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Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Trilina had half an hour.

It was her twenty-eighth birthday. It also happened to be Brilina’s and Frilina’s. Of course, they were both younger than her, but Brilina only by five minutes and Frilina by eleven.

Like they did every year, there would be a party this evening, but she still had a few more minutes before she finished the tavern’s books and headed downstairs to join her sisters.

They’d been working all day, giving the regulars free drinks and chatting more than usual.

Trilina could hear it in the background now, but she had one more task for the day. Going to the locked cabinet in the far corner of her office, Trilina pulled out the last of eleven identical tomes. Inside the collection of large books was an entry for every single day from her fourteenth birthday. Today was no different.

Written in her mother’s familiar script were instructions, thoughts, encouragement, and lessons ranging from how to grow basic crops to what she and her sisters should look for in a husband.

She was sitting where she always did at this time of day. Trilina read today’s entry.

I know I’ve been gone now as many years as I was blessed to raise you, but I know you and your sisters will have flourished. Enjoy your birthday and celebrate this last year of training your magic. You’ve earned it.

Your sisters are growing wiser each passing day and week as well. I always hoped to be there to teach you all, but you’ve done wonders in my place. I’m proud of you.

This next year will test all of you, but do not let fear keep you from taking on its challenges. Your sisters will be fine without you, and you must allow yourself to follow the call of adventure.

Before this next year is out, your journey will begin. A sign will tell you when the time is right to start to balance the scales.

Happy birthday, my dear Trilina.

Trilina sighed as she sat back in the chair. Her birthday message each year always spoke of the future, the year ahead and going on some adventure, but what that adventure entailed and what particular scales needed to be rebalanced the books never said.

This was always the time of year she missed her parents most. Her mother’s visions had allowed her to leave a great gift within these books, but it didn’t replace the relationships the triplets had lost.

After Trilina put the book back in her secret stash, she pulled out the very first volume. Tucked into the first page of the first book was a letter. It had arrived on her sixteenth birthday. Each sister had received one.

Hers had told her where to find these tomes and what fate had befallen her parents. It was only a year ago that Trilina had found out she shared her mother’s gift for magic. This eleventh tome was full of instructions on how to train. And it wasn’t finished.

The clock striking the fifth hour of the afternoon signaled the end of Trilina’s alone time. If she didn’t go down to the bar, her sisters would come up to find her.

Tucking the books back, Trilina locked the cabinet and stepped away. The business could also wait another day. It was time to begin her twenty-eighth year. And time to start looking out for a sign.

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