A Little Touch of Magic | The Callers #1

Chapter Ten

Mr Ravencroft handed me a stack of books almost as tall as I was. I coughed at the clouds of dust that flew into the air with each book he stacked on top. I didn't know what they were about, the spines pointed out, but Mr Ravencroft mumbled as he looked over almost every single book in his library before handing me a select few.

'I think that will be enough to start with,' he said, giving the heavy pile in my arms another look. 'You like to read, yes?'

'Love to,' I said, unable to stop myself.

'Excellent, excellent.'

He shuffled forever with a spring in his step and plonked himself down behind his desk. I lowered the stack of books to the floor, trying my hardest not to topple them, and then joined him.

'Those books will help give you an understanding of the world that I'm about to introduce you to,' Mr Ravencroft said, nodding to the books. 'I want you to be as prepared as you can be for what's to come.'

I swallowed. He made it sound like I was about to head into a war. All I wanted was to be adopted. I'm in way over my head here.

'Off you pop then, dear,' he said, looking up as I was about to sit down. 'I'll deal with things for now, but the sooner you read those books, teh better.'

I groaned a little, but picked up the stack of books and made my way carefully up to my room.

The sun shined in through my open window, the breeze flicking the pages of a book I'd left open in favour of my current read. The first two books I'd flicked through were family histories - dull, long-winded. Tossing those aside, I'd picked up a book of fairy tales instead. They were really interesting. Not like any of the fairy tales I'd read in books at the Home.

One story in particular caught my attention. The Callers. There was an illustration at the beginning that looked like a little girl holding out one hand and little bubbles of light surrounding her. Something about her caught my eye and I wanted to know her story.

Turns out, it was a familiar one.

The girl in the story was abandoned as a baby and taken in by a farming couple, as the girl grew older she felt a strange pull to the forest and when she went to investigate one day, she discovered her friends - little people who appeared as balls of light, similar to my faerie friends. I settled back against my pillows and read the entire story through three times. The Callers were a group of people who had hereditary powers of summoning. Not all of them could summon faeries, apparently only the Vala could bring them. The girl in the story was a Vala, hidden from her people until she was old enough to control her powers and begin training with a chosen mentor from her family.

I paused after my third reading. The Vala in the story sounded so similar to me that goosebumps prickled across my arms. What if Mr Ravencroft was trying to tell me something. Am I a Vala?

I jumped at the knock on the door. Peter entered with a tray of food that looked like it came straight from one of those five star restaurant picture boards. My mouth watered from the smell wafting towards me alone, never mind the sight of the stuff.

'Mr Ravencroft wanted you to have something to eat before you forget altogether,' he said, setting the tray down on the bed.

He picked up the history books that I'd cast aside, looking at them carefully. I hugged the fairy tale book close to me, protecting the story within. I didn't say anything to him. I just watched as he looked at the other books that Mr Ravencroft gave me.

'Interesting reading,' he said, putting the history book back down. 'Mr Ravencroft give you these?'

I nodded, still holding the story of the Callers close.

'Well, I'll leave you to it,' he said, leaving the room as quickly as he came.

As soon as the door clicked behind him, I put the fairy tale book down and grabbed the food. I hadn't realised just how hungry I was. It was gone in a matter of minutes.

Resting against the pillows, nursing the food baby expanding my satisfied stomach, I looked through the remainder of the books in the pile. There was a couple of manuals on weapons and training techniques, which I threw aside easily. Not something I ever thought I'd be interested in. The last book really caught my eye. It was a beautiful navy blue with gold gilded edges. The title read Noble Lineage of Callers Past and Present.

'The fairy tale is real?' I whispered.

I ran a hand over the cover, like the book was some ancient relic worthy of being worshiped or something. The goosebumps were back.

As I opened the first page, the paper crinkling beneath my fingers, I held a breath. I couldn't understand the feeling rising within me, but something like electricity flickered through my veins. I dropped the book as the shock hit me.

After a moment, the feeling faded, just enough that the hairs on the back of my neck still stood on end. I turned the next page and traced the intricate coat of arms that covered the page. It was a beautiful shield, split into four, with different shades of green. In each of the sections was an image: a bird, a bear, a fox and... a faerie.

Flicking through the pages, I read names and accounts of Callers of the past. Each one had a small notation under their name, but only one every generation had 'Vala'. I kept going, devouring the words on every page. I caught Mr Ravencroft's name a few pages from the end. His complete biography to date was beside his name, just like all those on the pages before him.

When I found myself on the last page, I dropped the book.

There, on the final page, was a drawing of a small girl - maybe two - with curly hair and bright eyes. Beneath the sketch was a name.

Ilaina Ravencroft. Vala.

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Hello! Thank you for reading this chapter of A Little Touch of Magic. I plan to update this story every Thursday so be sure to add it to your Reading List so you don't forget to check for updates! If you've enjoyed reading this story, please do take a moment to vote and comment and I'll make sure to respond to any comments received.

Thank you so much again for reading. I hope you have a lovely day :)

-Heather