Prologue: Spirited Away

The tunnel was dark and smelled horribly of mud and decay, the air tasted wet and dank. There was also salt in the air. She must be close to the sea. A man she did not notice ran past her, nearly knocking her down. She gasped. It was her father, younger and bulkier than she remembered. His face had been scrunched in panic. He continued running into the darker portions of the tunnel, and she chased after him.

"Father! Wait!" she called after him but his pace only quickened. In the back of her mind, she knew the tunnels would open to something horrible, but the feeling of never reaching the end scared her as much as finding out what would be there. She continued to chase after her father though her instincts roared at her to stop. She yelled after him again, pushing her legs faster and faster. Her breathing became hard, and an unfamiliar fear in her belly grew with each push of her legs, bringing her forward to what she instinctively knew was horror on the other end.

Finally, she caught up and grabbed her father by the shoulder. He was moving with so much force she fell behind him, but he stopped, turning around. His eyes widened when he saw her getting back up from her fall. "Lucy," he rasped. "What are you doing here?"

She realized then her panic wasn't her own. The instincts telling her to stop, to fear, and the urge to keep moving did not belong to her. It was her father's.

Lucy became aware she was dreaming. "This is just a dream," she said, mostly to herself.

"You need to hide," her father hissed in a whisper. He picked her up and began running the way they came. Lucy yelled at him to let her down and talk to her. Her father hadn't picked her up since her mom died. This was awkward and his panic was beginning to turn this weird dream into a nightmare. He ignored her pleas. A door suddenly appeared, which he opened while not letting go of her.

It was to their estate, the gardens by his office where she often played as a child. Her toys were scattered throughout.

Her lungs froze over. A heavy sinking began to coil its way from her throat to her stomach. Her toys were covered in blood, the garden was in ruins. Her father had been screaming, tightening his grip on her body. She was truly panicking now and it was mixing with his own. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe–

It was the middle of the night. Lucy woke up startled, gasping for breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth, she guided her breathing, willing her heart to calm down. She wrapped herself in her arms. It was just a dream, a dream . . .

She had been plagued by strange dreams recently but this one won the prize for the scariest. She could still feel the terror she felt through her father . . . She had no words. She looked over at her alarm. She only had an hour left before she needed to get up. She was tired and groggy and wanted to go back to sleep but she was still too wound up. She could catch up on her sleep on the long ride ahead. She made up her mind and with a groan got started with her day. This would be her last day at home for months.

Lucy shared a tearful goodbye with her closest staff. If it wasn't for them, she didn't know where she'd be. She'd run away once before so that was answer enough, she guessed. Her father wasn't at home to see her off. He was away on a business trip. Exactly what she expected though.

The new driver–she didn't know his name yet–finished loading the car and opened the backdoor passenger door for her. He was quiet, which she appreciated greatly at this moment. She gave one last hug to Mrs. Spetto and Bero before getting into the car. The driver shut her door and then moved to his side. The car shifted into drive and her new life was ready in motion.

She would carve a new path for herself, to live for herself. Her plan was simple: Postpone her wedding to Junelle until she graduated, check. Get her degree in finance, underway. Graduate, get a job, and break off her engagement once she wasn't dependent on her dad's money. She just needed to play nice for the next four years then she would be free. Ten minutes later, they were past the gates. She couldn't help the small tinge of sadness that crept up her throat. Regardless of all the possibilities in front of her, it was difficult to say goodbye to the only home she'd known. She laid her head back. Her emotions had been running so high the last few days, and she was mentally exhausted.

"They love you very much, Miss." A smooth voice broke her train of thought. "I haven't been over many times, but it's obvious to anyone with eyes." The driver.

"Yes, I'm very fortunate," Lucy responded politely; this was the first time she'd heard him speak. "What's your name? We haven't been introduced."

He laughed. "I guess you don't remember me. I used to work for Layla directly." Lucy stiffened. "My name is Capricorn."

"You knew my mother?" That would explain what he meant earlier.

"Yes, she was a wonderful woman and leader. We miss her greatly. She was a kind being, full of compassion and generosity. And powerful."

A shiver skittered along Lucy's skin. The conversation was turning weird, but she wanted to know how this guy knew her mother. She waited for him to continue, and just as the silence began to grow awkward, he spoke again.

"Did Layla ever tell you about magick?"

Okay, the conversation was officially in left field. Lucy laughed awkwardly. "I mean as a kid sure, but everyone knows it's just illusion and sleight of hand." Please don't turn out to be some creep trying to kidnap me for ransom. "How do you know my mother?" she asked, hoping it sounded polite and not impatient.

"I worked for her before she married your father. I don't mean human magic. I'm referring to the real magick. Fae magick."

Yep, definitely a weirdo. "Capricorn, can you give me more details on my mo– What are you doing?!" Lucy squeaked, trying to hold herself steady as the car jerked. The weirdo had swerved off and taken an exit ramp they were passing. She didn't pay much attention when being driven around but she knew it was too early to stop. "Where are you taking me?!" She yelled again. He ignored the question and parked off the side of the road. Lucy was afraid now. She never feared being kidnapped for ransom; it wasn't like she was publicly known as an heiress but this man was acting strange and now he was making a stop she didn't request. "What's going on?!" she asked again, she meant to sound stern but the fear leaked through her voice.

"We need to have a serious conversation," he said simply and stepped out of the car. She was trying to decide if she should run or not, as he opened her passenger door. "I can stay out here to help you feel more at ease."

"Too late," she snapped. "My father will hear about this."

He made a motion with his hands and she felt her in gut that he did something though she had no clue what.

"Now that the shield is up, I'm going to tell you the truth of who you are, and who I am." He was definitely a weirdo. Lucy was scooting to the other door as he spoke. He made another motion and like heat waves bending the air around them, his face began to blur. Quicker than she could open the car door behind her, he was gone, and in his place was a goat–A GOAT–wearing his shades and clothes.

Lucy screamed.

"Well, that's not the reaction I expected."

She screamed again. She had to be asleep. This had to be a dream.

"You're awake, and this is not a dream."

"Then how are you reading my mind?!"

"You're shouting at me, Miss Lucy. Please take a deep breath and I will explain everything to you now," he spoke calmly. She noted he also didn't make any moves toward her; he stayed outside the car like he promised.

This was a strange dream, but all her dreams recently had been strange so what was new? She decided to do as the goat man said and take deep breaths. She would wake up eventually, no need to panic until she did. Even though she was looking at a goat man wearing a suit and shades, the deep breaths did help calm her. She looked at him, her eyes willing him to explain himself.

He knelt on one knee so he was at eye level with her. "A long time ago, your mother and father decided to live here in the human world. Soon after, Layla gave birth to a baby girl. The family lived in peace for a few years until Layla's death," he cleared his throat and swallowed. He took a deep breath and continued, "Fae children don't display magick until they're well into puberty, usually between 16 and 18 years of age. Recently, we've been picking up on an unknown magic energy from your home, but it would disappear as quickly as it came. We didn't know what it was and as Layla's friend, it was my duty to ensure your safety. It was a wonderful surprise to realize it was you we detected."

"How is that possible? I don't know any magic," Lucy interrupted. She couldn't wrap her head around this. A man turned into a goat, her mother, magic?

Capricorn continued, " You were channeling magick in your sleep. You don't realize it but you can and do have access to your magick. I knew you needed to come home–to your rightful home–but I needed to clear some red tape first, and to ensure I didn't trigger any of the wards placed in the home. So after gathering more information, I got the approval to bring you home but I could only do so once we left the estate. I knew you were leaving for college so I worked some magick to have everyone believe I was a newly hired driver to speak with you. I would've talked to you sooner but the wards prevented me from doing so. I'll explain wards later, I promise. Right now, you need to make a choice. In our world, Earthland, young Fae adults also go to college but it's not just to learn a career field. It's also to learn control over their magick. You will need to choose if you want to live in Earthland, or continue to live here," he finished. He looked at her expectantly.

She was dreaming. Dreams were messages from your subconscious after all, though she questioned why her subconscious brought this up, it wasn't a secret to herself she wanted to leave. She felt herself shaking her head.

"I know it's hard to believe but I swear on my own life, it is truth."

"I'm dreaming, things like this just don't happen."

"Then let me take you to our home. You can see then if you're dreaming or not, and if you want to stay. If you don't, I'll bring you back. You have my word." He placed his hand over his chest and bowed his head.

Lucy mulled over it. She had her phone and she could run. He didn't seem to have any weapons. She scowled–why would she need to run or have her phone when this was just a dream?

"Fine, but the minute I see something I don't like I'm calling the police," she warned him.

He smiled and held out his hand. "Hold on tight."

"What? Don't you need to drive?"

"No need, just hold my hand."

Lucy hesitantly reached out to his outstretched hand. He grasped hers tightly and before she could pull away, her world was thrown into chaos.

Lucy shut her eyes. Wind ripped and roared around them. The feeling of falling squeezed her stomach and tossed her heart into her throat. She was going to be sick.

Then it stopped, and a polished wooden floor replaced her field of vision. Before she could run anywhere, much less a bathroom in an unknown place, Lucy's breakfast made its way back up. Capricorn kept her steady however, his other hand holding her hair away from her face. When she was done, he snapped his fingers and the mess on the floor was winked out of sight.

Dream, dream, dream, this is a dream. She looked around, noticing that they were now in a foyer before a hallway with a staircase. There were two open entrances between the staircase and foyer. The entrance on the right which she was closest to led to a cozy living room. An unlit fireplace was at the center of the back wall. A flatscreen hung about the mantel. There were multiple long windows lining the wall on the right. The curtains were pulled open and she could see other homes across an unknown street, their windows lit with soft light. She leaned against the wall in the entryway. That felt too real. This all felt too real. She was… She was going to be sick again. She leaned forward and she heaved everything she had left.

God was she embarrassed. Capricorn snapped his fingers again and her vomit on his floor disappeared again. She thanked him, feeling overwhelmed and tired. He led her to a guest room with an attached bathroom and left her to own devices. Lucy found her luggage by the bed, without a clue on how it got there. She decided to take a bath. That would help her think.

Lucy's mind spun with all that had happened. Her day had barely started and her world was turned upside down. Fae, magick, it was real. Capricorn was a goat man. Her luggage was magickally in the guestroom. They teleported here. Her mother . . . Her mother wasn't human. Lucy wasn't fully human. She hugged her knees to her chest. She missed her mother more than ever.

Lucy woke up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room. The bed was so comfortable she initially struggled to wake. She slowly looked around the room. The walls were covered in a cream wallpaper with small gold and sage vines in a vertical pattern. To her left, morning light streamed in through two tall narrow windows, sheer olive-colored curtains covered them. A mahogany wardrobe was centered between the windows. She could see the tops of her baby blue suitcases over the foot of the bed.

Immediately, her memory came back to her in a rush. This was real. Entirely real. She took a deep breath. She had questions that needed answers. She made her way to the bathroom. She chose to keep it simple, her hair in pigtails, a t-shirt, and a denim skirt. She exited the room and walked towards the staircase, a wonderful smell hit her nose of butter, bread, and fruit. She called to Capricorn on her way downstairs.

"In the kitchen, it's next to the dining room," he called out in response. The dining room was opposite the living room she had seen the night before. The dining room also had three tall narrow windows facing the street outside. A light wooden table was the centerpiece of the room. The walls were a soft cream, that contrasted nicely with the dark wood paneling of the bottom half of the walls. A plant hung in each corner, their vines seemed to creep across the upper half of the walls. She realized they were real, and small clips held the vines to the wall. The windows were open here too. She walked into the kitchen to see Capricorn whisking away at the contents of a small pot. A large kitchen island, the same light wood as the dining table lay in the middle. A spread of breakfast lay on it. Eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, crepes. Her stomach rumbled. The kitchen also embodied the cream, sages, and wooden aesthetic he had throughout the rest of his home. It reminded her of a cottage. It made sense that a goat was the woodsy type, yet she was surprised by how soft the decor was. It made her feel at ease.

"How'd you sleep?" Capricorn asked without looking away from the pot.

"Out like a light. Yesterday's shock really took a toll on me," she tried to sound normal, but she couldn't entirely mask her awkwardness.

"Understandable, it's not every day someone finds out they're not human. I'm sure you have many questions." She nodded though he couldn't see her. "Which is why we'll discuss the situation over breakfast with friends."

"F-friends? I'm not dressed for company right now."

"Yes, dear friends of mine, and Layla's. Don't fret over your clothes. It's completely casual. I thought it best we were all together to answer your questions for clarity and honesty." He turned the stove off.

Lucy wasn't sure what to say to that, so she opted to offer help with breakfast instead. Capricorn accepted and soon she was setting up the table for four. He mentioned they were eating family style. Lucy was placing the water and juice carafes on the table when she heard a knock on the door. Her breath hitched.

"I'll get it," Capricorn said from behind her. She jumped. "My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you. Please have a seat and dig in." He placed the french press he was holding next to the juice and walked to the foyer.

Lucy sat but didn't go for the food. She was too nervous to be handling fine china right now. She heard a feminine voice greet Capricorn and another knock, a man could be heard speaking next. Capricorn entered the dining room followed by a white woman with long blue hair swept back from her face. She wore a plain black maxi dress with spaghetti straps. A tattoo spread across her chest beneath her collarbone. It appeared like a small M in the center with the outside lines stretched out and curled towards her shoulders. She wore gold bangles on both wrists and gold earrings hung from her ears. Behind her was Capricorn and a lean, tall black man. His red hair was braided back in neat cornrows. He wore a baby blue polo with black cargo shorts. They both seemed shocked when they saw her, though they tried their best to act casual as they sat down across from her and Capricorn sat next to her.

"Lucy, this is Aquarius," Capricorn gestured to the woman. "And Cancer," his hand extended to the man.

"N-nice to meet you both," Lucy croaked. She kept her hands on her lap, unsure what the proper tableside manner was in this world. Or for a casual breakfast where she interrogated three adult strangers.

Cancer spoke first. "You look exactly like Layla. Sorry for the staring, but you are her twin. It's remarkable."

Aquarius said nothing. She sat stiffly in her seat, staring at Lucy as if she were a ghost. Lucy guessed that wasn't far from the truth; they knew her mother long before she was born.

Capricorn picked up the carafe containing water and filled Lucy's glass then his own. Cancer piled his plate with eggs, fruit, and bread. Lucy watched him spread the butter and jam on his toast before gleefully digging in. She decided to start with the crepes. Capricorn had been making the berry compote for the crepes when she walked into the kitchen earlier. The warm berry sauce paired perfectly with cool cream in the crepes. She tried not to close her eyes when she took her first bite. Capricorn was an unbelievable cook.

Aquarius reached for the coffee as she broke her silence. "What has Capricorn told you so far?"

Lucy stopped mid-chew. She wasn't sure how to answer that. A lot? Barely anything? Both felt true but not accurate.

Capricorn answered for her. "Just that Layla and Jude chose to live in the human world, and she has magick."

"So nothing," Aquarius quipped. She took a sip of her coffee before she spoke again. "Did Layla tell you anything about us? Jude?"

Lucy shook her head. "Nothing. I'm sorry," she apologized. Aquarius scowled.

Cancer spoke then. "Probably Jude's call. He was always overprotective."

"More like controlling," Lucy heard herself mutter. They all turned to look at her. No one spoke but the looks each of them gave her said enough. Explain. "I always had a strict schedule to follow. Home-schooled my entire life. We used to vacation regularly as a family but after Mom died, he just left me at home. My only friends were the elderly staff that raised me. He didn't even remember my birthday." Lucy's voice broke on the last word. She'd forgotten how nice and attentive her father was before her mom's passing. Her eyes welled up but she pushed on. "After she passed, my days became full of classes. Advanced math, literature, and science, but also etiquette, formal dancing, and music. I can play the harp and piano. I didn't hate the classes so much, it was more of his expectations. I would be called into his office to get a reprimand if he thought I was underperforming. I never saw him outside of those moments. When he needed to give me a command or tell me he expected better of me. He never complimented me on being good. That was what I was supposed to do," she rolled her eyes at the last part. "Yesterday, I was leaving for college and he didn't even bother to be home to send me off. He was in a different country on business."

"He always was an ass," Aquarius said simply, disgust on her face. Lucy smiled a little at that. She wasn't all bad, she guessed.

"So at no point did your father or Layla display any magick in front of you? They just let you believe you were human this whole time?" Cancer asked.

"No, they never mentioned it. I thought I was dreaming when Capricorn spoke of it," she answered truthfully.

Capricorn sighed. "There were wards around the estate, however, they were old, and the magick felt warped. Probably a side effect of that world, but I don't know enough to say for sure."

Cancer nodded. Aquarius grew quiet again and she sipped her coffee contemplating.

Lucy drank from her glass of water. She felt more relaxed now and she was grateful for Capricorn. He was right to have this conversation over breakfast. Any awkward or heavy silence would be masked with them focusing on their plates. The casualness and the privacy of his home allowed her to ask questions openly and the conversation wasn't suited for a public space.

"So what does being fae mean for me? What happens after this? Will my father find out I'm here? Can he find out?" The questions tumbled out like a dam bursting. She couldn't help it.

Aquarius answered first. "It is unique to each person but it's probably what being human meant to you but different physiology. We'll have to discuss your education in greater detail later, but here's the rundown. What you see here is a human-like form we are all born with. We call it our common form. Deep down, however, in each of us lies our primordial form–"

"The what?"

"Do not interrupt me," Aquarius said quickly, her tone no-nonsense. Lucy nodded, and pressed her lips together. "Primordial form–just like our common form, we all have one. It's many things, but the simplest way to put it is it's who we are at our barest. It's our connection to magick. That's why we can't access magick until our form starts to emerge. Call it a second puberty, if you will."

Lucy didn't like the sound of second puberty. First puberty was hard enough.

Capricorn spoke next. "What's next is your choice. If you choose to live here, you'll be enrolled in a magick academy. You'll learn how to wield it and control your power. It's especially volatile for some of us when it first emerges. You'll also learn mandatory subjects like history, but others are electoral such as languages or advanced maths. It is required to live on campus during your first year to ensure the safety of the citizens in the surrounding city, but after you can live off campus if you please. I would it's similar to the universities in the human world. If you choose to return, I'll drop you off at the college you were going to attend, however, you will feel the strain of your power and primordial form trying to find an outlet. Our magick doesn't flow the same in your world, and the magick itself starts to change, even corrode, over long periods of time in the human world. Unfortunately, we don't know much more. It's rare for any of us to venture out there so we don't exactly have any case studies. "

What did that mean for her mom and father? Did their magick corrode from being in the human world for decades? Had it disappeared? That would explain why they never spoke of it. She noticed they fell quiet after Capricorn's words, allowing her to process the information on her own time. She was thankful for the small gesture. Tentatively she asked, "If I choose to stay here, how will I support myself? My finances depend entirely on my father."

"Your mother left a nest egg with you as the sole beneficiary. It's enough to pay for your schooling. You'll also get a monthly stipend to take care of anything you need. And for your earlier question, Jude will know as much as you wish him to. We don't know how his magick has been affected after spending so much time in the human world so we can't be certain if he'll follow you here or not. That doesn't matter though, by our laws, you're an adult with complete agency over yourself."

Lucy's shoulders sagged with relief. She was free. No need to keep quiet until she graduated. No need to call off her engagement. She was simply free. And she wasn't going to tell him. Let him think she'd run off again and keep looking for her in their world. She'd runway before at sixteen. Her father didn't even notice until three months later. She knew the staff had told him the minute they realized, but he didn't start looking for her until it affected his business, when he struck up the deal with Junelle's parents to have them marry. She took a shaky breath.

"Anything else on your mind?" Cancer asked.

Lucy laughed. "Too much. I have so many questions about this place, but I can only feel relief right now. I wanted freedom for so long. I thought I would have to wait for four years to become financially independent but here it is, along with finding out I'm not even human and neither are my parents and there's another world out there"–a sob built up in Lucy's throat and she couldn't stop her tears from fully coming now–"I just wish my mom was here." She took the handkerchief Capricorn offered her. She did her best to speak clearly. "I would like to stay here. I'm not sure what I need to do but I don't want to go back."

"You don't need to ask. You already have us at your disposal," Cancer answered softly.

Lucy looked between Capricorn and Aquarius, who both nodded in confirmation with a soft smile. They didn't even know her. Yes, they knew her mother, but they didn't have to go this far, not for her. The kindness had Lucy's eyes watering again. It had been years since she had anyone's support. Nothing against Mrs. Spetto, there was only so much she could do being in her father's employ after all, and Lucy had no one else before today. "Thank you so much," she managed through her tears.

Eventually, it was time for Aquarius and Cancer to leave. She hugged them both goodbye. She helped Capricorn clean up before going back upstairs to take a nap. She was emotionally exhausted, but it felt cathartic.

Lucy would start her life today.

A/N: This will be multi-chapter so if you liked the prologue, hit that follow button to stay tuned. TY (: