A Question of Magic by E. D. Baker Page A

last few days have been dreadful and tomorrow won’t be any better. The king declared war because of something I said, so I feel as if I should stay to see these people through whatever comes. But the answers I have to give them are so awful!”
    â€œThe king didn’t declare war because of you,” said Maks. “You just told him what would happen if he did fight. He probably had his mind made up before he ever came here.” The cat curled up against Serafina’s back and nudged her with his nose. “Why do you think thepeople need you? What good can you do them by answering their questions now?”
    â€œThat young man said that I wasn’t doing any good. He was probably right.”
    The moon was high in the sky when Serafina crawled out of bed to put away all the loose objects. Maks yawned and stretched his legs in front of him. “What are you doing?” he asked.
    â€œGetting ready to go,” Serafina told him. “I can’t talk to one more person in this kingdom. I need to hear from someone who actually likes me. Chicken hut, chicken hut!” she cried. “Be careful when you stand and take me to Mala Kapusta. There might be a letter waiting there for me. And maybe this time I’ll send some back.”

Chapter 11
    Serafina wrote a letter to her parents while the cottage lurched across the countryside. It was a difficult letter to write because she still wasn’t sure how much to tell them. How did you inform people that magic had changed you when they were adamant that they didn’t believe in magic? She finally settled on telling them only what she had to.
    Dear Mother and Father,
    I hope you are well. I am fine and living in Great-Aunt Sylanna’s cottage. Sylanna was mortally ill and went away before I arrived, leaving me to handle her responsibilities. Her cat is keeping me company and I am meeting newpeople every day. A few days ago I actually talked to a king!
    I am sorry that I cannot come home now. Please give my love to Alina and Katya.
    Love,
    Fina
    The second letter she wrote was to Alek. She wasn’t happy that she had told her parents so little and hoped that Alek would fill in the gaps. Hearing in person that magic was real had to be better than reading it in a letter.
    Dear Alek,
    Thank you for finding a way to get letters to me. I am well and living in my great-aunt Sylanna’s cottage with her cat. Since my arrival, I have learned that magic, fairies, and so many things we never would have thought possible are actually real. This cottage even moves when I tell it to!
    I never did meet Sylanna, but I’ve learned that a fairy took her somewhere beautiful to live out her last days. I’ve received my inheritance. I’m the new Baba Yaga, something I never believedreally existed until now. I don’t know how long I have to be Baba Yaga, but I do know that I can’t walk away from it, no matter how much I wish I could.
    My family will have a hard time accepting what has happened to me, so I hope that you will explain it to them and help them understand that I am fine, although unable to come home yet. They don’t believe in magic and will be hard to convince. Getting them to accept that magic is real may be the hardest part of telling them about my new life.
    Please don’t worry about me, Alek. My life isn’t what I want it to be, but it isn’t horrible either. I meet new people and see new places all the time. I even met a king the other day! You know how much I like to learn new things. My goal now is to learn how to stop being Baba Yaga so that I can come home.
    I miss you, Alek, and think about you all the time. Please write again when you can.
    Love,
    Fina
    As the cottage settled to the ground, Serafina glanced out the window and was relieved to see thatthey had indeed come to Mala Kapusta. Hoping to find another bouquet in the tree, she gathered the letters she’d written and hurried outside. Her