Octoberwood

Chapter Three
“Covenant Aradia”

I couldn’t sleep at all that night. My thoughts racing from Grandma, to Isis, to coming up with a name for my own covenant. I didn’t have time to sleep. I was sitting in the large window seat that I was grateful for as it gave me a front row view of the moon. The one constant in my life was my affinity for the moon. It’s draw which I felt stronger than anything else in my life. If I had a coven I’d want the moon to be a central theme. I grabbed a pad of paper and started writing down lunar names for a covenant that didn’t sound completely lame. There was the obvious choices of the Latin word for moon “Luna” but it was too obvious I wanted the name to really have meaning to it and originality. I wanted the hard work to show that I put into the name. I got up and pulled on the boot style slippers that were pervaded for me.

The library should be open by now and I’d probably have better access to moon related books there. As I made my way through the winding corridors and tunnel ways that led to a very old looking building I stopped in my tracks hearing someone’s harsh voice.
“I said get away from me”.
I pressed back into the shadows looking out to see Brian and Emma together. The girl from Elite. Her eyes were not kind or beautiful now. They were hard and mean, showing her true colors. It matched her ominous sickening green aura that reminded me of the Witch from the Wizard of OZ.

“And I said we aren’t over! You want me Brian and you know it!”
Her eyes became flirty now and she unbuttoned the front of his shirt a little causing me to shut my eyes tightly. Am I that much of a prude? I can’t even look at a hot guy’s chest?
“I said get off me! I don’t want you Emma, never again”.
Brian growled catching her wrists. Emma laughed a mocking laugh as she looked up at him.
“Then why are you out here in our secret spot?”
That was when something which felt more like someone pushed me forwards and I stumbled into the moonlight. Brian’s eyes fixed on mine and Emma’s narrowed at me as she pressed her lips together hard.
“Brian, sorry I’m late. Is this the way to the Library?”
I said not sure why I was talking. I mentally screamed at myself to shut up. But Brian’s smile told me I was just what he needed. He nodded stepping away from Emma freely now.

“Yeah it’s this way”.
Emma crossed her arms stepping forwards. Her face was mean and so was her aura.
“So, you’re showing the fainter around”.
I kept a smile on my face doing my best not to cower like I wanted to. Emma scared me or rather the energy around her did. People with such hateful mean energy are capable of horrible things.
“Actually he was kind enough to offer to help me with my coven name”.
I stated, Brian kept his arm around me pressing it lightly to my back as if to give me the push I needed to move. We stepped forwards and around Emma without another words. Emma couldn’t respond to what I said because we were too far away by the time she thought of something clever enough to say. I looked up at Brian and frowned at him.

“Wow, I didn’t know you were dating the wicked witch of the west”.
I muttered once we walked inside. Brian laughed to himself fixing his shirt.
“I’ve never thought of it that way. And we aren’t dating anymore. I broke up with her. She’s having a hard time accepting that”.
I turned to him and smiled best I could.
“Well, I’m glad I could be of some help to you”.
Brian closed his hand around mine making me blush again as I got lost in those rich brown eyes of his. He smiled at me.
“You saved me long before just now. Anyway what are you doing here at this hour?”
His words were soothing and smooth. I couldn’t believe I was standing here in this dimly lit building holding hands with a guy who was so good looking he made me question his mortality. This kind of thing didn’t happen to girls like me. As his fingers laced between mine I blushed harder. He smirked squeezing my hand.

“Am I corrupting your ability to speak?”
He teased, I laughed lightly looking away from him because it was the only way I’d ever be able to speak.
“Covenant, I wanted to do some research on moon related things for a covenant name”.
I managed to say. Brian smiled that charming smile of his again as if he was amused at my words, or maybe by the fact I couldn’t look him in the eye and communicate coherently at the same time.
“This way”.
He said leading me through the library that would have taken me hours to figure out. We arrived at a section of books that all revolved around the moon. Mythology about the moon right down to the science books that humans would read about the moon.

“This should be a good place for you to start”.
I started browsing the books turning my back to him now as I ran my fingers along the binding of the books. I expected him to leave but when I turned around again, Brian was holding a stack of books giving a smile.
“I thought you could use some help, and Emma probably hasn’t gone back to her room yet. She’s stubborn”.
I smiled at him glad for the help. We sat down and started going through the books. The sun was peeking over the trees when Brian slid a book closer to me and sat closer to me so he had to put his arm around me again. Our eyes locked and I blushed looking up at him. He smiled his brilliant smile.

“I found something”.
He said darting his eyes to the book. I ripped my eyes away from him doing it fast like removing a band aide. Brian leaned in and began to read off the passage about the goddess he found. Her name was Aradia, from what I gathered her mother was Diana, Mother Goddess. Who had lusted for Lucifer and his beauty. Lucifer rejected Diana. Then there was a part about Diana trading places with Lucifer’s cat so she could sleep next to him. Some point in the night she took her true form and thus ended up pregnant with Aradia. Aradia was known as Queen of witches. Brian smiled at me.
“I think Aradia deserves to have a coven named after her don’t you?”
I looked up at Brian. Gosh I wanted him to kiss me, I wanted to kiss him. The intensity of my feelings seemed to swell within me and as they did the half-moon at the bottom of the page began to glow a silver light. Brian looked from me to the book.

“Krissi?”
There was a jolt and I was pulled back to reality. I turned myself away from him moving my hand away from his. Brian noticed I moved away and I hoped he wasn’t offended. He looked back to the book.
“It also says she’s Goddess of the full moon. So you would be honoring the queen of witches and the full moon. It’s a good name and it suits you”.
I looked back at Brian feeling my heart swelling. His hand grazed my jawline pushing my hair back. I bit my lip repressing a moan but our eyes never wavered as he inched closer to me his lips inches from mine.

“Someone as beautiful as you could only be known as the queen of witches”.
He whispered. His voice husky as his words hung in that moment between us. The moment before we started to kiss. Seriously hot kissing. The kind that guys always insisted never happened in real life. But I could feel it, I could feel his pulse racing with mine. I could feel his desire and longing for my body. It collided with mine for his. I’d never felt anything so intense and just as his hand moved up to cup my breast and his lips were so close to mine I could feel the heat coming off of them a voice called us back from this lustful trance we were caught up in.

“Here you are!”
Brian jumped looking back at his sister, Quartz stood looking worried her eyes shifted from me to Brian and back again. Brian narrowed his eyes at her.
“What the fuck? Why are you here?”
Brian growled pissed off that Quartz had interrupted us. I looked down grabbing the book and lifting it up to hid my red face. Quartz tried to be hard and commanding with her little brother, but I could hear her desire to have him show some kind of respect for her all she wanted was for him to honor the things that made them special.

“I was looking for Krissi, she needs to get ready and then choose her coven members before everyone can sit down to breakfast”.
Quartz said. Brian shoved his hands hard in his pockets storming off without so much as a word to me. Quartz peeked over the book at me. I looked up at her and she smiled closing the book and setting it down.
“Ah, I see. An imprint has formed between your souls”.
Quartz laughed lightly as she sat down across from me. I darted my eyes away from hers, Quartz placed her hand over mine.
“It’s alright you know. Deity’s normally imprint before average witches. And they are normally very powerful imprints. I apologize for interrupting and yet. I am grateful I was here to stop you before you did something rash. I’ll explain on the way back to your dorm”.

I nodded getting up and following her from the room. Quartz sighed lightly as we walked together.
“To complete an imprint with a warlock or what have you, one must give all they are to that person, and the person must do the same. Once you are imprinted with someone, it is binding like marriage. But sex doesn’t always mean an imprint. An imprint only happens when two souls are perfectly aligned with each other. Now Brian is my little brother and I do love him. But he has no regard for his gifts or the art that is magic. He is disrespectful and rebellious. Not at all the kind of person someone who has been chosen by Isis to be our Deliverer should be romantic with. It pains me to say it but you can do and deserve better. Brian is not the type to commit to just one girl. I have witnessed other witches who imprint with warlocks that are not committed to them, those witches go crazy and lose themselves to witch rage. I do not wish this to happen to you”.

I frowned at her words as disappointment coursed through me. Quartz smiled placing her hands on my shoulders.
“It’s alright though, we have many wonderful warlocks here that would be perfect for someone as extraordinary as you are”.

I nodded to her without so much as a word slipping into my room and went about getting ready for my interdiction into this place. My hair behaving itself for the second day in a row which was starting to throw me off. It had to be something magical in this place that made it stop puffing out on me or frizzing. Each curl was perfect and unbroken. Gathering myself together I grabbed the books that had been left for me and headed towards the dining hall.

Quartz stood with a row of girls who looked sickly and deranged. Amethyen standing at her left while Saphrin stood on her right. I scanned the row of girls that stood there.they had the air of being serious Goth chicks. Quartz smiled at me placing a hand on my shoulders.
“These are the girls who have not yet been placed. The goddess has other plans for them.”
She explained. But I felt flashbacks of gym class and being the last kid that nobody wanted. I didn’t want anyone to feel that way. I looked up at Quartz.
“Can I just take them all?”
Quartz smiled at my compassion and shook her head lightly.
“No. the limited number of girls to a coven is five”.

I looked back to the row of unwanted girls feeling empathy for all of them. Knowing I couldn’t take them all I scanned the line looking for something in their aura, something that showed me they were truly meant to be part of my group. Glowing moonlight aura’s surrounded four girls. I walked to the end of the row taking the girl with the brightest moonlight aura forwards.
“I invite you to join my coven”.
I said looking back to Quartz who nodded to me approving of my formality. Last thing I needed was to get my words wrong. The girl smiled and I saw tears of joy glazed in her eyes as I felt the rush of her emotions. Finally being chosen.
“I accept. I am Amanda”.
She said giving a curt nod. I continued to the other girls. Two more with moonlight auras stood hand in hand. I brought them forwards.
“I invite the two of you to join my coven”.
The same wave of emotion washed over them again. Both girls smiled.

“We accept”.
They said in unison like twins. The girls both gave respectful bows.
“I am Ashlyn”.
One of them said, the other girl smiled at me.
“I am Zoey”.
Ashlyn and Zoey joined Amanda following me towards the last girl. There was collective gasps as I held my hand out to her. The girl looked at me like she didn’t believe me. I smiled at her and she took my hand.
“I invite you to join my coven”.
The girl gave a smile of her own wiping at her eyes giving a nod.
“I accept. My name is Lacey”.
She said then joined the others. All the other girls looked disappointed and I felt bad for them all. Quartz smiled back at the girls.
“Return to your work for now. I am sure the goddess will reveal her plans for all of you soon”.
The girls filed back towards an older building hidden by the trees. It made me wonder just what happened to them. Quartz turned back to us and smiled.

“Amethyen, Saphrin please see to it these girls are given dorms. And uniforms. Have them wash up and join us at their new table for breakfast”.
Without complaint the girls moved again taking my new covenant members along with them. Quartz smiled at me placing a hand to my shoulder.
“I am sure you will make a great Covenant founder and leader”.
She turned and started back towards the main building. That was when I felt it in the air, an unsettling energy that told me something was very wrong here. Something to do with those girls and what happened with them. As I turned towards the building and started towards it I felt someone take hold of my hand. Looking back I saw Brian standing there wearing his uniform now. He smiled down at me.

“You have a minute?”
I nodded taking a step back from him as my hand fell from his. Brian looked concerned by my reaction. Brian crossed his arms giving me a serious look.
“What’s wrong? What did my sister say to you? Did she tell you”.
I cut him off before he could go on.
“She told me you don’t like the commit to one girl, and that imprinting isn’t a good idea because she thinks I’ll go crazy when you find someone else you want”.
I said all in one breath feeling like I’d just run a marathon. Brian narrowed his eyes and I saw him slowly reaching maximum capacity for his rage.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Is she serious? Why would she think that I was going to imprint”.
His words were like a slap in the face and then he realized what he’d done. His face fell and any hint of laughter that had been there was gone. I looked down curling my hands into fists.

“Krissi, I didn’t mean”.
He started to say but I moved past him.
“Forget it, I’m glad she warned me”.
Brian caught my wrist bringing me to a stop.
“Don’t be like that”.
I jerked my arm free looking back at him and narrowing my eyes.
“Like what? Hurt? Offended? Why on earth would I be feeling those things? It was stupid for me to react that way to someone so obviously not interested and you know. Your sister isn’t the bad guy you make her out to be! All she wants is for you to see how extraordinary you are! To honor your heritage but you can’t even do that! I get that I’m stupid for that whole imprint thing that happened. But you are a selfish stupid jerk for treating your sister like you do! She is the only nice honest person here! And as far as that whole imprint thing goes, don’t worry about it! Because I can assure you it will never happen again!”

I didn’t know where all that anger came from. I stormed away from Brian as tears rolled down my cheeks. Why on earth would such an overwhelming need to imprint with someone happen when I was with him? Maybe it was because he was playing with my head, making me think he liked me more than he actually did. I gathered myself together and headed for the dining hall. A table was set for my covenant there wasn’t a name card in the center of it yet because I hadn’t explained the name or ideals my coven would uphold.

As all eyes fixed on me yet again. Mutterings of me fainting again made its way around the room. Quartz narrowed her eyes at the room silencing them. Then turning to me she smiled.
“Now, Krissi please tell us the name of your coven and the ideals you will uphold”.
Quartz said clasping her hands together. I wasn’t very good at public speaking but I did my best when I began.

“My covenant name is Aradia after the Queen of Witches. The ideals we uphold are Nobility, Chivalry, Honesty, loyalty and devotion. We are a family, we help each other and never ask for anything in return. We are sisters and brothers. All bound by the rare and amazing gift that is magic”.
There was a spattering of upbeat applause around the room that quickly became the whole room clapping together after Quartz gave a narrowed gaze at those who were silent. My eyes fixed on his again, Brian looked at me as if he was calling me to him. He stood to approach me but I turned away going to my table and sitting down between Amanda and Lacey who were wearing uniforms now like Zoey and Ashlyn.

I didn’t say anything else as I started down at my empty plate feeling like an idiot. Why would I feel such a need to imprint with someone most of all when that someone really wasn’t interested. Hell he laughed when I told him.

I was determined to get through the day without bursting into tears again. But I didn’t eat anything. I couldn’t with my stomach twisted into knots.