Catty?” Patricia suggests with a rather pleading expression.

“At least she won’t be able to get in through walls.”

“You would never do that to me, Catty. Would you?” Erica looked pretty nervous.

“Who said I wouldn’t? Of course I would.” Catherine finally changes her gaze from the book to Erica. We start to laugh for a while until a knock in the door distracts us. Everyone gets quiet.

“Who might it be at this hour?” I ask. Catty puts her book down and looks at me curiously. Patricia walks closer to the door and asks. “Who is it?”

“We are the Royal guards, Your Highness.”

“The Royal guards? You mean from the Royal Headquarters?”

“Yes. We were sent by Her Majesty the Queen and the King Consort. Their Majesties have summoned you all.”

“Do they mean it’s a royal order from mother and father?” Erica whispers to us.

“Of course.” I replied.

“Are they looking for all of us?” I ask.

“Yes, they are, Your Highness.”

“What would it be for? Any idea?” Patricia looks at me as she continues.

“What do we do, Melly?” Asks Catty.

“It might be something important. Let’s just go.” I say, as I open the door and the rest of them follow me.

“This way please.” The guards say. We follow them and walk our way to the Royal headquarters. To mother and father.

I want to question the guards but I don’t. What might it be for? I kept thinking the whole time on our way to the headquarters. The Academy looks more crowded than usual. Students clatter all together in the corridor. They are gossiping about something. I don’t know what they are talking about. Some are terrified, looking at the night sky which is now blood red.

“Something’s wrong. Isn’t it guys?” Catherine steals the words from my mouth.

“What’s wrong with the sky? Why is it red? And what is everyone discussing? Is it only us who knows nothing?” Patricia bombards with questions that we are all curious to know the answers to, nervously looking around at every one.

“She is right, something is wrong. What happened?” Alicia joins Patricia’s conversation.

It is indeed true. Something didn’t feel right to me either. The teachers are trying to get the students back to their dorms but neither of them respond, all they do is gaze at the corridor's large windows. At the sky.

“Get inside, all of you!” Professor Mathew walks past the crowd and bellows at the students. Everyone disappears at once and the corridors begin to empty as if no one was even present here in the first place.

“Wait!” I say the guards. “Can you tell us what the problem is?”

“I’m afraid I cannot tell what it is, Your Highness. But you will know soon. Let’s get inside and you will hear it all from your father and mother.” The guard says, and then I realise that we are on the doorsteps of the headquarters already.

“This way please.” The guards open the large door of the headquarters.

I have never been inside the headquarters before. Every time mother and father wanted to visit us they would come by our dorms or either ask us to meet them in the Palace, which is also inside the Academy. During holidays when we go home to the Palace, it’s hard to even see them. They barely get to stay at home and we barely have any family time.

I remember mother telling me that the reason the Headquarters is inside the Academy is because she didn’t want to leave the students and the Academy alone no matter what happens. And in order to protect the Academy with all her power, both mother and father decided the Headquarters should be inside the Academy.

It’s different inside the Headquarters. There are doors everywhere. One of them is the door to mother and father’s room. We follow the guards as they walk to the room on the left with the word ‘CROSS’ engraved on the door.

“They are here, Your Majesty. As you requested.” One of the guards says after giving a gentle knock on the door.

“Let them in.” Mother replies from the inside. The guards open the door of the room, finally letting us inside.

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