The twinges, the shifts in her perception, weren’t as alarming as they might have been had she not expected them. They mirrored the changes she’d gone through at various points in her youth. Once she’d begun showing promising abilities at the age of six, her grandmother kept her every summer from that point on. Aira’s bond with her grandmother was strong as a result. Receiving training from the older woman, and pushing her way through adolescence while maintaining as level a mind as she possibly could, became more difficult as the manifestations of her abilities became more prominent. The phone call and the invitation weren't a friendly request for a visit. Aira knew why her grandmother was inviting her to spend a few weeks at the family home. She wasn’t crazy about the interruption of her routine, but she knew she had to obey. An invitation from the family matriarch meant a great deal—particularly in light of Aira’s approaching birthday. If she tried to make an excuse, she would be on the receiving end of increasing pressure from her aunts, uncles, cousins—even her own mother.
