With her father's memory failing and her mother gone, Soraya Thenayu enrolls in distant Darkwood Academy and immediately becomes enemies with the richest kid at school. Between hiding her father's gift of illegally harvested magic, befriending socia...
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"That's my dad's name and handwriting!" Soraya exclaimed in surprise.
"Shhhh!" the librarian hushed at the girl from below.
"Oh!"
Soraya peeked her head over the railing and looked down into the woman's stern, purple gaze. "Sorry," she whispered before turning towards Moiya, who looked puzzled and stood awkwardly on uneven footing.
"See? My Dad read this before. I think I should too," Soraya explained, lifting the book so her friend could see her father's signature within it. Even Yabo, who was still perched on top of Moiya's shoulder, leaned forward to look.
"I know you're taking Casmerahn..." Moiya placed her hands on her hips. "But, won't that be a bit too difficult for you to interpret by yourself? Even with your textbook, I doubt it'll cover all the vocabulary you'll need."
"You're right, I'll check out an Azakuin to Casmerahn dictionary too."
"Yes, that's a good idea, but..." Moiya paused and stared into Soraya's sky blue eyes with her emerald gems. "I really think you should ask Ujuu and Rhys for help. That's a lot of work for you to do by yourself, and it could take ages without someone who's fluent in Casmerahn."
Soraya paused and held Moiya's gaze. Her friend was right. She did need help.
"Okay, I will," Soraya promised. "You're really great."
Moiya blushed at her friend's compliment. "You are too," she grinned while glancing down at the checkered tile floor.
"Speaking of help, could you show me where the phones are?" A bundle of nervousness and excitement built up inside of Soraya, like a closed, shaken carbonated drink ready to explode. "I can't wait to write a letter to Papa about Zinvi, I have to call and ask him about this. It's important."
"Absolutely, I'll also call my folks while we're there. I haven't contacted them in two days since I've been studying for upcoming tests, so I really should check in."
The girls descended the spiral staircase and headed back towards the front desk. They noticed other students pouring into the library.
"Do you have an Azakuin to Casmerahn dictionary?" Soraya asked the librarian, her voice filled to the brim with passion, as she held up Altera No Mundus Ex No Amicusi.
"Yes, I'll fetch that for you," The elderly woman's stern face softened at the girl's determination to translate the novel. "Go ahead and fill in your name on the cover of that book. I'll be right back."
Papa, who is Amraphael Zinvi? Soraya added her name below her father's within the cover. I hope the author's name will jog his memory somehow...
The girl sighed while comparing her handwriting to Tishva's. His was so neat and proper looking, while hers looked cartoonish and exaggerated. As good of an artist as she was for being thirteen years old, Soraya couldn't figure out how to draw her letters as nicely as her father did.
