Chapter 9

Aurora did not pack because she never expected to be going to the event but now she has to speed. With the help of her aunt, she packed two big bags, the rest she will have to buy. This is a month-long event. Each coven sends out a witch and wizard between the ages of fifteen and twenty every five years to the councils base and they participate in both formal and non-formal events, but the purpose of this is for the 'guests of honor' to pick a servant to take to their world, one for the Underworld and another for the Overworld. They are never seen again but it's the price we have to pay to prevent war between worlds. It's normally the best and brightest, the most beautiful and bold so Aurora thinks she will be safe, she is just so excited to belong...

She wanted to cry. Here she is, on the plane with the rest of the chosen from her area. She's a witch like them and chosen too but she feels so left out. A part of her wants to join them but another part believes that she will never be welcomed and she's too scared of rejection to try. She sighed in misery. What's the point of fighting for a place in a coven when she'll be living like a rogue anyway? Witches are a social bunch so why is she not? She feels like she's watching them from behind a mirror, she's so distant from them all. She watches them have fun, petty fights, and over-emotional episodes and wonders why she wants to belong with them. They might make her feel good at moments but most of the time, she will just be hollow. She feels like an alien to the rest of the world. So different on the inside but the same outer shell.

She stood in front of the council, trying to make sense of what they were saying. She's been requested to attend by a daemon, an Underworld daemon. She wanted to say that's not possible, she doesn't know any daemon but right at that thought, she remembered that she did, actually know a daemon, Kane, he was a daemon, a Draconian. She knew she was doomed to be picked as a servant if he had any say in it, he certainly seemed interested in her, and she in him but not at this moment. Everyone is both scared and thrilled about daemons, they don't want to be picked but they want to be noticed, those that were noticed but not picked, so few of them, were treated as royalty for the rest of their lives and that awaits Aurora if she's not picked... She needs to do some planning, she knows she's already in the special bucket since she's been requested, the first ever! But now she needs to plan so she's not chosen.

Aurora gave out a big yawn but when she saw someone looking, she felt embarrassed and tried to hide, unfortunately she bumped into somebody.

"Oh, sorry about that, I'm Corey Sterrett from Stanford Coven"

She looked up and saw a bushy head of blonde locks and clear laughing blue eyes staring at her, "Hi, I'm Aurora, from the Introverted Club, nice to meet you" She smiled and he laughed at her answer

"That's a nice one, I need to try that, except it would be the extroverted club of course" he mocked bowed.

"Of course" He was really cute, and she wonders what to say next but he beats her to it "So I'm guessing you really are an introvert and you are way out of your comfort zone, eh?" he started walking and gestured for her to come.

"yeah but it's not so bad, formal gatherings always have places you can be alone, a lot sit at the tables alone for example, it's the informal gatherings I'm worried about" They got drinks and sat down

"Well, you could always hang with me and my friends... Not your jam yeah, but then you won't be the awkward longer at the side of the party"

She raised an eyebrow "no, I'll be the tag a long loner, which is worse, trust me, I've been there" She looked out at the guests dancing. It's been an hour into the evening but the honored guests have not arrived so she couldn't even leave

"What's your coven like, do they teach you magic?" he looked up at her but she caught him checking out a dancer's ass, he blushed but shook it off

"Oh, erm no, although there is a class that teaches us the basics and we have a teacher who was part of the army but he doesn't teach magic, he doesn't even like talking about his training or past"

"It makes me all the more curious and now that humans know about us, shouldn't we learn magic? Otherwise what's the difference between us and the humans"

He looked at me blankly and I knew I lost him. I guess pretty boys don't like thinking to much. OK, that was harsh but he is not a little Abbot anymore.

"You know, you remind me of an officer that used to come around our concern years ago. Do you know a Mrs Belinda Margaret by any chance?"

My breath froze and I struggled to hear anything around me. How is it that he knows? I don't really look like her. According to my aunt, I had my father's looks and only my mother's eye color and smile.

"She was the only one who proposed we learn magic but tragedy happened and she died in Haiti. I hadn't thought of her until you mentioned the same interest"

So it wasn't my looks... I actually feel disappointed at that.

"Did she try to propose it to the council, what became of her-

"I actually was a child so although she spoke of those things, that did not interest me, sorry, I wish I could tell you more since it is an interest for you but I cannot"

"oh, wait, I know she suggested we lean from daemons, that became a big thing and that was also the last our coven let her in. Just like my teacher, they never talked about the army"