Shades of Starlight (Hiatus)

Prologue

Set in the world of Shannon Messenger's Keeper of the Lost Cities

Prologue

My name is Cassia Sencen. Yes, Sencen, like the infamous Keefe Sencen. He's my older brother, but only by a year. I act like the older child, anyway. Keefe's a troublemaker, a delinquent, a ditcher. He doesn't take anything seriously. He defies Mom and Father in public. He gets detention almost every day. He disrespects the Foxfire Mentors. His detention report is longer than the lines for trendy clothing stores in Atlantis.

He's my idol.

My mother has raised me to be just like her, and I love her. I love being noble and mature like her. Tall, imposing, beautiful, extraordinary. She's given me so much advice over the years, warning me away from Keefe's path of ridiculousness. She and I are pretty much the same person.

Of course, I also look exactly like her, don't I? Put us next to each other, and you'd think we were twins... but of course no one would dare to say that. Twins are so heavily prejudiced against in the Elvin world. 

She and I have the same long, wavy pale blond hair. Mom does my hair every morning, carefully braiding and weaving it into intricate updos like hers as she discusses current events, noble families, and people to watch out for with me. I've learned so much useful information from these daily chats. Keefe and my father have golden hair. 

We have the same icy blue eyes. Biana Vacker once described mine as "sharp enough to cut through anyone". Keefe's eyes are kinder than mine and hers, and his are bright and sparkly instead of stone cold. 

Mom and I even dress mostly the same, as she insists on picking most of my clothes. I do love her sense of style. She wants to make sure other people know I am as regal and noble as she is. Keefe is so... so messy yet somehow so fashionable with the way he has his clothes and hair. Even so, Mom would drop dead if she was seen wearing the same thing as him.

Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, and I know she loves me. She just wants a child that doesn't spend the day ditching class and making trouble. Like my brother. I'd never dream of doing the kinds of things he does, for fear of making her angry-or worse, disappointed. 

It's not like Keefe and I are total opposites, though. Sure, my official room of accomplishments, created when I got into Foxfire, is overflowing with trophies and perfect report cards. And his room only has a pile of detention slips. But when it's just him and I, or just us and our friends, I'm a totally different person.

When Mom can't reach us, Keefe and I are just like siblings are supposed to be. We play elaborate pranks on our friends. We invent jokes and poke fun at others good-naturedly, making people laugh. We play base quest and tackle bramble with our friends. And, of course, we spend all of our time with the Vacker family.

Fitz and Biana Vacker, Keefe, and I are always together when school is over for the day, playing games and exploring the Vacker's estate grounds. I know that Keefe idolizes Alvar Vacker, their older brother, and daydreams about being a part of their family. He hates Mom and Father, for reasons I can sometimes understand. I don't hold the same hostility towards them, mostly because Mother is usually kind to me.

As for Father, he's always been strangely distant and pays much more attention to Keefe. I know that it's negative attention and I wouldn't want it, but it can be difficult to be just a quiet, obedient little girl around him. 

It's strange because I am named after my father, something he insisted on. Cassius, Cassia. It's funny that I have my mother's face and my father's name. And that the person I'm named after wants nothing to do with me. 

I don't really like the name Cassia, it's never really fit me. Everyone except Mom and Father calls me Cass for short. They would never call me by a nickname. Can you imagine? They're about the most formal people in the Lost Cities. Plus, Cass sounds vaguely human. An elf wouldn't be called Cass if it wasn't a nickname. And of course, my parents refuse to call me a human name.

Human names... like the name of the newest addition to my school. We've never had someone join in the middle of the school year before, but Sophie Foster seems to be special. She's human, or, she grew up with humans, I guess. Keefe seems to be really interested in her. He asked me if he should prank her or talk to her first. Yes, he's that stupid. Boys... I don't bother with them, myself. Keefe's really all I can handle in that department. 

At least I've got him...

Cover: Lady Gisela Sencen