Bali
I trudged downstairs, expecting little from today. After all, what could I give? I was already a disappointment—the witch who couldn't channel.
"Hi, Mum, Dad," I greeted, trying to sound uninterested.
"Hey, Dana! How did you sleep tonight?" Mum asked, her smile tinged with worry.
"I slept… good, thanks," I lied. If only she knew how much I craved sleeping, how each night I hoped to escape this dreadful life into the Labyrinth. Last night had been beautiful, new friends, laughter, magic flowing like water.
"Happy birthday, Dana," Dad said, giving me a small, sincere smile.
They remembered. I blinked, surprised. "Thanks, Dad."
"We've got a little surprise for you. We hope you'll like it," Mum added, her voice bright with excitement.
"Okay… um, can I see it now?"
"Yes, come on outside!" she shrieked.
I followed them out of the shack, and my eyes went wide. There, standing in the morning light, was a magnificent horse.
"Ohh, Mum! Dad! Is this… mine?" I screamed, my voice cracking with joy. "Oh my God! I… I don't know what to say!" I ran toward them and threw my arms around their waists, tears pricking my eyes. I stole a glance back at the horse — dark brown, mane black as midnight, specks of white across her side — and I knew, somehow, that her name was Bali.
She neighed softly, graceful and poised. My heart ached with happiness. "Thank you, thank you so much! I love you!"
"Oh, honey… we love you too," they said, their smiles mixed with worry.
I'd been a disappointment for so long, but for the first time in years, I felt… seen. I had worked on myself quietly, year after year, practicing what I could: sparks of light, small levitations, fireballs that were barely a flicker compared to my peers. I was a late bloomer, a slow flame, but I was trying. And now, holding Bali's reins, I felt a spark of joy I hadn't felt since Casi.
"Won't you take her for a ride, dear?" Dad's voice pulled me back to the present.
"Yes!" I said, hopping onto Bali's back. She moved under me like a heartbeat, strong and warm. The forest trail called, and we galloped through it, leaves brushing my arms, sun glinting through the canopy. I clutched her mane tightly, feeling alive in a way that waking hours rarely allowed. "I have to find Casi," I whispered, pain tightening my chest.
After a while, we returned to the shack. Morning had barely started, and Mum had already set breakfast on the table. I ate quickly, still buzzing from the ride, telling them over and over how much I loved Bali. Their smiles warmed me, fragile and real.
But soon it was time for school. The journey back to the Coven of Orialis was always bittersweet. People stared at me as if I were a ghost, a freak. I had no friends, only whispers and scorn met me wherever I went.
"Hey!"
Giselle appeared suddenly, making me jump.
"Oh… hey. What's up?" I said, recovering.
"Happy birthday, D!" She grinned brightly, extending her arms for a hug. I hugged her lightly, unsure what to make of her cheer.
"How… how did you know?" I asked, astonished.
"Know what?" Her smile was sheepish.
"That today is my birthday," I said, my voice soft.
"Oh… I know a lot of things, girl," she said, holding my hands as we walked to class. "You should have come to the hangout at the Coven last night, it was fun. Who knows, maybe you could've talked to Peckam." She gave me a teasing, suspicious look.
"Oh, Giselle, stop it," I said, embarrassed. "No one really wants me there, and Peckam wouldn't even notice me with all the girls gawking at him. I don't need his time."
"You don't know that. I can help you, we talk often."
"No, please don't. I'll admire from afar just fine."
She laughed lightly, a sound that made me feel… lighter somehow. "Okay, whatever you say."
At the classroom door, she leaned close. "Dana, I've got something for you, I'll give it to you after class. That's cool?"
"You… got me something for my birthday?" I asked, awestruck.
"Yes. Of course. You're my friend," she said simply, before slipping inside.
My friend.
The word sank into me like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Since Casi, no one had ever said that to me. Hearing it now, even just once, made my chest swell with something I hadn't felt in years. For the first time in a long time… I had a friend.