Mystical (Mystical #1) (Revising)

Prologue ☆

Eliza Rose stood in front of her house, her mind consumed by a dark and dangerous thought. "I'm going to kill my mother today," she whispered under her breath, her voice tinged with a mixture of anger and desperation.

The circular pair of glasses that her mother had bought her were a constant source of irritation. Eliza already endured enough teasing and bullying at school, and now the glasses made her life even worse.

The frames dug into the bridge of her nose, causing discomfort that intensified with each passing school day. She anticipated the inevitable headache that would come from straining her eyes to see things up close through the lenses.

As the warm sun beat down on her, the leather straps of her backpack heated up, scorching her shoulders. It was a sweltering day, marking the start of summer break. A gust of harsh wind blew her thick hair across her face, obscuring her vision.

Suddenly, a classmate barreled past her, shoving her roughly. He turned around, pointing at her face and laughing uproariously with his friends.

They all joined in, pointing and mocking her glasses. Eliza lowered her eyes, her gaze burning with anger as she glared back at them. In that moment, the thought of her mother's demise festered within her.

Taking a deep breath, Eliza bit her lip, forcing what she hoped was a convincing grin on her face. Her attention shifted as she noticed Miss Canary, her neighbor, tinkering with her plants. Lately, Eliza's mother had been spending a lot of time talking to her.

Miss Canary glanced up and waved at Eliza, a friendly gesture that momentarily distracted her from her dark thoughts. Behind Miss Canary's home lay a forest and a field where Eliza sometimes found solace.

Shaking off the encounter with her classmates, Eliza redirected her focus to the street lined with houses in their neighborhood. She tucked her hands into her pockets, waiting patiently for the crossing guard to stop traffic, allowing her to cross safely.

When she reached the front of her house, she hesitated at the bottom of the steps, letting out a weary sigh. But just as she reached out for the doorknob, the door creaked open.

"There you are," her mother said, relief evident in her voice as she took Eliza's backpack. "I was just about to meet you at the street. I'm sure you don't want to stand out in the heat all day. Come inside." A warm smile graced her mother's face.

Eliza's mother glanced across the street, her expression shifting from warmth to concern. Her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her lips tightened, revealing her worry. Curious, Eliza turned around to see that Miss Canary was watching them. The neighbor nodded subtly before bending down to attend to her garden.

Sensing her mother's unease, Eliza's mind churned with conflicting emotions. She and her mother entered the house, and her mother led her into the living room. Eliza's heart raced as she waited for her mother to speak, yearning for some form of connection, any kind of acknowledgement.

"What's up with you lately?" Eliza finally blurted out, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. Her gaze fell upon the concealed markings on her mother's arms. "And why do you keep trying to cover up your tattoos? I'm fourteen. I think people my age are aware of them."

Her mother walked over to the couch, seemingly brushing off Eliza's comments. "There are a few things I need to tell you," she began, her voice tinged with a mix of hesitation and determination. "And this seems like the right time to do so."

"Are you dying?" Eliza's mother shook her head, her eyes brimming with unspoken emotions. "Do you have cancer?" Again, she denied it, her movements small and hesitant. "Okay, then. I don't need to be down here with you." Eliza turned away, her steps heavy with frustration. "I have summer break homework to start."