Kyra awoke to a loud bang at the door. She grabbed a hair tie right beside her bed. While she struggled to put her thick knotted hair into a bun there was another knock.
“ I’m coming!”
When she opened the door, her best friend Marie stood glaring at Phoenix, a new addition to her wide-and to some unbearable-group of friends. Phoenix stood with her hand in a fist towards Marie ready to ugoy at any time.
    “One tanong Kyra, why is she here!” Marie asked pointing to Phoenix.
    “I should ask you the same thing twinkle toes!” Phoenix retorted.
    “I invited her. Her parents are both busy and they told her that she can’t go to Joel’s house today. She’s supposed to be grounded. And sa pamamagitan ng the way, if both of you don’t shut up we’ll have my father to deal with.” Kyra opened the door enough for her to get out of the house. She then shut the door behind her. “ C’mon . . . Oh God! I gotta go get dressed. And also get Kendra, I’ll be back.”
    “Yea, I wouldn’t want to be seen in that anyway.” Phoenix was referring to the three-sizes too small kulay-rosas hearts, flowers, and smiley faces night gown.
    “If you have a problem with it why don’t you buy me a new one? You’re the one in a social rank with money.”
    “Sorry. I keep forgetting about that. You don’t need money to look good.”
    “Thanks.” Both Marie and Phoenix had been silently giggling under their breath. Now, they couldn’t help themselves. They laugh so hard they each rolled on the floor. Kyra thought that they were going to pee their pants or worse, wake up Joey.
    Kyra ignored her friend’s outburst, and walked back into the house. She walked into her bedroom, put on a pair of Jonathan’s breeches, a fancy sando which was once her mom’s, and a pair of boots. susunod she picked Kendra up from her kama and got her dressed. She then picked Kendra up and grabbed a brush. The last thing she did was go outside and walked with Phoenix and Mina while brushing Kendra’s fine hair.
    “So,” Marie started conversation, “are you going to see the prince today or what?”
    “Yeah, I will, but it’ll have to be later. Tanor has to be with,” Kyra shook, trying to get an image of Heather out of her head. Then she jumped up and down and in the girliest voice she could pull without hurting Kendra’s ears or her voice box she said, “Heather.”
    “OWWW!”
    “Sorry Kendra.” Kyra apologized, embarrassed.
    “That was a. . . frightening imitation of her. It was just too close to the real thing.” Marie complemented.
    “Are you kidding me? Heather is above and beyond imitation. Besides, if that’s Heather then what are you? Heather’s just a pretty kulay-rosas priss. Hey! I’ve got it! Marie, why don’t you hang out with her! You’re the ideal friends!”
    “Not in your life! But I think you should.”
    “No, no, no, Kyra, tell me that wench didn’t just call me Heather worthy.”
    “You brought it on yourself. Stupid donkey.”
    “That’s it! I’m gonna kick you’re A-”
    “Hey! If you wanna fight, fine! But don’t do it in front of my sister!”
    “Sorry Kyra, I forgot about Kendra.”
    “Yeah, sorry.”
    “That’s okay, just don’t let it happen again.”
Marie and Phoenix stopped arguing for Kendra’s sake and the three older girls talked and laughed all the way to the market.

    While Tanor was walking toward the meadow, his best friend Matt spotted him; he ran to Tanor, his bright red hair blowing in the wind.
    “Hey, Tanor.” Matt called coolly.
    “What is it, Matt?”
    “Do you think that you know me so well so you know every time I say 'Hey' I have something to tell or ask for?”
    “That’s the confusing way to put it. You seem to do that a lot.”
    “Well, you’re right, anyway. You know Marie’s friend, Kyra right?”
    “You have to slim it down just a bit madami buddy, Marie has quite a bit of friends.” Tanor had to lie for the sake of his secret. Matt had a huge mouth and no one could stop him from talking once he had some juicy information.
    “You know, the angel.”
    “What?”
    “Two years nakaraan you pointed to me and I quote, 'Is that not the most beautiful angel you’ve ever seen?' end quote. She was talking to Marie. But I told you that Marie was even madami beautiful. Now that I think about it, Kyra is gorgeous. Only, she’s a peasant! I’ll never petsa a peasant!”
    “I know who you’re talking about now. Yeah, I went to talk to her and you told everyone. Then word got to my father that I was in pag-ibig with a peasant. Father was furious, I was sent to my room for a month, and she was personally whipped sa pamamagitan ng father that very same month. She was then banished from the castle.” Tanor had to lie to everyone about that. The only people who knew different were the royal family and Kyra’s family.
    “I’m sorry! I didn’t know word would get around that quickly! Besides, I was sure I would’ve been off this rock and in Contradority with mum.”
    “Forget her. She’s been making that promise since we were both five. That’s fourteen years of broken promises. How much madami are you going to take?”
    Matt cringed with disappointment, “Anyways, back to my first topic. Kyra’s got a kid!”
    “Did Marie tell you that?”
    “No! She was carrying a little girl while talking with Marie and Phoenix, you know, that girl that just came from Noxide.”
    “Amazing, wow, you really have a sharp eye.” Tanor congratulated sarcastically.
    Matt beamed and Tanor rolled his eyes at how simple minded his friend really was. Matt looked over, “See Tanor, here they are now, she’s holding a little girl. I’m gonna go see Marie okay. You can come with if you want.”
    “Sure, fine, whatever, I’ll come.”
    So they headed towards the trio.
     As Tanor proceeded walking toward Kyra, Marie warned her, “Matt has no idea that your with the prince, so don’t be surprised if he acts like he doesn’t know who you are.”
    “Thanks but no thanks, Goldie Locks. But mani Galleries shouldn’t talk.” Phoenix said.
    “Theres no need for that, Phoenix. Thank you, Marie, I already knew about Matt.”
    “Oh boy, here comes trouble, even madami people from the off world planets.”
    “No Phoenix, the person with reddish brown hair is my very old friend Elida, and the one with black hair and blue streaks is . . . Oh my God! that can’t be right. There must be some other girl with the same kind of hair.”
    “Why?” Phoenix looked back at the girl, “If she did something to you a long time ago, I’ll pummel her for you.”
    “No, no, it’s nothing.” Now that the girl was closer, Kyra could see that the girl had been crying for several hours. She still was and her eyes were puffy and swollen. That’s what happened to-No! get a grip, Kyra! She’s gone forever and you know it! Get your head out of the past! Kyra fought with herself until Elida was standing right in front of her with her arm around the girl. “Hey Elida!” Kyra hugged her friend and Elida hugged her back.
    “Sorry, Mina, it’s just been so long, you know.” Elida explained to the girl.
    “Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me that she is exactly who I thought she was? Is that seriously my cousin, Mina Matoni in the flesh?” The girl nodded partially. Kyra Nawawala her breath and her knees gave in. Phoenix grabbed Kendra, and Marie and Elida helped get Kyra back on her feet. “Mina, what happened? You look so... so, broken and dispirited.”
    “Can I please stay with you for a little while.” Mina pleaded.
     That put her aback. Mina had left with her parents when they were five. “Of course, why.”
    Before Mina could speak, Elida put her hand on Mina’s shoulder. Kyra walked towards Mina and rubbed her back to calm her.    
Elida started, “Mina’s mother and fath . . . wait, no, your aunt and uncle are,” she paused, “dead. They were murdered sa pamamagitan ng Nikki something or other. Now she has nowhere to go and I can’t take her in. so she has to go to her uncle for shelter.”
“My father?” Kyra stuttered for a second, “Mina, I’m not trying to keep you away from my family, but daddy's kind of a 16 year-old boy named Jonathan fanatic. You can still try though. I don’t see why he wouldn’t take you in, he only hates me and Kendra.”
“I’ll go there later.” Mina turned around and walked away slowly. Her hair blowing in the breeze, gray-blue eyes brimmed with tears. She had her long, slender arms crossed and her head down.
That’s when Tanor came into the picture, he stopped Mina and she turned back around. “What’s wrong Mina?” he asked with such tenderness that Kyra was glad she had him all to herself. Although she was jealous that her mga kaibigan could be seen with him and she couldn’t.
“Sorry to break this little group up but, I gotta get to sorcery soon or poppa will end my magic career for good. Trisha keeps putting her nose in places it shouldn’t be and it’s getting pretty old.” Elida interrupted.
“Yeah, I got to get to dance lessons if I want to be able to do lifts.” Marie added.
“See you later, guys.” Kyra waved.
“Goodbye your highness.” Marie curtsied with her elegant dress held out. Kyra felt a pang of jealousy, but only for a second. Tanor noticed.
He whispered into her ear, “Don't let it get to you. One araw you'll be in a madami elegant dress than that, with children that go to only the best and get only the best. I promise.” She looked up and furtively smiled.
“I’m gonna go with Marie. See ya peeps.”
“Peeps?” Kyra asked when Matt was too far away to hear.
“Yeah, he’s going to make up this completely new language one day. Or, so he says.”
“Language of the Matt clan. I don’t think so.” Phoenix sinabi sarcastically. “Not my idea of a good thing.”
Kyra laughed, “Me neither.”
“Listen guys. Not to break up the reunion or anything, but I'll be heading out now, okay? Bye.” Mina turned again and walked away, “Don’t call Kyle either, got it Tanor? I’ll do that in time.”
“I’m going with her. I don’t want to loose three relatives in one day. Because of something stupid.”
“I am too.” Tanor added
Kendra ran and grabbed Kyra’s hand then they started walking together. Tanor and Kyra both on opposite sides of Mina. Phoenix walked away.
Elida tagged along later. The moment she came, she explained why Mina couldn’t stay with her. “Father invited all of his mga kaibigan over for a buwan for a banquet being held in our families honor. It’s just for some stupid piece of paper saying ma and da have been married for twenty years. Anyway, all the rooms are jammed and sa pamamagitan ng the time they aren’t, you’ll be settled into Kyra’s place.”
“It’s okay Elida, really. She hasn’t met her other cousins yet. Aunt Maya and Uncle Mason took Mina away when we were both five. She hasn’t seen my two-face, two timing, brat-of-a-brother-Jonathan in forever. Besides, he was too young to know what hate was. If he did, that would’ve been his first word. He didn’t because momma didn’t allow that word in her house.”
“Is he really that bad?”
“I gave him a little too much credit about how good he is.”
“Wow. I guess I should be happy to be an only child. And here I was, wanting to have a sibling.” Elida wailed.
“I feel so sorry for you, Hun.” Mina told her sarcastically.
All Elida did was stick out her tonge and puff up her cheeks at both of them.
All three of the girls laughed until Mina cheered up a little and asked again, “ Is Jonathan really that bad?”
“Well, after momma died a few years back-“
“Aunt Kelly's gone?”
“I sent a letter saying she died from cancer. Daddy must have blocked off all communication with you.”
“At least you tried to tell me.”
    Tanor moved away from Mina’s side and walked towards Kyra to let Elida in where he used to be. He lifted his arm and Kyra snuggled right up to him.
“Kya?”
“Yes Kendra. What is it?”
“Is dat Pwince Tanow?”
Kyra laughed, “Yes, this is Prince Tanor.” She answered.
Kendra took that into consideration, “Den who's dis?” She pointed her chubby thumb at Mina.
“She is our cousin. The one I used to tell you about.” Kyra told her only ally in the family.
“Da one daddy sinabi tuktok tocking abowt?”
“Yes, the one daddy sinabi stop.” Kyra swung Kendra on her side while still walking with everyone else.
“This is Kendra?”
    “Yeah, this is Kendra. She turned three in February. Momma would've died sometime this buwan three years ago, almost exactly a buwan after Kendra was born. Do you want to hold her?”
    “Is it okay with her?” Kendra shyly nodded and held out her hands for Mina. Mina took Kendra from Kyra and put her on her own hip.
    “Mia?”
    “Yes?”
    “I wuv you.” Kendra wrapped her arms around Mina's neck, gave her a big hug and a fat halik on the cheek.
    “I pag-ibig you, too.” After that, Kendra laid her head on Mina's shoulder and fell asleep.
    “Mina, what was that about Kyle?” Although they hadn't seen each other for what seemed like an entire lifetime, they still understood each other like they'd never separated.
    “Kyle and I have been going out since I was 11.” Tanor grinned at Kyra and put an arm around her waist. Kyra leaned her head into Tanor and tilted it up. He bent down just a little bit and gently kissed her. “Tanor, I thought you were engaged.” She gave him a sly look.
    “Hey, I was in pag-ibig with Kyra before Heather ever came into my life. I don't even like Heather, I don't want to be mga kaibigan with her, yet I have to marry her.”
    “Geeze! Sorry Mr. Every Girl's Drooling Over You, I was just asking.” Mina leaned in towards Kyra and whispered, “I didn't even know that he knew you until now. Let alone were halik him. I just thought he was crazy loving Heather in her little kulay-rosas fru-fru skirt.”
    “ I wouldn't doubt it. I never told Tanor my life story, just about the family I live with. He never even heard of you, or so I thought. If I'd known that you practically lived in the castle, we could've seen each other madami than never.”
    Mina looked at Kyra, “Sorry I wasn't there for you when Aunt Kelly died.”
    “That's okay,” she soothed, “I had Tanor. Since my family was either broken up inside or had no clue what was happening, and Marie would've told me how lucky I was to still have papa and siblings.”     “That doesn't make it an excuse. You and Elida are both here for me and I didn't even know that Aunt Kelly passed through the gates of the after life.”
    “How did Aunt Maya and Uncle Mason die exactly?”
         New tears burned Mina's eyes, but there were only silent cries. “We were just horse racing,” she whispered sadly, “just horse racing. Momma and daddy were behind me and then a woman named Nikki walked in front of them. She had black magic and a husband named Donatello, she scared the horses.     
    “Momma and daddy tried to calm them down, but they were bucked off. Momma and papa were trampled sa pamamagitan ng our own horses. They tried to get up, to be strong for me, but they couldn't. It was almost like they were being possessed. All of them, the horses, ma, pa, everybody, and I had to watch in horror.
    “Nikki destroyed them!” Mina shouted with sudden hatred and rage. “She blew them up into a million pieces! Nikki killed them in front of me!” Mina threw herself on the ground, holding Kendra tightly with one arm, and wiped her tears away, willing herself not to cry anymore. Elida and Kyra each laid a hand on Mina's back. Kendra carefully woke up and slid out of Mina's arms, she then went back to sleep on the ground.
    “How exactly did Nikki scare the horses?”
    “I don't know, all I know is that her blood-red eyes turned black, like she was completely hollow inside, and the air got all cold and damp. Then, the horses got all spooked, like I told you.”     “Now I know who your talking about. When you talked about Donatello, I got lost. He wasn't in the legends that I heard.     “Nicole Kaloncra sold her soul to the devil in order to stay alive forever. He granted her to live, but for a price. She had to leave her family and mga kaibigan forever. She agreed, but the susunod day, Nicole went to her house for one last goodbye from her family. She didn't think he'd find out, but he did. He didn't take that very well and killed her entire family.     
    “After that, Nicole changed her name to Nikki and became heartless and merciless. She trained with black magic for over a hundred years to perfect it. Now she has even madami power and is here to take my father's throne. She sinabi she would, I just didn't believe her, neither did he.” Tanor explained.         
     Elida got up after a few minutes. “I have to get back to sorcery, I was only on break. Mina, Kyra, you want to come with?”
    “I'll go, it'll get the topic of you know who out of my head.” Mina shuddered and Kyra felt sorry for her. She did still have her pa, even if she did dislike him, he took care of her.     
    “I can go too, Kendra can fall asleep there I guess. Tanor, I can't make it to the forest tonight. Too many things to do. pag-ibig you.”     
    “Love you more.” They smiled and Tanor bent down to halik Kyra, her lips warm and soft. Then he turned and ran to the meadow. Elida, Mina, and Kyra headed towards the sorcery building and talked about the topic that was in all their heads: Nikki.

        “Tanor, your late! I can't believe I thought you'd be on time! I am now late to make the wedding plans because you don't know the concept of early!”
    “Me! If I wasn't late, I'd be waiting for three million hours! Patty probably had to wake you up, again! susunod thing I know, SHE'LL be screaming at me for you throwing something metal at her! Why do we need dates?!? It's bad enough I have to be married to you! Now, your making it so if I don't see you during the day, you sneak into my room!”
    “O c'mon! That was one time! Barely enough for you to throw it in my face.”
    “One too many! Besides the fact that it was annoying and you kept me up until midnight! For once I just want to be with Kyra and not worry about running into you!!!” Tanor paused knowing how foolish he had just been and hoping that Heather didn't notice.     “Kyra! Kyra! You mean to tell me that your still seeing Kyra? Even though were...” She trailed off, not knowing what to say.
    “No, I don't mean to tell you anything.”
    “Even though we're engaged!” She started again, still enraged to the point of insanity. “This ring means nothing?” Heather shoved her left hand in Tanor's face ipinapakita him the 4 karat diamond ring that he was forced to give her. “I can't believe it! I'm getting married to a cheater! She probably doesn't even know your engaged! The poor girl is being played! How could you?”     “You've got to be kidding me! Everybody knows I'm engaged. No matter if they already knew about it, you still told them, besides the fact that I've been with Kyra for six years you numb nut! Five years before I ever met you! She took a place in my puso I never knew existed. She knows were engaged! She knows I hate you! Most importantly, she knows that I'll never stop loving her!”
    “You were banned from seeing her two years ago!”     “I couldn't stand a month. She's the one person I truly care about other than my sisters! Stay engaged to me, I don't care. Just remember that you'll lead me to my death!”
    “So this is why you were late? You just had to see precious Kyra!” She spat the name out like it was yesterday's garbage.     “As a mater of fact my friend Mina-”
    “So your with Mina too?”     “No! Both of Mina's parents were destroyed sa pamamagitan ng Nikki! But with how small your brain is, you probably don't know who that is.”     “Nikki is only a legend!”
    Suddenly, someone tapped on Heathers shoulder. She turned around and saw a woman with blood red eyes ask, “I'm only a what?”

    “Kyra? Do you want to try?” Trisha, Elida's teacher asked.
    “I can't, I-I'm sorry.”
    “Come on. I'll ipakita you how.”
    “I'm not going to be able to do it. Besides, I don't have the money to pay for it.”
“It's fine, it'll be a freebie. Scouts honor.”
“Okay, I guess I can try.”
“Do you know any spells?”
    “Surprisingly, yes. But how could that be? I've never been near people doing spells before.”
    “Say it.” Trisha whispered.
     Kyra stood up and walked out to the middle of the large room. “ALAZASTAR!” She hollered loudly into the echoing building, the word booming through her as if it were alive. Her ears started ringing the third time she heard the word coming back to her.
    Trisha's eyes widened as Kyra yelled the word, “How? She never-” Meteors fell to the ground, hitting and destroying everything but Kyra. One nearly hit the other three.     “Um... uh... oh! Think! Think! Think! OMALOCKY!” The word felt as powerful as the first, she just hoped it was the right one. Meteors dissapeared and Kyra fell, exhausted.
    Hours later, Kyra woke up with water being poured on her face. “Mina, Mina. I'm okay, I'm fine. Stop!” She choked, gasping for breath. Trisha gave her a towel and Kyra placed her head in it. “Thank you. Where's Kendra?” She mumbled.     “I took her back tahanan for you.” Elida told her. “She wanted to go home, but you were knocked out cold.”     “Thank you. Did Mina go with you?”
    “No, I thought that I should stay with you. Besides, Elida wouldn't let me anyway.”     “Lovely,” Kyra sarcastically mumbled to herself, “now I still have to tell daddy about our new addition to our house alone.”
    “Hey, maby Kendra told him.”
    “I doubt it, she loves me too much to tell daddy that Mina's here. Besides, she doesn't know Mina enough to know that it's a big deal.”
    Trisha spoke like she saw a ghost, “Are you sure your not a Master Sorcerer? I can't get anything out of those spells and I've been doing this for twenty years. I put my all into it and. . . nothing.”
    “I'm positive. This is my first time hearing a spell other than a hunter's spells, let alone saying one. Besides, Masters don't pass out from only two difficult spells.”
    “But those were the only meteor spell and the counter curse. You don't just hear about those on the streets. Not even the royal family knows about those two. You have to earn the right to know them, not be born with the right. Tell no one about this, got it? Not your family, friends, or loves. No one.”
    “What about enemies?” Kyra asked sarcastically. Trisha only gave her a stern look. “Okay, okay, I got it.”
    “We do too, Trisha.” Elida and Mina said.
    “Elida, I'm leaving for a little while.” Trisha sinabi as she grabbed her things hurriedly, “Think of it as your vacation. I need to find a teacher for Kyra.”
    “Trisha, I can't come back! I don't have the money for you to be my teacher, let alone a personal one!”
    “I'll pay for the trainer, you'll be great for the kings army. We need you.” Trisha was close to falling on her knees and begging.
    “How can the king need me? He doesn't even like me.” Trisha's tuta eyes looked at Kyra and she gave up. “Fine, if you pay, I'll play.”
    “Perfect. Good-bye girls. I'll be back when I can.”
    “Good-bye Trisha.” the girls chorused as she ran out the door.