Elara

They landed with a thud and Clara let go of Elara's hand. They weren't in her treehouse anymore, they were surrounded by woods. Elara looked at Clara for some clue but all she did was leave Elara behind and walk toward the hooded figures standing creepily around Elara.

Two of them approached her and searched her again before going through her bag. They really have trust issues... Elara thought with a smile knowing Clara could hear her.

"So should you!" She heard in her mind and looked around startled. "Don't make it too obvious you idiot."

Elara cleared her throat and took back her bag just as the woman from before stepped in front of her again.

"Elara Bell, in the name of the Tiassili Witches, we welcome you to the Tiassili compound. No one but tiassilies is allowed inside. You won't have any visitors, and you won't leave unless you have permission from the Queen. Tonight you will rest, tomorrow you will meet the Queen and the coven, the day after, you will start your training. Any question?"

"Say no and thank her" again, Elara was startled by Clara's voice but didn't show it this time.

"No, thank you." She said both to the woman and to Clara.

"Very well, disciples, you are dismissed. Clara, she is your responsibility, she will share your cabin."

"Yes, Aurora." Clara said and walked toward Elara, she took off her hood and rolled her eyes "Let's go, we have a five-minute walk."

"Why can't you teleport us?"

Clara ignored her and started walking behind the other disciples silently trying to stay out of Elara's mind. Being her mentor was going to be difficult. The rules were crystal clear; any mentor had no right to develop any kind of relationship with their student. It was easy, recruit, teach, train, and move on. It was going to be tricky because Elara seemed like the kind of person that once you get to know you can't let go of. Clara was no fool, she already knew they could get along and become close friends.

They reached the compound and a huge iron gate opened. Elara looked around in awe as the village was drowned in darkness yet lit with torches all around. There were big houses and small ones, and she could make out what seemed like a manor at the far end. Trees and flowers were everywhere and she noticed a few playgrounds here and there. There even was a huge building that looked a lot like a school. She was so taken with what she was seeing that she didn't notice Clara stopped walking until her voice caught her attention.

"Here's my... well I guess it's our cabin now." She pushed the door open "we have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchenette with a living room. It's not huge but what matters is we can both fit in here."

"Why aren't you glad to have me?"

"You are so blunt" Clara rolled her eyes "Look, I'm not here to be your friend. I'll just guide you and teach you what you need to know, that's all. So I really don't need to like you."

"Yeah... I don't care, I already have best friends I don't need you. I just want to know why you want to hate me so much?"

"Friends?" Clara laughed "are you dumb? You really think you're going to see your friends again?" Clara felt bad for Elara but didn't show it, instead she laughed again and pointed to a white door "That's your room. Get some sleep you'll be woken up at 7 in the morning to get ready to meet the Queen."

"Clara stop! Just drop the act and tell me..."

"You can't get out of here Elara..." she whispered "I can hear that thought so clearly in my mind, and other telepaths in the coven can do it too. So even if your lessons don't start for another two days, I'm teaching you how to put up a barrier around that pretty brain of yours first thing in the morning. Now go to bed, get some rest you'll need it." She walked toward her bedroom "Oh and please don't cry."

"Bitch!"

"I heard that!" Clara groaned slamming her door shut before Elara closed her own.

Alarms buzzing and ringing woke Elara up in a jolt. She sat up in bed and found five alarms on the nightstand next to her. With a groan, she buried herself deeper under the covers until all alarms shut off on their own dreading the day ahead of her. After last night's banter with Carla, Elara took her time unpacking and settling in. It took her a lifetime to finally stop thinking about her grandpa and friends and go to dreamland. It seemed like she fell asleep just two minutes ago and she had no strength to get out of bed.

"Well, that's too bad Barbie! The Queen hates to wait. Get up, clean up and you have ten minutes to meet me in the living room." Carla said in an exasperated tone pulling down the covers. "Oh my... please do something to that wild hair of yours."

"Good morning to you too grumpy" Elara kicked off the remaining covers and grabbed her toiletry bag before stomping out of the room and toward the bathroom.

Freshly showered and clothed, Elara sat crossed-legged on the living room's hardwood floor with her eyes closed. She wanted nothing but to drink some strong coffee at the moment.

"Stop thinking about coffee Elara, focus on the wall!"

"I am focusing on the wall! It's not building up."

"You have to build it, stone by stone. We've been sitting here for half an hour, and instead of focusing, you're thinking about a million things per minute! How do you even do that?"

"I'm hungry! I need coffee!"

Clara was losing her patience "Fine. Focus and build that damn wall around your thoughts and you can have coffee! Just relax. It's easy. Imagine yourself sitting in a box... keep your eyes closed. It's a box containing your thoughts which you need to protect. Now imagine bricks... use those bricks and build a wall all around your thoughts. One by one..."

"Yes! That's it, keep going, it's almost done. Good job Elara, you kicked me out!" Clara seemed satisfied. "Now you can get coffee and see the Queen."

"Cool!" Elara got on her feet heading to the kitchen. She started making coffee as she felt Clara standing behind her. "What?"

"You need to be careful, always have that wall up. For your own good."

Elara turned to Clara and nodded "Thank you. Want some coffee?"

Elara was walking next to Clara feeling all eyes on her. She could see the village more clearly now in daylight, it was a beautiful place that looked peaceful. She spotted a few girls training with swords and others were boxing. She also saw men working out or training with firearms and bows.

"Is there a war coming?"

Clara looked around and shook her head "No, but we always train as if we're going to war. We used to have allies, werewolves, and even vampires. But now we don't. We can't trust anyone who isn't part of the coven."

"I see. That woman from last night, Aurora, said I wasn't allowed to have visitors... How can I tell my grandpa where I am? He'll be scared to death..."

Clara blushed "I left a note in his bedroom, saying you went on a little vacation for your birthday and that you'll be back in a few months."

"Few months! He'd never believe that, I have school, I can't stay here a few months!"

"Elara," Clara stopped walking and turned to Elara to face her "You're not staying a few months, you're staying for a lifetime. Look around, this is where you belong, where we all belong. We can't leave even if we want to. She wouldn't allow us."

"The Queen?" Clara nodded and wiped Elara's tears away.

"I want you to be strong, it's the only way you'll survive here."

"How is she? The Queen I mean."

"She's nice, but very picky, she wants everyone to be perfect, witches, warlocks, we all have to be in shape and ready. We all need to master our powers. She's one of the most powerful witches around the world."

"She's building an army," Elara whispered looking around her again.

Clara didn't say anything, she resumed walking leading the way to the manor at the far end of the village. 

Elara followed her while thinking about her grandpa. She had to find a way to contact him, or at least contact Laura so she could let him know she was okay. She felt so bad as she imagined his face when he'll find her bed still made meaning she didn't sleep in it after promising him to come back home safely. She wasn't sure if she could ask Clara about it but there certainly was a way to contact people through magic. If she could find a way she'd be able to tell them where she is and they would come and get her... Nolan would certainly come for her.

Oh, Nolan, he might think I bailed and lied to him... stupid coven!

"Is there a library here?"

"Of course there is, we have a school." They reached the front doors of the manor and Clara turned to look at her "You need to be on your best behavior, be as polite as you can. When we get inside, we bow to her and we only speak when she addresses us."

Elara nodded taking in a long breath and standing straight with her head high. They walked inside and had to wait in the foyer while they were being announced to the Queen. The throne room was huge and well decorated with chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings and paintings on the walls. The Queen was seated on the throne in all her glory and all her beauty, radiating power and respect.

Clara bowed first and Elara followed suit before they both straightened up.

"Welcome to the coven recruit," The queen's voice echoed in the throne room "What is your name?"

"Thank you your majesty, I'm Elara Bell."

"Who is your mother?"

"Don't give her her maiden name" Clara's voice rang in Elara's mind.

"Jenna Bell your majesty,"

The Queen thought for a moment raising an eyebrow "Your father?"

"Tell her you don't know him." Clara's tone was laced with panic.

"I've never known him your majesty"

The Queen let out a sigh "What are your special powers?"

"Tell her you don't know yet."

"I'm still discovering magic your majesty, I only learned about it last month."

"Well, special powers manifest rather quickly to powerful witches. Maybe you're not that special after all. You'll start your training tomorrow with this young witch. She'll teach you everything you need to know, and if you have doubt about anything you can reach Aurora. Please Elara, don't try to escape. It's considered treason and the punishment to that is hanging."

Elara gasped but nodded at the Queen "I came willingly my Queen, I don't intend on leaving or escaping. I'm a Tiassili witch and this is my home."

Both Elara and Clara were stunned by how convincing she sounded, as the Queen dismissed them with a satisfied smile. Elara's heart was racing as they walked out of the main doors.

"I can't believe you're such a smooth liar" Clara was grinning from ear to ear.

"Why did you tell me to lie about my parents and my powers?"

"The less they know about your powers the better. We are a coven that practices dark magic... they could use your powers for their own good. You need to be smart about these things."

Elara started walking while listening to Clara and bumped into what seemed to be a hard surface. She looked up and saw a handsome young man staring down at her in awe.