A Realm of Spark

By Shelby A. Setty

When twenty-two-year-old Attica Spark discovers a realm of magic she unknowingly came from, she stays in a manor with young heirs banned from their kingdoms while learning of her dark and twisted past.

In the manor, Attica discovers a series of portals that lead her to a curious world mirroring her own mind and emotions. Down the rabbit ho

• Language: English
• Publisher: Silverpage Press
• Release date: Jun 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781737347491

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A Realm of Spark

SHELBY A. SETTY

Copyright© 2021 Shelby A. Setty

All rights reserved

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations and events are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the author.

Published by Silverpage Press

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – The Oak Tree

Chapter 2 – The Passageway

Chapter 3 – A New World

Chapter 4 – The Manor

Chapter 5 – A Painting

Chapter 6 – The Boy

Chapter 7 – The Eye

Chapter 8 – The Voice

Chapter 9 – Secret Energy

Chapter 10 – The Dining

Chapter 11 – Who Am I?

Chapter 12 – The Initiation

Chapter 13 – Root Portal

Chapter 14 – Sacral Portal

Chapter 15 – Cleansing

Chapter 16 – The Woods

Chapter 17 – The Charzdaine

Chapter 18 – The Cove

Chapter 19 – Solar Plexus Portal

Chapter 20 – Heart Portal

Chapter 21 – Reflection

Chapter 22 – The Emporium

Chapter 23 – The Tarot Shop

Chapter 24 – The Challenge

Chapter 25 – Game On

Chapter 26 – The Library

Chapter 27 – Throat Portal

Chapter 28 – Third Eye Portal

Chapter 29 – The Dress

Chapter 30 – The Gala

Chapter 31 – The Trap

Chapter 32 – Memory Lane

Chapter 33 – Crown Portal—Part 1

Chapter 34 – Crown Portal—Part 2

Chapter 35 – The Coliseum

Chapter 36 – The Capture

Chapter 37 – The Match

Chapter 38 – The Book

Chapter 39 – Soul Star

Chapter 40 – My Friends

Chapter 1

The Oak Tree

As I looked out my bedroom window, my gaze rocked between the foggy night sky and orange leaves leisurely falling off a maple tree.

Two weeks into autumn, the enchantment of the season had finally cascaded over Ridgewood Hollow. The thought of Halloween around the corner still had me giddy at twenty-two. Likely because Halloween was the only time of year I was a bit more comfortable with my unusual appearance.

At a glance, all that could be seen was my olive skin, an ordinary nose and lips, and long honeyed hair that served as a shield, blocking the part of me I couldn’t bear to look at: my eyes.

My violet eyes were so vibrant, they practically screamed across any room. When people noticed them, shock was the most common response. They made me a little too different and were the butt of many jokes in elementary school. Although, I suppose the jokes never stopped as I got older. They just fell more hushed.

Thankfully, my adoptive parents never seemed to mind the piercing color of my eyes. They were always my guiding light. At least until two years ago, when our world turned upside down.

At five years old, the Chambers became the only family I ever knew. My adoptive dad, a tall, bald, light-skinned man, was on a walk with his son, James, when he heard my screams a block away. He followed my little high-pitched voice to the top of a sixty-foot yellow-leafed oak tree of all places; it was the place I imagined my fear of heights began. But, even stranger, I couldn’t remember anything of my past before that night.

Dad said when the fire department got me down from the oak tree, I ran straight into his arms and clung so tight, no one could get me off him. As deputy police chief, Dad did everything he could to find where I came from, with no luck. I had no family, no birth certificate, no identity. When he found out I’d be placed into foster care, he made sure it would be the best home he could find—his.

Mama, a short, plump, dark-skinned woman with a heart of gold, liked everything organized and perfect, including her children’s names: James, Jasmine, and Jada.

I—Attica—was never meant to be organized into that perfect family. But Mama fit me in, anyway.

So I got to grow up with Jasmine and Jada—only a year older than me and were my best friends. As children, their matching dresses and dance performances had everyone turning their heads with hands over their hearts in awe of the twins and the wild curls of their hair.

It was the best Christmas morning when a third matching dress came out of my gift box. That Christmas, Jasmine and Jada tried so hard to get my hair like theirs, but mine was far too boring to be as fun and free. Still, that following year will always hold some of my favorite memories, pretending we were triplets. And, of course, James laughed at the idea.

When I turned seven, my bond with James grew stronger as he taught me how to play the piano. We used to play just about every week together for an entire year before he started playing football. After he joined the local youth football team, he had less time for me. But my passion for playing piano continued—until James went missing. I have yet to play a tune since he disappeared.

James was six-foot-two with a firm jaw, mocha latte skin, and deep brown eyes that jokingly sent winks my way on occasion.

Anytime Mama would see that wink, she’d scream, Boy, you best not be flirting with your sister! Those words always made me cringe since I not only grew up with James as my big brother, but also as one of my closest friends, who seemed to know my thoughts and emotions better than I even did.

This family made it impossible not to love them with every bone in my body. But, as grateful as I was for having a wonderful home with them, I never felt like I truly belonged in Ridgewood Hollow. Or anywhere, for that matter.

Growing up in that house, I always avoided mirrors. Mirrors served as a reminder I didn’t belong. Anytime I glanced at a mirror reflecting my violet eyes, the same thought repeated like a broken record: Who the hell are you?

Perhaps if I had grown up somewhere else, like in Los Angeles, violet eyes could have been cool. But here, in this small town, everyone knew I was found at the top of a tree with no family, and therefore, I was already weird. Where I had been found, along with my strange eyes, made it impossible to make a friend outside of my siblings.

Whenever James caught me draping my hair over my eyes, he would whisper, Stop hiding, which I’m sure was his way of reminding me there was no reason to hide.

As odd as it was that he had vanished two years ago, he was still my big brother and absolutely, definitely not my first crush. Though, any set of eyes that fell on him undoubtedly admired his handsome face. And I never denied his good looks. It was too obvious to deny how attractive he was. But for me, it was his heart that truly set him apart from all the other handsome faces. He was the best big brother a girl could ask for.

It was strange how often he would stare inquisitively at me over the years. It was as if he knew a secret about me that intrigued him, or worse . . . that scared him.

For so long, I wondered where on Earth he vanished to.

He sent a letter about one year after his disappearance. Mama cried with joy for a week, knowing he was still alive. It was easy to see it was his handwriting because he always wrote in print that weaved into cursive.

The envelope had no postage or return address, which meant he must have been at the house. And even stranger, when the letter first arrived, the paper looked as though it was emanating a soft green glow. No one else saw the glow, but I knew it was there.

I’ll never forget the wave of static that tingled through my fingers when the letter first touched my skin. But again, no one else seemed to notice. The glow and static vanished after a day or two.

Jasmine and Jada had been away at college the last few years while I had stuck around to go to a nearby college. Although Jasmine and Jada would visit every few weeks, the thought of leaving Mama alone all day while Dad went off to work was unbearable for me. At least while she was still working through the loss of her son.

Before James went missing, Mama was one of the best therapists in town. But she closed her practice soon after his disappearance.

Mama and I had grown closer over the last couple of years when it was just us at home most days. But it was always hard to see her look at pictures of James and wipe her tears away before I walked into the room. And that happened more times than I could count.

As I looked around my bedroom now, it seemed bare. And it was already bare to begin with, by choice. My bedroom always appeared more like a guest room. I rarely connected enough with anything to want to see it in my room daily; if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, it wasn’t in my room.

I had spent the day cleaning out the little bit of clutter and getting boxes ready to send to the homeless shelter in the next town, all while fighting a relentless headache. I always felt lighter when I purged. Plus, I knew it would soon be time to move out and get a place of my own after finding a more suitable job, whatever that was. I wasn’t a kid anymore, and I couldn’t expect Mama and Dad to take care of me forever.

All I had left lying around were some books I had borrowed from work. If I wasn’t filling my time with my mundane job of stocking shelves at the local bookstore or searching for a higher paying job, then I was likely reading a book on the backyard porch. I often tried to discover which characters I related to most, since it often seemed impossible to relate to anyone.

The owner of the bookstore—an eighty-one-year-old woman with more spice than Jada—was the only person outside my family I felt accepted by. She allowed me to borrow books whenever I pleased, almost as if the store were my own personal library.

Although the room felt easier to breathe in now, something still felt strange. But—

Slam!

My heart tightened, then sank at the front door slamming shut. It was 9:32 at night. Dad was working the occasional night shift, and Mama was visiting her cousin for the weekend, three hours away.

Creak.

My body froze, heart pounding and palms sweating as the stairs creaked. Footsteps grew louder and louder in the hall until, finally, silence.

A shadow peeked under my door. I quickly grabbed James’s old, bulky piano book near my bed. Although a piano book may not be threatening to an intruder, it was the closest thing to me, and perhaps I could do some serious damage if—

The doorknob slowly turned as I readied to attack with rising anxiety.

Curly hair peeked through the door. Surprise!

My heart jumped from fear to joy at the sight of my cheery sister. Jasmine! What are you doing here? And where’s Jada?

Don’t worry, Jaz, I’ll get the bags. You relax with Attica! Jada bellowed from downstairs. Oh, and I’ll tip the driver too. You just do you, Jaz.

It was never difficult to tell Jasmine and Jada apart, since Jasmine was joyfully oblivious to most things, and Jada, who hardly put up with Jasmine, was the toughest girl I knew. Jada had always been the responsible one who was full of sarcastic comments and was probably the reason Jasmine was still alive and well, since Jasmine always seemed to think we lived in some fifties movie where nothing bad could ever happen.

Even after Jasmine found out our brother went missing, her response was, He must be on some grand adventure!

Jasmine sat beside me, twirling the curls of her hair. We’re here for the Halloween festival and wanted to surprise you. But more importantly, Jada and I were talking about moving to New York. We want to open a dance studio with a friend from our sorority. It may not happen right away, but Penny has a lot of connections out there that can help us out. You should come with us! It could be like when we were kids again, except in New York and with high heels, she said with a thrill in her voice.

It sounded nice. With a degree in business, perhaps I could contribute to the dance studio. Either way, it was time to get out in the world and figure out who the hell I was.

It sounds like it could be fun. But can I think about it and let you know later?

Her smile didn’t waver. Sure. I’ll have Jada make popcorn and put on a movie. Come! We’ll bake cookies too, like when we were kids baking with Mama.

Jasmine was in no way stupid, but she always had her head in the clouds, and the thought of her using an oven to bake anything was terrifying. Though, I loved that Jasmine always wanted to relive our childhood memories together. It was one of my favorite things about her. She seemed to always have a childlike wonder to her.

I’m sorry, Jaz, but I’m ready for bed. My head has been throbbing all day. But I’m happy you and Jada are here.

Bummer. Okay, well, if you change your mind, you know where to find us. And with the usual pep in her step, she exited the room. Then, popping her head back in, she added, We’ll be downstairs if you didn’t know where to find us. She seemed to think everyone else had their head in the clouds too.

Watching movies with the twins sounded like fun, but something felt, well, off. It was hard to ignore the feeling in my gut that was trying so hard to get my attention. But my pestering headache didn’t allow me to give it the attention it deserved. My headache even stopped me from changing into pajamas. Perhaps closing my eyes was what I needed most.

The back of my eyelids swept over my sight as a thick, soft comforter cradled my limp body. The gentle sound of the wind outside lulled me into slumber.

Tap.

A sound quickly tugged my mind out of sleep. It must have been the maple tree outside the window rustling in the wind. The sound passed, and I allowed myself to drift once more into the escape of suspended consciousness.

Tap. Tap.

The darkness behind my eyelids was far more tempting than looking outside the window to find the source of the irritating sound.

Tap, tap. Crack.

My eyes sprang open. Frustration ran through my already irritated mind. The bottom of my feet met the coarse rug as I forced my tired body out of bed.

The warm glow of the streetlights peeked in as I swept the curtains to the side, revealing a small crack in the window. I was riddled, trying to figure out how the tree had enough force to crack glass when there was nothing more than a gentle breeze. All that could be seen through the fog of the quiet street were Halloween decorations on a few houses, orange-leafed trees in the park across the street, and a man looking directly at me.

Chapter 2

The Passageway

He stood concealed in the shadows across the street. Although the night’s fog obscured his face, my bones felt his potent presence—it was neither good nor bad, but just strange. And even stranger, he began waving me over.

But why? I wondered, staring back at the dark figure. He must have thought I was someone else.

The man moved out of the shadows and into the gleaming light of a lamppost. The beating of my heart had come to a complete stop before accelerating quicker than ever before. My anxiety rose as I noticed something familiar about him.

He was smiling, and I knew that smile. I knew that face! James? It couldn’t be him. If it were him, he would have come inside, right? Regardless of my palms sweating, this had to be a dream because that man was either James or he had a twin I somehow knew nothing about.

Without hesitation, I threw my white sneakers on and sprinted down the stairs, knocking into a cackling witch we kept our Halloween candy in. Jasmine and Jada screamed at the loud commotion. It also didn’t help that they had just started watching a horror movie.

Damn you, Attica! Jada barked as her jitters settled. And, hi. Missed you! she added in a tone that was actually genuine for her, regardless of how harshly it rolled off her tongue.

Hi, Jada! Missed you more! I bellowed, sprinting to the front door.

Hoping I would see James standing on the other side, I swiftly grabbed the doorknob. But turning it was a challenge, not because the door was locked, but because my fear was suddenly crippling me. I retracted my hand.

What if James was not outside? What if he was a hallucination? What if my throbbing headache had made the whole thing up?

But if what I saw was real and James really was outside waiting, why on Earth would he not come inside? What if I stepped out that door and put myself in danger, at the mercy of some stranger who resembled my missing brother?

A hundred questions raced through my mind. And each one prodded the dormant anxiety within me.

There were moments in my life when my weakness got the best of me. Anxiety was my defect. It was like a beast that lived in me, just waiting for an opportunity to wake and roar. It listened and felt everything I did, even when it was fast asleep. But like a caged beast, it looked for every opportunity to escape. And when it did, I lost myself to it. This was one of those moments.

A pressure rushed to my forehead as sparks of fear set off in my chest. The beating of my heart sped up in rate and sound as the pounding grew louder. Jasmine saw my hand clutched to my chest from the other room, surely unaware of my attempt to tame my anxiety. She hopped up from the couch and pranced to me.

Did you come down to watch the movie? Jasmine asked in a singsong manner.

Jasmine’s question pulled me out of my worrying head and put the roaring beast that was my anxiety back to sleep, at least temporarily.

A deep breath later, I responded, Actually, I was going for a quick walk.

The critic within me judged me for not telling Jasmine that I thought I saw her brother—our brother—just outside the door. But my gut feeling overruled the ethical decision of telling her that James—our brother who had been missing for two years—was potentially alive and just a hundred feet away.

My gut never led me in the wrong direction, so I always trusted its guidance. Since Mama always told me to follow my gut, I was just taking her motherly advice. And this time, my gut was telling me to go alone.

It’s cold outside. Here. She went into the hall closet. This looks good on you.

She dressed me in my blue denim jacket and brushed strands of hair off my face like I was some doll she was fixing up.

Avoiding the reflection of my face as I glanced at the mirror by the front door, I took a quick mental note of how cute the denim jacket looked with my white tee and black yoga pants.

Unfortunately, the curse of insecurity painted my mind with the belief that who I was and what I looked like would never be good enough. This insecurity was freshly painted each day, harshly judging everything I did or didn’t do. So the few times my painted mind was pleased with my actions or appearance, I didn’t forget it.

Thanks, Jasmine! I said, as she leaped back to the other room.

Swallowing my nerves, I grabbed the doorknob again, trying to embody Jasmine’s free spirit. Though I often followed my gut, I was still stepping out of my comfort, which was leading me outside and into the unknown.

After stepping into the brisk air of the dark night, I closed the red door behind me, sure I was not turning back until I had answers to what I’d seen. The fog was thick, shrouding the view of where I thought I had seen James. Reluctantly, I moved through the deep fog, crossing the street. The crunch of leaves sounded behind me as footsteps grew heavy in my direction.

James? Is that you? I asked, hoping to hear his smooth voice. But no one answered.

Sense and logic suddenly hit me hard. What the hell was I doing out here, putting myself in potential danger?

Atti! A familiar voice broke through the fog. And only one person ever called me Atti.

James? Where are you? My heart pounded, waiting anxiously to hear the comfort of his voice again.

Boo!

A grip on my arm spun me around. The fog parted as the shape of a broad-shouldered man stood before me.

It was as though I had jumped off an out-of-control, whirling carousel, heart still pounding. But relief tamed my pounding heart as my swirled mind finally stilled at the sight of his deep brown eyes looking back at mine. I was looking directly at a face I knew all too well.

My mouth fell open, suspending my voice and mind until finally, words escaped. James! Where the hell have you been?

No time for that now. Come with me! James grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the nearby park.

Where are we going? I barely had a moment to gather what was happening.

It’s a surprise, he said, turning back with a clever grin.

Our hands slipped apart as I ran as fast as I could to keep up with him, passing the park’s orange trees and leaving the suburban neighborhood. The autumn leaves crunched below our feet with nearly every stride. My legs felt like they were going to fall off as I used all my energy to keep up with this quarterback.

We left the streetlights behind as we made our way toward a foggy pond. The sound of crickets chirping echoed through the plants and trees surrounding us. As I followed James farther into the gloom of the night, my breath came to a halt when I caught sight of something strange about him. He was glowing, like the letter he wrote after his disappearance. Before I had a moment to make sense of it, we came to a sudden stop in front of the small pond.

As we both tried catching our breath, James arched his brow at me, and a grin took over his face. If I hadn’t felt the heavy pounding of my heart trying to break through my chest, I would have believed this to be a dream.

Eyeing him from head to toe, I questioned if it was actually a dream—especially since a soft green glow encompassed his entire body, including his strange clothes that looked like they came out of some warrior movie.

What the hell was that about? It was all a little too odd.

He must have picked up on my thoughts since he stepped closer and said, It really is me, Atti.

How could I know that for sure? I questioned. I mean, it had been two years since I had seen him last. Perhaps my memory of him was being tested by my sleeping mind or even a complete stranger.

No, I am just being paranoid, I reminded myself.

But