Elara

Stepping in a portal for the first time was so terrifying and out of the ordinary that as soon as she landed, Elara felt sick. It took her a moment to realize she was in her treehouse. She let out a long sigh of relief and looked up to find her mom sitting on one of the colored wooden stools.

"Mom! You came!" she rushed over her and hugged her mother tightly "I'm so happy you're here, you have no idea."

"Oh, sweetie! Of course, I came. I would have never missed it." Jenna smiled hugging her back as tightly. She never missed Elara's birthdays, she always managed to sneak into her bedroom, wish her happy birthday and kiss her good night. "Happy birthday Elara you look amazing" she kissed her cheek.

"It's not midnight yet."

"I know, but we don't have much time..." Jenna gave her a small wrapped box.

"You got me a present? How?" Elara was smiling from ear to ear tearing the wrapping apart.

"It's not much..." her mom whispered wishing she could have gotten her a better gift.

Elara's eyes widened as she picked up what seemed to be a very old leather book with her mother's name engraved in gold on it. She looked up at her mom with tears in her eyes "is that what I think it is?"

Jenna smiled and nodded "It's my spellbook. Spells I learned from the coven, spells I invented, and even ones you created. It's all in there, and very detailed. It will help you with your new journey. Just as much as this" she picked up a small velvet box and opened it, revealing a purple stone necklace.

Elara was confused, and didn't know what her mother meant by 'new journey'. She wanted to ask but was taken aback by the beautiful necklace her mom got her.

"Mom this is beautiful, what is it?"

"It's an amethyst Elara. It's known for cleansing, inspiration, and most of all, protection. I've been popping into your room since I left and always cast protection spells on your jewelry, I know I wasn't there, but I did my best to protect you. This has been my sole goal so far." She took the necklace and clasped it around Elara's neck.

"I want you to promise me that you won't ever take it off... I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you again Elara..."

"Mom! What's going on? Why are you speaking as if you won't come back?"

"I'm not honey, I just..." she looked at the time and sighed "It's almost midnight. You need to be prepared."

"You're sounding crazy!" Elara tried to hold the tears back. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"Elara you'll be eighteen in a few minutes, and the Tiassili coven will come for you. They will take you, they will train you, and then they will initiate you. You're one of them... but you're nothing like them. You have a pure heart, you can choose to walk on the right path without being affected by the darkness. Do you understand me?"

"They can't take me! I don't want to go! Hell, I don't want to be part of the coven mom! They don't seem like good people!"

"They aren't... well most of them aren't but some of them are great people. They use dark magic Elara... and it rotten the soul. I had the chance to get out of it when I met your father... they had no choice but to let me go."

"Don't let them take me! I don't want to be a bad person, I don't want to use magic for the wrong reasons or for hurting people, mom please..."

Elara was crying at this point and Jenna wished she could do something about it but she couldn't. She had no means of protecting her daughter from them. She knew they kept an eye on her since she was born and were waiting this day to recruit her.

"Oh, baby I wish I could save you from them, but I can't. You've been chosen, and wherever you go they will find you and they will take you. I can only advise you to go willingly, so they don't hurt you. I want you to learn everything you can from them, I want you to become the most powerful Tiassili witch but I need you to promise me, you'll always look for the light, and you won't let them break you Elara. You're strong and you can do this, I have faith in you."

Elara was panicking, she looked at her phone and saw messages from Nolan, the girls, and even Peter. She needed to tell them she had to go, but she didn't have much time left only five minutes of her freedom.

"I just wish you had prepared me for this" she wiped her tears away "Yes, I'm strong, but I do have a life here that I don't want to give up. I'll go willingly, but I'll find a way to get out of there..." Elara was speaking softly, not wanting to hurt her mother. "Did you go through the same process?" she asked as she text the girls.

Elara Bell: I'm sorry girls, I have to leave. I've been chosen and there's no way out. I love you both.

Elara Bell: Please tell my grandpa that I love him and I will be back soon.

Elara Bell: Tell Nolan that's I'm sorry I didn't have enough time with him, tell him I accept being his mate even if it's too late.

Sophie: Elara what are you talking about?

Laura: You're scaring me! Who chose you?

Elara: the Tiassili Coven.

"Yes... the Tiassili coven is composed of great witches. They choose every member very delicately. Sometimes you're part of the coven by default by being born there and raised among them. But when you have Tiassili blood and live away from them, they observe from afar... they choose and recruit the ones they see fit. They had their eyes on you since you helped me escape... they felt a surge of power coming from you but never knew what you did. They don't know you're my daughter they just kbow you're powerful."

She turned off her phone and hid it in her bra looking up at her mom "I'm so not ready for that."

"I wasn't either. But it's time, remember, go willingly" Jenna hugged her daughter "they'll find it" she pointed to the phone and kissed her goodbye "I'm sorry" she whispered hiding the pain and tears before disappearing.

Elara bit her lip trying to stand tall and strong. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to her, or how they would take her. But she knew it was only a matter of seconds before she was taken away from her home, family, and friends. Nolan... she felt heartbroken for leaving him, after all they've been through she was going to break his heart again.

The room started spinning, and Elara held onto her mother's spell book for dear life closing her eyes pushing the tears back, and ignoring the pins and needles she was feeling in her stomach. Once the ground steadied again, Elara dared open her eyes and let out a gasp.

All around her stood about eight people. She never felt the treehouse so small and so suffocating. They were all in long red hooded robes reminding her of some sacrifice ritual she saw in a horror movie once. She couldn't see their faces and couldn't tell if they were men or women. They stood in silence for a few moments before the one facing her stepped forward yet kept a good distance from her.

"Elara Bell, you have been chosen by the Tiassili witches at the age of five." The woman's voice was ringing in the treehouse, breaking the silence "You are of age now, therefore, you are to report to the queen of the coven immediately." She paused and took a step forward "Do you accept the invitation Elara Bell?"

Elara wasn't an idiot, she knew it wasn't an invitation and knew she was obligated to go with them. "I Elara Bell, accept the invitation." She spoke up in a firm tone holding her head high.

The woman in front of her nodded and two persons came on either side of her and started searching her. They found the cell phone and tossed it on the table. One of them took the book and gave it to the woman.

"Please, it's the only thing I have left of my mother."

"Very well, since you're coming with us willingly... you can keep it." They gave Elara her book back and she hugged it to her chest.

"Thank you."

"No need. We are your family now Elara Bell. You are part of the Coven, you will live with us, you will have to prove yourself worthy of being a Tiassili witch. Now, it seems you don't know much about us?"

"No," Elara confessed, "I just read a few pages in the African witches book, that is all."

"That book is... well it found you. It means we made the right choice by claiming you when you were five. Clara will take you to your room, you can only take clothes and personal hygienic products. No books, no electronic devices, and no weapons."

"What about this book?" She asked hugging her mom's spellebook.

"Just this one."

Clara touched Elara's hand and they were instantly in her room "wow, that was amazing!"

"You'll be able to do that in no time." Clara removed her hood revealing a young and pretty face "take only the necessary and don't sneak in anything they don't want. They'll search you before we leave." She looked around the room as Elara just stood there and watched her closely, she looked familiar. She had so many questions but wasn't getting a vibe from Clara, she couldn't tell if she was a good person or not. She wished Sophie was here to read Clara's aura.

Clara chuckled out of the blue and shook her head as she stood up in front of Elara "Your thoughts are so loud, it's so hard to keep them out of my head. The first thing I'll have to teach you is how to shield your mind."

"You can hear what I'm thinking?"

"I'm a telepath. Every Tiassili witch has a special gift... but sometimes a gift can be a curse." She let out a sigh "I suggest you change into something comfortable, and pack up quickly we have to leave soon." She went to Elara's desk and started snooping around.

Elara shrugged not minding it at all. She started packing all she might need in a glimpse before grabbing comfy jeans with a sweater. Without saying a word she went to the bathroom and changed quickly.

"Good, you're quick, that could help you a lot. Now I see this book belonged to you mother." She closed the spellbook and opened Elara's drawer to hide it in it. I suggest you leave it here. No powerful witch should find it and use it."
Elara was confused but nodded remembering her mother's words 'they don't know you're my daughter'.
Clara was about to take Elara's hand when she pulled away briskly "What are you doing? I thought you accepted the invitation?"

Elara took a deep breath not knowing where the courage came from "I have, don't worry I haven't changed my mind. I just... I know we don't have much time but I have so many questions and I want you at least to answer one of them?"

Clara looked annoyed and frustrated "You want to know if you can trust me?" Elara nodded "Well that's a stupid question to ask. You can't trust anyone but yourself, whether it's at the Tiassili village or anywhere else. You have no one but yourself, you understand me?"

"But you feel so familiar... I just feel like I've seen..."

"Shut up!" Clara glared at her and covered herself with her hood, she reached out for Elara's hand "Never trust anyone" she whispered so softly as if she actually cared about Elara that it only confused her even more.