A Fifth Daughter [Book 1: The Dragon Rider]

Chapter ~ 2

[Dedication]: @kait5250 for being my first new reader on 5D.

~ Chapter 2: Drenched, Confused, and All Things Alex ~

Really quick history lesson; because humans didn't start out in Fantasy, we are considered the weakest link in the Realms. We're at the bottom of the food chain. We can be turned into Vampires and Werewolves, we can gain position in the world through class and popularity, and we can marry into magic or – because of the strangeness of this world – we can gain abilities through family linage: My uncle has the ability to heal anyone and anything with just a thought because he is the eldest son of an eldest son of an eldest son of an... you get the idea... on back to ten eldest sons without interruption. So, there's that. But humans can never gain powers on their own. They can't "meddle" with magic, or be a rarity and randomly be born as a Witch or Wizard. We're not like J.K. Rowling's wizarding world – no Muddles here – no matter how much people wish that was the way of this world.

So, what does being a Fifth Daughter do for me? No clue. But I have a feeling I'm not going to enjoy the outcome of all this. Before running into Ryler on the way home, I went to the library, but there was nothing on Fifth Daughters. The librarian wasn't any help either, although she did try. Which means, either no one wants anyone to know about Fifth Daughters or there's no such thing.

Which has me doubting the whole last five hours.

Maybe Warlock Glanes isn't the only one supposedly crazy. This could all be a weird trick that for some reason Mother Tyra has decided to play on me. Or perhaps she plays it on everyone. Without asking Mom there's no way for me to know if I'm a Fifth Daughter of four Fifth Daughters... or Pure One... or whatever. I don't really want to ask her. She never talks about her family, which I've always assumed is because she ran off after her dad died and hasn't talked to her mom since. We haven't even met anyone from her side of the family. I have no clue if she has siblings or if her parents are still alive.

I sigh into my food.

Ever feel like the whole world is closing in on you? Like if you try to break out it'll only get tighter?

That's exactly how I feel as I mindlessly stir the hot soup in front of me, and they are awful feelings. I wish they'd just leave me alone.

Too much thinking will do that to you.

First; I turn sixteen, which I guess isn't really a bad thing. Then I go and see Mother Tyra, get told that my father could come back from the dead and that I'm the fifth Fifth Daughter of four Fifth Daughters – whatever that means, I haven't picked up the book since I deposited it on my bed – now I'm stuck waiting for my Choice. Sleeping on a nerve-cramped stomach isn't ever fun.

I did beat Ryler home however. Of course, in his defense, he tripped... twice.

"You need to eat up, Smoke. Big day tomorrow and all." Mom says. Yeah, thanks for the reminder. She gazes at me with a critical eye, and I have no doubt that she either knows, or can guess, my train of thought. I haven't told her anything, other than I'll get my answer tomorrow. She doesn't even know about the book. I'm okay friends with my mother, but something just doesn't feel right about telling her. As if my world will tighten even more if I tell her the truth.

I glance at all of my siblings sitting around me. They continue eating, ignoring my tired gaze. Five girls and two boys. Some of us look related to each other, but others could be adopted. Carma, Chase, Genny Grace, and Ryler all have the same Green trademark blonde hair and green eyes. Alice has our grandmother's red hair and blue eyes, while Tempest is more related to Mom with her black hair, only Mom has violet eyes with flecks of gold and Tempest has blue eyes. She's probably the hardest to get along with at times, but she is a very loyal friend (or sister) when you need help. Genny Grace and Alice don't exactly exist in my life. Even with Alice only being a year older she's always been too strange to get along with and Genny Grace doesn't like me period. Chase and Ryler are basically my only friends and Carma just shares a room with me. Other than our love for books, we stay out of each-others hair and stick to our own lives.