Prologue
Priscilla Evans knelt in the garden, sunlight pouring over her golden hair. The earth beneath her hands buzzed with energy, alive and eager to be tended. She worked her fingers into the soil, coaxing out stubborn weeds. Their green stems poked defiantly through the dirt, reminding her of how Lily always compared her eyes to the color of ivy vines.
Leaning back on her heels, Priscilla surveyed her work. The nearby flowers seemed to sway with delight, their petals fluttering as if in celebration of the newly cleared soil.
“Prissy! Mum says come in for tea!” Lily’s voice chimed from the kitchen window. Her fiery red hair glowed in the sunlight, her grin as radiant as ever.
Priscilla scoffed softly at the nickname, brushing dirt from her skirt as she stood. Lily was loud, cheerful, and utterly magnetic—so much so that it seemed absurd every boy in the world wasn’t in love with her. Priscilla often felt overshadowed by her sister’s brilliance, her own quiet, cautious nature paled in comparison. Yet, where Lily was vibrant and effervescent, Priscilla was steadfast and sharp, a quieter kind of strength that often went unnoticed.
Inside, the kitchen wrapped her in warmth, the rich aroma of stew filling the air. Lily sat beside their mother, chatting animatedly, her words tumbling over one another in a relentless stream.
At the table, Petunia sat with a scowl, arms crossed tightly in irritation. “Honestly, can you two go one moment without making a mess?” she snapped, her eyes narrowing at the trail of dirt leading into the house.
“It’s just a bit of dirt,” Lily said breezily, reaching for a roll from the basket on the table. “If anything, you should be yelling at Priscilla—look at her! She’s covered in it!” She giggled, the teasing laced with affection.
Priscilla shot her sister a playful glare but stayed quiet. Petunia’s sharp remarks were nothing new. Lately, it felt as if the years they’d spent as close-knit siblings had vanished, replaced by a constant edge of hostility.
That evening, the thin curtains in the twins’ bedroom fluttered as a cool breeze slipped through the open window. The air hummed with the same energy Priscilla had felt in the garden, an irresistible pull she could never quite explain.
Huddled beneath their blankets, Priscilla and Lily whispered and giggled, their shared laughter turning their room into a haven.
“I just don’t get why Petunia’s been so bitchy lately,” Priscilla said, recounting the day’s events.
“She’s probably lonely,” Lily replied, half-teasing. “Not everyone gets to have a twin, you know.”
“Well, she can gladly take mine,” Priscilla quipped, nudging Lily. “You’re no use, you silly goose.”
The twins broke into laughter, their mock wrestling and playful insults echoing through the night until their mother’s sharp voice called up for them to go to sleep.
Blowing out the candle, Priscilla’s voice softened. “Do you ever think about a life bigger than this one?”
Lily turned to face her, her brow furrowed in curiosity. “What do you mean?”
“I mean a life where we aren’t stuck in this town. Something... more,” Priscilla whispered, her eyes glinting with a mixture of hope and longing.
“Well, I hope so,” Lily murmured. “Mum can’t keep us holed up here forever.” Her gaze held the same glimmer of possibility.
Neither could have imagined how soon that “something more” would find them. The next morning, two letters bearing a shiny red wax seal buzzed softly in the mailbox. Magic, a world they’d only dreamed of in childhood, had become their reality.