Keira's Fire

Chapter 1

I always knew I was a little different. I possessed no special powers. Nothing definitive marked me as being different, except maybe my red hair. I just wasn't like anyone else.

My grandmother would say that the spirits touched me when I was born and marked me as one of the special children. My mother said the angels watched over me, and my father just said I was lucky. I wasn't sure what I believed, but everyone seemed to agree on one thing that I couldn't argue with - I was stubborn.

That stubbornness paired with the need I felt to be independent and equal to, if not better than the boys is probably what constituted a large portion of my "luck". Or maybe it was in spite of those things. I'm really not sure. I just know, looking back, that I likely should have been killed a few times over. Or at least seriously injured. However, I managed to escape my childhood with a few broken limbs and plenty of scrapes and bruises.

According to my parents, there had been many memorable incidents, but the earliest I can recall was when I was six. I was extremely jealous of my older brothers Ian, Jeremy, and Stephen. They got to have fun while I was stuck with Cecily. Her entire goal in life was to be a proper lady, and she was determined to make me the same way. Convinced she could rid me of my unladylike tendencies, she would make me wear the frilliest, most revolting dresses and bonnets, forcing me to sit for hours on end while she curled my hair and treated me like her personal dress-up doll.

I hated it, and I would whine and carry on until she let me up. It infuriated me that all my mother would say was that I had to mind Cecily because she was older. Secretly, I think she hoped it would take and that I would start behaving like a lady.

It was not to be, however. I only wanted to tag along with the boys. They got to run and play, climb trees, and even fight. In fact, beginning at age eight, boys were trained to fight. I resented my brothers for that. All I had to look forward to was cooking, sewing, cleaning, and one day having babies. I was determined to prove myself to my brothers. Maybe then they would start including me. Even if I was just a girl.

It was a warm summer day and I was in the meadow behind our house with Cecily. She was sitting under her favorite tree, reading her precious romance novel and supposedly watching me.

I remember feeling particularly bitter towards her that day because she had forced me into the most nauseating purple dress and matching bonnet. If that wasn't bad enough, she had repeatedly slapped my hand for things I was doing that she didn't like. It didn't hurt much, even though I suspect she thought it did. It was simply the indignity of being hit and bossed around. Cecily wasn't exactly an adult. She was only eleven.

In any case, I really wanted to do something that would irritate my sister. I wanted to rebel against the stupid rules she set for me. And maybe in the process, gain some respect from my brothers.

Pretending to be enthralled with the flowers, I waited as Cecily became more and more absorbed in her book. Every few minutes I drifted closer to the designated tree, inching a little further out of her line of vision each time. When I felt sure that she could no longer see me, I ripped the bonnet from my head and threw it behind me as I ran full-speed toward my goal.

I reached the tree, breathing hard, partly from running and partly from adrenalin. Ridding myself of the foul bonnet had been exhilarating. How much better would it be to get to the top of the tree? I was never allowed to climb before.

Feeling giddy, I hiked up the dress and began my ascent. It was the best feeling in the world! And it went wonderfully. My worries that the unfamiliar task might be tricky faded quickly as I learned how natural and easy climbing was for me. Even while wearing the wretched dress. My plan was to reach the top and yell for everyone to come see. My brothers weren't too far off. They would hear, and they'd have to be impressed when they saw me. The thought of Cecily's reaction made me laugh out loud though. She would be completely horrified.