Kira's Reckoning by Sasha Parker

forest, heading for Nascosto and the Council.  Kira began to get nervous as she could feel the magick swirling around them in the car.  It was as if long tendrils had reached out and were running over her body, feeling her out to see how much magick she had and what kind. 
    'She can feel the magick ,' Brendan sent to Ronan.
    'You knew they would feel her out, s ee what she could do,' Ronan sent back.
    'Did you feel that? She pushed back,' Brendan said, awed by the power his woman could wield.
    'She is amazing ,' Ronan agreed.
    "Look dearling, we are arriving ," Ronan said to Kira as he pointed over her shoulder.
    Kira leaned over Brendan's shoulder, peering out the window.  "I don't see anything." She frowned.
    Brendan turned his head and kissed her cheek then he whispered in her ear, "Wait."
    Kira kept her eyes on the landscape as she shivered, feeling Brendan's breath on her ear.  She saw ripples in the air first, moving slowly in waves.  Her mouth dropped open in shock as she watched the ripples change to the colors of the rainbow.  She turned to look out the front windshield and saw the kaleidoscope of colors suddenly part, allowing the car to pass through like a gateway.  Kira gasped.
    Up ahead of them was a giant castle, it made their castle in the glen look like a beggar's cottage .  There were so many turrets that Kira lost count and she was stunned to actually see a drawbridge over an actual moat.  The car drove over the bridge and into the vast courtyard where Kira saw a large fountain in the center.  Kira knew she looked like she was in a tennis match with her head bouncing from side to side trying to take everything in all at once.
    She looked on in awe as a giant troll walked in front of the car they were in , while around the grounds she saw dwarves and elves mingling.  She watched a group of men off to the side of the castle fighting with swords like the Guardians carried. 
    She shook her head, thinking of how dizzy she was going to get if she didn't focus on one thing .  She just couldn't get over all the magical creatures who were there all at one time.  She knew they existed now, thanks to her grandmother and their family, but it was shocking to see them nonetheless.  How she wished her sisters were there right then.
    "I wish I had brought my camera ," Kira whispered.
    "It wouldn't have worked, luv .  Nothing like that does here unless you have permission,” Ronan said as the car stopped.  He exited the car and turned to help her out.
    "It wou ldn't work? Really?" Kira asked as she joined him, standing in by the car.
    "Sorry, sweet, it's the rules ," Brendan told her as he joined them. 
    Kira pouted .  "How am I supposed to just remember all this for my sisters?"
    Ronan laughed .  "Don't worry, we will help you." They watched as some of the men came over and began to take their suitcases out of the trunk and whisk them inside.
    Kira smacked him on the shoulder as he took one of her hands and Brendan took her other to lead her up the steps into the large castle doors where Tobin was patiently waiting for them.  As she stepped through, Kira once again felt as though someone was frisking her body and she stopped, turning left then right.
    "What is that?" she asked her men.
    "That is the magick of the land checking out your magick ," Brendan answered.
    When Kira looked even more confused, Ronan explained, "This land and castle were enchanted a long time ago when the Council was formed .  The magick here is very powerful and actually has a life of its own.  It is feeling you out, as you are new here.  It wants to know who you are and what power you wield."
    "I see ," Kira said.  "Well, it could have just asked instead of feeling me up," she huffed. 
    Both men laughed at that and Brendan said, "Come on, Tobin is waiting."
    They followed the patiently waiting Tobin through a long hallway down the center of the bottom floor .  Kira saw two large staircases on her left and right, leading