Three days later, there was a knock on our front door. "Firth! He's here!" Cassidy called, and I came running downstairs into the kitchen, carrying a leather bag that held everything I owned. Kieron and Rian paused what they were doing and raced to be the one to greet our guest. Kieron pushed Rian to the side, securing his lead, and grabbed the door handle. "No fair!" Rian protested. "You cheated!"

  "Get used to it. Life isn't fair." Kieron pulled open the door. "Welcome, King-" He paused. He was looking at a man in deep purple robes and a weird-looking pointed hat, not the regal ruler he had been expecting. "Never mind, Firth, it's just that herald guy," Kieron called back into the kitchen.

  "Is this the home of Firth Henderson?" the herald asked. "I was told I could find him here."

  I came out of the kitchen, lugging my bag of stuff. I had gone shopping with Father just the day before, and so it was more full than it would've been just a week ago. "I'm here," I said. "Is it time?"

  The herald nodded. "I'm sure you've said your goodbyes already, but you might want one last chance to say farewell. After all, you won't be back for many years."

  "Many years?" I faltered a bit. Was this really worth it?

  Kieron seemed to sense my hesitation and gave me a brotherly pat on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll all be worth it," he said, unconsciously echoing my thoughts. "Think of all the stories you'll have to tell us when you get back!"

  Cassidy slipped from the kitchen, carrying a small paper-wrapped package. "This is for you," she said, handing the package to me. "If you ever feel lonely, this will make you think of me. I'll be with you wherever you go, no matter how far away you are or how long you're gone."

  I hugged her tightly. "I don't want to leave you," I whispered.

  "I'm always with you," she whispered back, her arms wrapped around me. After a few moments, she moved away from me. "Now go," she said. "Go and live your life."

  I felt tears pricking at my eyes, but I blinked them back. No way was I going to let any of my brothers see me cry. They'd probably laugh about it for weeks. "I'll miss you guys."

  "We'll miss you too, little bro." Kieron gave me a grin. "Good luck."

  Picking up my bag from where it sat on the ground, I stepped through the door. I didn't feel ready for whatever came next.

  "Come along, Master Firth," the herald said. "The King is waiting for you."

  It turned out that King Justian was literally waiting for me outside, and the herald wasn't just using an expression of speech. A gilded carriage was parked in front of my house, two silver mares hitched to it, the early morning sun marking off its silhouette and making the gold shine brilliantly. The herald held out a hand. "I can take your bag for you," the herald said. Reluctantly, I handed over everything I owned. I wasn't used to trusting people so deeply, but for the sake of necessity, I had to believe that my things would come back to me.

  The herald tied my leather bag to the back of the carriage, making a show of tightening the knots a bit extra. He must've been able to see how nervous I was to be parted from my possessions. I stood nearby, unsure what was expected of me.

  Thankfully, I didn't have long to wait. The carriage's driver hopped down from his perch and opened the door for me with a bow and a flourishing gesture toward the vehicle's interior. I stepped into the carriage, almost tripping as I did so. But with a quick correction, I made it safely inside. The door was closed behind me, leaving me in semi-darkness, with only the faint light from the windows to light my way.

  "What will he choose? Darkness or light?" a soft voice whispered in my ear. I jumped, banging my head on the roof. The voice was gone as quickly as it had come, but I could easily recall its silky sound. I had never heard anything like it.

  "Are you alright, Firth?" I jumped again when King Justian addressed me. I hadn't seen him in the murkiness. "Sorry about that," he said. "I like to rest in darkness." He pulled back the curtains obscuring the windows. Light flooded the carriage, blinding me for a moment. "Have a seat. We have a long ride ahead of us." The King pointed to the bench opposite him, somehow still retaining his regality as he did so.

  I settled onto the fluffy cushion, trying to put the strange whispering voice out of my head. I told myself it was just a fluke. I didn't actually hear anything. I felt the carriage jostle just a bit and assumed it was the driver getting back in his seat. The herald didn't get in the carriage with us, so I figured he was sitting with the driver. I was slightly curious to know where the guard and the amulet were. Were there other carriages that brought along the King's staff and bodyguards?

  "How have you been?" King Justian asked. "Are you ready to move to the Elemental Manor?"

  "I've been fine," I replied. "And I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

  "I'm sure you'll love the Manor. You'll have your own room, perfectly themed for the Fire Elemental - which is what you are, since the Fire Amulet was the one that chose you. There are three fireplaces, a hot tub, paintings of flames, and everything is red or orange, even the lighting. I had my architects spend weeks on your room, and it's the best we can offer you. I figured it would be a small price to pay to give you the honor you deserve, being an Elemental and all."

  I was already feeling a little overwhelmed, and all he'd done was describe my room. I knew I didn't deserve what he was giving me. I wasn't worth of three fireplaces, a hot tub, and a fancy room. The most I could hope for was a stall in their barn. Once they realized that I wasn't the brave hero they thought I was, they'd turn me out in an instant. I sighed and gazed out the window. I saw my childhood hometown fade behind us as the carriage smoothly rolled forward. Our journey had begun.

  We were on the road for most of the day. Luckily, I had a polite travelling partner, and King Justian filled the time with small talk. He seemed to genuinely care about my answers, and it was easy for me to open up to him. I told him about what it was like growing up, and how my brothers teased me, and how Cassidy was the light of my life. I was shocked that he could crack my tough shell so quickly. Usually, it took at least a few months for me to trust someone with my true thoughts.

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  When we paused for both lunch and dinner, we ate like kings, which made sense. Other carriages had joined our little entourage somewhere along the line, and the servants within them rushed to set out an elegant table and two chairs. I wondered how they had room for furniture in the carriages, but the table and chairs looked like they folded up, so that solved the need for space. Quite ingenious, in fact.

  King Justian sat in one of the chairs, and I hesitated, then followed suit. I wasn't sure if the second chair was for me, but no one else was stepping forward to claim it. Servers, professionally dressed in black and white outfits, brought out huge plates of food and set them before us. On my plate was a huge slab of steak, a large scoop of mashed potatoes, topped with gravy and a sprig of rosemary, and asparagus, roasted to perfection. My eyes widened at the sight of such a feast. How was I supposed to eat enough food for a whole family in one sitting?

  "I apologize for the small meal," King Justian said, giving me a smile. "You'll have more to eat once we get to the Manor."

  I tried to imagine more food than the bounty at hand and ended up feeling faint. To steady myself, I grabbed my utensils and began to dig into the steak.

  The King frowned. "Firth! Really, I expected better of you!"

  I paused, my fork halfway inside my mouth. "Huh?"

  "When dining, you must wait for your host to take the first bite. And you don't just shovel your meal into your mouth like that - you need to have class and refinement while you eat. Lunch isn't a race. There's no need to be rushing like that."

  I winced and lowered my fork. "Sorry."

  King Justian sighed. "It's not your fault. You weren't raised in a noble home."

  The insult stung. It didn't matter that I wasn't raised in a "noble home." The Henderson family farm was everything I needed and wanted. And now I had abandoned it. Though Cassidy had acted like I would come back, I knew it wasn't likely. Once gone, always gone. Thoughts circled in my head like vultures, and the meal passed in silence.

  Dinner was much the same. King Justian tried to give me a few more pointers on manners but gave up after I gripped my soup spoon like a knife. I tried to adjust and adapt, like I usually did, but the concepts were so foreign to me.

  After dinner, we were officially on the last leg of the journey. King Justian told me that we were only two hours away from our destination. I had gone through enough small talk and was ready to arrive at the Elemental Manor, but entering my new home would signify that my old life was truly over. I might live somewhere else, with new people and new things to learn, but I would always be Firth Henderson. No one could ever take that away from me.

  The carriage rolled to a stop. I peered out the window and saw a large stone house. It was nestled within the surrounding forest in a way that reminded me of my shack back home.

  The warm light of sunset flooded in as the carriage door was opened. King Justian stepped out first. I exited the carriage after him, holding up a hand to shield my face from the sun's intense rays. The landscape all around us seemed to be devoid of any structure or building other than the Manor before us.

  "Excuse me, sir," one of the servants said. It took a moment to realize that he was talking to me. I had never been called "sir" before. I was mostly called "pipsqueak" and "runt". "Does this belong to you?" the servant asked, pointing to a paper-wrapped package sitting on my seat. With a start, I remembered Cassidy's gift, and I snatched it up in an instant. Cradling it to my chest like a precious newborn babe, I muttered, "Thank you."

  "Let's go inside, shall we?" King Justian said, giving me an expectant smile. I nodded, as if my approval mattered, and he led me into the Manor of Elements.

  The Manor was sparser than I was expecting. There was no red carpet, no gold-plated sconces, no expensive paintings lining the halls. There were just solid stone walls with mysterious-looking scrapes and marks on them. My best guess was that a vicious fight had taken place in those halls a long time ago, but some of the marks looked like burns. No fight I had ever heard of left burns like that.

  "Here's your room!" King Justian announced, pushing open an iron door with a swirling flame symbol etched into it. I stepped past him and into the room that was to be my home for the next few years. It turned out that the King hadn't been kidding when he had said that my room was the best he could offer. The Fire Elemental's room - my room - had all of the opulence that the hallways lacked. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating mesmerizing paintings of fire. All three of the fireplaces were within view, and, surprisingly, they were all by an open area that almost looked like it was for training. My gaze was drawn, however, by the large, comfy-looking bed. After spending hours sitting in the carriage, I was ready to settle down for the night.

  I slipped out of my dirty leather boots and launched myself onto the bed. I sank into the thick cotton mattress and let out a sigh of pure happiness. It felt like laying on a cloud.

  "Your things will be brought up for you, and tomorrow, you will be fitted for your new outfits and given a tour of the Manor," King Justian said, still standing in the doorway. "And for the record, you might want to take a bath."

  My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Was my filth really that obvious?

  "Good night, Firth. See you tomorrow."

  "Good night, Your Majesty." My voice sounded small in my large room. I might've even heard it echo off the walls. Then it sunk in. This was my room. My new home. It was entirely mine. This relatively insignificant idea was enough to blow my mind. I had a room the size of our entire barn, and it belonged to me completely. No more sleeping in the attic. No more listening to my noisy brothers romp around downstairs while trying to get to bed. For once, I was beginning to appreciate the advantages of my new situation.

  And yet the big room was awfully empty. Its largeness pressed down on me, making me feel as small as an ant. Something pressed against my stomach, and I realized that I was laying on top of Cassidy's gift. I hurriedly moved so I wouldn't squish it any longer. The brown paper wrapping was a bit wrinkled, but otherwise, it seemed to be fine. I sat up in my new bed and started unwrapping the gift. I peeled back the paper slowly, wanting this moment to last as long as possible. This was the last gift I would get from Cassidy in a long time.

  But I couldn't stall forever, and eventually, the brown paper fell away, revealing a sturdy sketchbook. The cover was only simple leather, unlike the expensive hard-bound books that the nobles owned, but it had been carefully dyed a deep shade of blue that made me think of what an ocean would look like. I had never seen the ocean, as my family didn't have enough gold to travel, but I had heard many tales regarding its beauty. Maybe, with my new status, I could get permission to visit the ocean. I could make a sketch of it to bring back for Cassidy.

  But then I remembered. I wouldn't see her for years. I would have to send her the sketch through a courier instead. And if I couldn't visit Cassidy, I doubt I could get permission to visit the ocean either.

  Instead of ruminating on what I couldn't do, I flipped open the sketchbook, and a note fell out.

  "Dear Firth," it read in Cassidy's loopy handwriting, "I hope this note finds you well. Moving to a new place can be both exciting and scary, especially if you can't take your family with you. I know you're probably missing us badly, but I don't want you to be held back by trying to hold onto things and people of the past. We will meet again one day - I'm sure of that. But until then, use this sketchbook to record everything you see and everyone you meet. Find the interesting little details. Then, when you see me next, you'll have all sorts of stories to tell me. Live your life. Become an Elemental. Fulfill your destiny. You were always meant for more. Your sister, Cassidy."

  I read her letter again and again, until the words looped in my head and I had almost memorized the whole thing. My heart ached as if Cassidy was being ripped out of it. I could never let her go. I could never replace her. Forgetting her for even a moment felt like betrayal. Then my heart cracked completely, my brave facade crumbled, and the tears came rushing down.