When the Ravens Sing

Chapter 1

"November! Are you even listening to me?" Aunt Marla asked. "You do realize how important this ceremony is, right? This isn't only about you, it's about all of us. The entire coven is coming," she paused laying her palms on the table." We haven't performed an ascension ritual in over a century. Nova please, I'm begging you to take this seriously."

November sighed. Of course, she knew how important the ritual was. The ascension was all anyone could talk about; in truth, it was all anyone has talked about since her twelfth birthday, when she came into her gifts. Her twelfth birthday was almost 10 years ago. That was the day they learned Nova could control not just one or two of the elements, but all four. Nova could have laughed. If only they knew how much time she'd spent studying the ritual, practicing the incantations and footwork. If only her family knew how much ascending frightened her; how this responsibility, this burden, had haunted her.

She already knew what her grandmother would say.'There is no greater honor than to lead. This is your destiny, it's what you were born to do. Now go grab me a cigarette.' well, something along those lines at least.

"Don't worry, Aunt Marla, I'm ready," she said, glancing up with a small smirk. "There's nothing to worry about. Rose has bullied me into submission as is. Everything should go without a hitch-"

A low groan interrupted Nova, followed by a sharp smack as the kitchen door swung against the wall.

"I heard my name. Please tell me you're not talking shit about me to my mother at eight o'clock in the morning," Rosanna whined, "You know I'm defenseless without coffee."

Rose sauntered towards one of three paint-chipped cabinets, throwing it open with little care. Nova cringed hearing the ceramic cups collide together. Rose looked as if she had tumbled out of bed mere moments ago, dressed in only an oversized wrinkled gray shirt and a pair of men's boxer briefs. Her unruly dark curls lay tangled together in what resembled a snake nest on the nape of her neck.

While Nova watched, she couldn't help but admire her cousin's dark complexion. Rosa's cool brown skin tone had always appeared blemish-free and soft, whereas Nova's skin hosted a stubborn pimple or two. Rose stayed the genuine beauty out of the two of them, with her defined cheekbones and plump lips. Her eyes were a warm honey brown framed by thick dark lashes which could melt anyone's heart if they looked long enough. Nova always wondered how anyone could roll out of bed and look so good with minimal effort. Maybe it was magic.

Compared to the dark beauty who prevailed as her cousin, you could say Nova was the polar opposite. With her straw-colored, pin-straight hair and her pale complexion, she knew she looked rather average next to her cousin. She had decent cheekbones and a delicate straight nose, but her best feature remained her eyes. They were the color of the sky, vast and ever-changing, with her fluctuating mood. As a child, her eyelashes were so white they appeared almost translucent, but over time they darkened into the pale brown that allowed the radiant storm in her irises to shine.

Their Grandmother had always said they reminded her of the moon and the night sky when they stood together, which was often. Not that either of them minded. They were closer than sisters and the best of friends, even if they were as different as two people could be.

"Come on, Rose. You know I would never talk about you behind your back. I prefer to do it to your face." Nova grinned, moving from the kitchen table to grab a mug from the same cupboard Rose had been rustling around in.

"Ah yes, I forgot you had a sliver of honor," Rose retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Oh shut up," Nova elbowed her." I know you love me."