The Stones of Time

Chapter One Leo

The wooden floors shuttered from my younger sister's voice below. "Leo! Come down, you've got a mail scroll!"

"Who's it from?" I slid a bookmark in between the parchment and set it onto my desk.

"The Council!"

I abruptly stood up, "why in Kristella would I get sent a mail scroll from the Council?"

"I don't know! It says here that it's from the Academy. Just get down here!"

"The Academy?!?"

"That's what I just said!" Elena responded but I was too busy running downstairs to acknowledge the snark in her voice. I didn't stop thudding down the oaken steps until I skidded to a stop in front of a brown-haired annoyance.

"You know mom and dad will want to see you open it." She reminded me as I snatched the scroll out of her hands.

"Mom! Dad! My acceptance letter arrived today!" I impatiently shouted with glee. I've waited far too long for this moment for it to be postponed.

"Really, Honey?" My mom popped her head out from one of the shelves. "Oliver! Are you coming?"

"Right here, Emily," my dad said, padding down the steps in his socks instead of his usual work boots. "Come on, Leo, let's see if you got accepted."

My eyes darted down the long scroll excitedly until they rested upon the words, Congratulations, Leo Cyprus, you've been accepted to the Grand Academy of Magic!

"I've been accepted! I got in!"

My mom crushed me into a hug as I tried to wiggle out of her grasp.

"I know the perfect place to put your acceptance letter! It can go right by the counter, so everyone who comes here will know that our son is at the Grand Academy of Magic."

"Moomm." I groaned. "It isn't that big of a deal."

"Yes it is, dummy." Elena snatched my scroll from me and gave it to my mom.

"Hey!"

"Here. Now, when I go to the Academy, you can hang MY acceptance scroll next to Leo's." Mom stretched out the scroll and looked at it.

"Leo, the scrolls says we need to get some parchment booklets and books. We'll drop by the bookstore today, and after that, we'll make a special going away dinner for you."

"Okay, and I can help you make dinner, if you want."

"Sure, honey. Let's go to the bookstore now so we have enough time to make dinner." Mom said as she grabbed a pouch of silvers.

-

"Does the city look emptier than it usually does?" The once crowded merchant sector was now desolate, with not even a footfall other than mine and my mother's to fill the empty void. Carved oaken shutters were shut and locked, heeding a warning to those who may dare to walk upon the cobblestone.

A frown perched upon my mom's lips, "it does seem odd now that you mention it. There should be some type of explanation. But that's not why we're here. We'll see someone by the time we get to Bumkinn's Bookstore."

Yet I gave a nervous glance to a raven perched on a mossy rooftop, it's empty obsidian eyes staring us down as we rounded a corner.

A breeze blew past, giving hints of autumn coming. A glint of silver fabric disappeared into an ally, fluttering in and out of view.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?" A quizzical look dawned on her face. Almost no one wore silver, gold or jewels. It was a working-class city, those fashions were saved for the noble cities.