Maya's POV
My eyes were hurt by the intensity of the golden light spilling from my hands.
"Maya!" Over the cracking sound of the light, Ethan yelled. "You must keep it under control!"
"I'm not sure how!" I reacted with a scream. I couldn't stop the magic that was coursing through my blood like lightning.
With a pale face, Principal Hawthorne stepped back. "Amazing. We underestimated her power."
One of his men shouted, "More guards are coming!"
"We must relocate immediately!"
However, the roaring in my ears made it tough for me to hear them. I thought I might burst as the golden light grew brighter and brighter.
"Look at me, Maya!" Despite his skin burning from the light, Ethan said and took a step closer. "Consider something quiet. Consider your mom."
I tried to picture Grandmother Willow's face, but all I could think about was how I had been duped by Ethan. It flared brighter still.
"That's not working!" Hawthorne, the principal, yelled. "Stand back, everyone!"
Then my heart stopped when I heard something. Calling from inside the store was Grandmother's voice.
"Maya? Are you okay, my love?"
The golden light disappeared in an instant. Principal Hawthorne grabbed my arm as I ran toward the store.
"Let her go," he told his guards. "We got what we came for."
"What do you mean?" In an attempt to break free, I asked.
"That little display just proved everything we suspected about you," Principal Hawthorne said, grinning icily. "Maya Chen, you're returning to Phoenix Academy. Regardless of your desire to do so."
"With you, I'm not going anywhere!"
"Oh, but you are," he responded. "Because your grandmother might suffer a very bad fate if you don't."
My blood froze. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I?" Hawthorne, the principal, asked. "Search the store, guards. Verify the old woman's comfort."
Three guards walked over to the store. I tried to flee, but Principal Hawthorne's hold on my arm was too firm.
"Give me up!" I shouted.
"Maya," Ethan said softly, "just give me a minute to listen. I understand that you're upset, but—"
"Angry?" I felt the magic starting to build in my chest once more as I turned to face him. "You tricked me! You led them straight to me after feigning pain so I could assist you."
"That's not what happened," Ethan stated. "I was deeply hurt. And I truly wanted to assist you."
"So why did Principal Hawthorne express gratitude to you for guiding him to me?"
Ethan looked uneasy. "Because... because I was meant to take you back to the Academy. I wasn't going to do it, though, Maya. I was going to help you in getting away."
"Liar!"
"It's true!" Desperately, Ethan said. "I had meant to bring you back, but I had second thoughts after meeting you and realizing how compassionate you were. I was going to help you leave here and tell you everything."
"Then why didn't you?" I inquired.
"Because the guards followed me," Ethan explained. "They found me here, even though I thought I had lost them. I am solely to blame for this."
One of the guards returned from the store. "Sir, the old lady is safe. However, we found something else."
I had never seen a small wooden box like the one he was holding.
"What is it?" Hawthorne, the principal, asked.
A bundle of letters tied with a blue ribbon was found inside the box when the guard opened it. One of the letters was taken by Principal Hawthorne, who read it. His face turned pale.
He asked, "Where did you find this?"
"Hidden under the floorboards in the back room," the guard stated.
Principal Hawthorne gave me a look that may have been fear. "Do you know what these letters are, Maya?"
Sincerely, I stated, "I've never seen them before."
"They're from your parents," he stated. "Your parents, who should be dead."
The ground seemed to be slipping away from me. "My parents passed away. When I was young, they died in a magical accident."
Principal Hawthorne said slowly, "No. They survived. They fled. These letters also show that they have been preparing to return for you."
"That's not possible," I mumbled.
"Is it?" One of the letters he held up. "This one was dated three weeks earlier. Maya, they're back. Additionally, they are bringing friends."
Confused, I glanced at Ethan. "What does that mean?"
"It indicates that your parents have been assembling other expelled pupils," Principal Hawthorne stated. "To attack Phoenix Academy, they are assembling an army."
"My parents wouldn't do that," I responded. "They're not aggressive individuals."
"Aren't they?" Hawthorne, the principal, asked. "So why did they attempt to murder me before they departed?"
I looked at him. "What?"
He questioned, "Didn't you ever wonder why you were really removed from Phoenix Academy? It wasn't because you lacked magic. I was worried that you might end up like your parents, who tried to kill me."
I said, "You're lying," but I sounded weak.
"Am I?" He presented a second letter. "This one discusses their plan for destroying the Academy by using your power. Maya, they want to use you as a tool."
I was ill. "I don't trust you."
Principal Hawthorne held out the letters to me and said, "Then read the letters yourself."
With shaky hands, I accepted the letters. My mother's handwriting was clearly the first one. It reminded me of the birthday cards she used to send me as a child.
"My dear Maya," the letter started, "your father and I will be returning to you by the time you read this. We have found people who are similar to us and who were rejected by the Academy due to their differences. We are strong enough as a team to reclaim what has been taken from us."
I looked up at Principal Hawthorne. "There is no proof in this. All they want is to return home."
"Continue reading," he urged.
I turned back to the letter. "We now know that Hawthorne has been defrauding children of their magic for many years. He is the cause of so many kids' test fails. You were removed because of him. But Maya, we're going to stop him. We will hold him responsible for the harm he has caused to our family."
As I read the next part, my hands began to shake. "Darling, the secret lies in your power. The only thing that can stop him is the life magic that runs in our family. You will help us in permanently destroying Phoenix Academy."
Like it was on fire, I dropped the letter. "No. This isn't possible."
Principal Hawthorne stated, "I'm afraid it is. Maya, your parents aren't the heroes you think them to be. They are terrorists. Additionally, they wish to hurt innocent people by using you."
"He's lying," Ethan uttered suddenly. "Don't listen to him, Maya. Those letters might not be real."
"Could they?" Hawthorne, the principal, asked. "Maya, tell me if this voice sounds like your mother's."
He took up the letter and continued reading. "Do you remember the lullaby I used to sing to you? Silver thoughts and golden light—nothing is ever as it seems. Maya, that's what we're going to show to the world. That the Academy's power is merely a myth."
Tears began to well up in my eyes. My mother used to sing me that song every night. Principal Hawthorne could not have been aware of it unless the letters were real.
"Maya," Ethan said softly, "your parents are not necessarily incorrect even if the letters are real. Perhaps Principal Hawthorne is actually defrauding the kids of their magic."
Principal Hawthorne said, "Don't be foolish. I would never—"
"So why do you fear Maya's power so much?" Ethan inquired. "Why do you need to capture her if you're innocent?"
The look on Principal Hawthorne's face darkened. "Because she is dangerous. Take a look at what she just did. We could all have been killed by her."
"I would never hurt anyone," I vowed.
Principal Hawthorne stated, "Maybe not on purpose. However, Maya, your magic is unpredictable. You might accidentally ruin everything you value if you're not properly trained."
"So, when I was at the Academy, why didn't you train me?" I inquired.
"Because," Principal Hawthorne explained, "I was trying to keep the other pupils safe. Being around other kids with your power is too risky."
"That's not true," Ethan stated. "I've watched her work her magic. I was healed by her. I was not hurt by her."
"This time," said Principal Hawthorne. "How about the following time? What happens if she loses control of her emotions, such as anger or fear?"
The bright light that had poured out of me only minutes before came to mind. I couldn't stop it. What if Ethan was correct? What if I was actually a threat?
I muttered, "I don't want to hurt anyone."
Principal Hawthorne said, "Then come with us. Let us help you in managing your power. We'll show you how to use it safely."
"Maya, no," Ethan answered. "He's playing tricks on you. He is untrustworthy."
"And she can trust you?" Hawthorne, the principal, asked. "The boy who guided us directly to her?"
Uncertain of what to believe, I glanced between them. Everything I believed to be true about my life was unraveling.
"I need to think," I answered.
Principal Hawthorne stated, "There's no time to think. Your parents will arrive soon. Before they get there, we have to get you to safety."
I said, "Maybe I want to see my parents."
"Maya," Principal Hawthorne stated seriously, "people will perish if you're present when they arrive. Do you want that?"
My blood froze when I heard a sound before I could reply. Like lightning during a storm, it was the sound of magical energy bursting through the atmosphere.
Principal Hawthorne mumbled, "They're here."
I noticed lights moving between the trees as I turned to face the forest. However, these lights weren't your usual ones. The power that had poured out of me was the same shade of gold as these.
A woman's voice called out from the forest, "Maya!"
I had not heard that voice in years, but it was one I knew. My mom was the one.
Principal Hawthorne told his guards to "run." "Everyone flees. Now."
However, it was too late. I could see figures emerging from the bush as the lights grew closer. A minimum of twenty people, each exuding a mystical aura. And my parents were at the head of the group, just as I remembered them.
My mother smiled and said, "Hello, Maya. We're here to bring you home."
However, there was a problem with her smile. Something that scared me more than I had ever been before. Because the golden hue of my mother's magic was mirrored in her eyes. And they looked absolutely crazy.