Free The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin (Books of Unexpected Enlightenment Book 1) by L. Jagi Lamplighter

start with four simple words: up, down, open and close. Repeat after me: Ti. Doe. Libra. Legare. ”
    • • •
    Mr. Tuck repeated the lesson a number of times, emphasizing both the sound and the gesture for each word. Rachel’s eyes glazed over. She had understood the first time and would not forget. Waiting for him to move onto the next subject, she daydreamed about growing up to be a great sorceress who could call all things by their proper name.
    Eventually, the time for the hands-on portion of Language class arrived. Mr. Tuck handed out small rectangular boards, each with a hinged door set into the middle. He instructed the students to practice by raising and lowering the piece of wood and opening and closing the door.
    Rachel took a deep breath and tried it. A rush of something that felt like excitement traveled from her toes and fingers through her limbs and out her mouth, leaving her feeling tingly and slightly breathless. The door opened slowly. She had to press her hand against her mouth to keep herself from giggling uncontrollably. She had done it. She had performed a cantrip. No matter what happened for the rest of her life, nothing would ever take this accomplishment away.
    She was officially a sorceress!
    Sigfried Smith, Princess Nastasia, Wulfgang Starkadder, and Joy O’Keefe, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, turned out to be naturals. Their doors flew open. Their boards zipped up and down. On the other hand, skinny Remington Blake, with his mop of dark hair, and pimply redhead Zachary Duff could not get theirs to do anything.
    Rachel found herself somewhere in between: better than many, worse than others. She was a bit disappointed not to be among the best in the class. Apparently, she was not destined to be a great canticler, like her sister Sandra. She noted with some small pride, however, that her control was excellent. Her block of wood might float slowly, but it went exactly where she directed it. Siggy’s and the princess’s swerved wildly. Siggy grinned like a maniac at the mayhem caused by his block, as it knocked into the chandelier and slammed against the window. When the princess’s did not obey her, however, she grew impatient and glared at it imperiously.
    The only student with better control than Rachel was Astrid Hollywell, a girl with a caramel complexion and a head of tight black curls. Over her robe, she wore a bright silk scarf of cornflower blue. She sat by herself, guiding her piece of wood through slow lazy loops. Rachel watched, impressed. She smiled at Astrid, but the other girl ducked her head shyly.
    When the class came to an end, the princess asked Rachel to introduce her to the other students they had been working near. Rachel introduced Princess Nastasia Romanov to Joy O’Keefe and Prince Wulfgang Starkadder. Joy gaped open-mouthed at the honor of shaking the hand of a real princess. Nastasia graciously accepted Miss O’Keefe’s admiration, though Rachel caught a tiny crinkle of embarrassed amusement at the corner of her eye. When the princess shook Wulfgang’s hand, however, her lovely face went rather pale.
    As they walked to Art class, Rachel whispered to her, “Princess, what’s wrong? You look…distraught.”
    Gliding along gracefully, Nastasia spoke in a perfectly even tone. “I fear I may be losing my mind. Something most strange keeps happening to me.”
    “Strange…how? Like hearing animals talk?”
    The princess threw her an odd look. “Occasionally, when I shake the hand of another student—when my skin touches their skin—I…go someplace else.”
    “Did you go somewhere just now, with Wulfgang?”
    “Yes. I have shaken hands with eleven students since my arrival and upon six of those occasions, I have found myself in another landscape.”
    “The same landscape each time or different ones?”
    “Different. But none of them pleasant.” The princess looked beautiful even when she was frowning thoughtfully. “Something is always blowing