Empress Uprising

Chapter 1

* Thea*

I wake at four am like I do every day. Today is the recruitment ceremony and since I know I will be chosen I need to make sure I can get to the lake so that I can clean up and I would also like to get in a run. After a nice stretch, I turn over to get my phone. I only have it because it is easier for Kora to make demands that way and not have to actually talk to me more than needed. Sure enough, I have multiple texts waiting for me. To my surprise, the first one is telling me not to cook breakfast and to make sure I look presentable by ten am when she will be making the recruitment announcement to the whole coven. As if I want to go in front of the whole coven dirty. The next text is to inform me that I am to wear the tan dress she has made Hilda place inside my room. I look over toward the door to see a plain tan dress hanging on a nail in the wall. Oh great, another shapeless, itchy, cardboard feeling facade to wear.

Don't get me wrong I never get to wear anything great, but I absolutely despise the dresses she gives me on the days she needs me to presentable. I much prefer the hand-me-down clothing I am given from what Hilda can not wear anymore. The holes, tears, and stains do not bug me at all. I hate the special clothing she gets for me due to them always making me itch like crazy. Sometimes I swear she rubs them in poison ivy first. Not that there is anything I can do about it though as long as this damned bracelet is suppressing my power.

I have always been able to feel that I do have magik in me. I just can't access it. When I get emotional I feel this burning sensation surging through my body. Sometimes when Kora is being especially sadistic I will unexpectedly growl at her. That always makes the situation worse though. I use to think it was because I had a wolf, but I have never heard anything else in my head as stories tell you werewolf's due. They say that having a wolf is like having a best friend that would do anything to protect you. Someone to always talk to and connect with. Someone that accepts you fully and always has your best interest at heart. Like two souls sharing one body. When I was younger I hoped and prayed to the moon goddess to allow me to have a wolf so that I would not feel so alone.

I grunt and roll off my twin bed. As I sit up and stretch again then I notice that there is a dingy suitcase under the dress Hilda placed in my room. I know what it is for so I just roll my eyes and stand up. As I change into a sports bra and shorts I notice that my phone is blinking again. When I pick it up I notice the text message is from Zane, my best friend. He informs me that he will be joining me on my run this morning. That means he will stick by me all day knowing I will be chosen as well I am sure he will want as much time as possible with me. I place another sports bra and boy short in my backpack along with the dress Kora sent. This way Zane will not have to leave me while I clean up at the lake. As I  tie my shoes I get another text from Zane telling me he is outside and to hurry up.

I finishing getting my shoes and then start tiptoeing down the stairs. The last thing I want to do is wake anyone up this early in the morning. When I get to the bottom of the stairs I notice the light on in the Kitchen. I do not know if I want to tempt seeing who is awake or not. If it is Kora she will just try her best to put me in a bad mood. There are three other people in this house though. So my chances are better in favor of one of them. I tiptoe over to the kitchen door and peek around to see that it is Theo sitting at the bar drinking whiskey. His favorite. I know I shouldn't let him know I am here, but I could really use some water.

"Good Morning Theo", I say in a soft voice and I enter the kitchen. I am not allowed to call him dad or even father, not that I would want to. A father protects you. A father loves you and cherishes you. He does not do any of those things. He just sits there and lets Kora do as she pleases. Allows her to keep me in a moldy smelly attic room with all the storage. Allows her to suppress my magik and treat me like, well however she wants. I know he is not a weak warlock. I have seen him train and he has a fair amount of magik in him. His specialty is air magik.

" Morning Thea. I was waiting on you.", Theo replies.

" Um, ok. What can I do for you?", I ask.

" No, it is not that. I just wanted to talk for a minute. Can I have a minute before you run off with Zane please?", he asks and he has this sad look in his eyes.

" Of course", and I pull out my phone to let Zane know that Theo was up and wants a minute of my time.

As I am sending the text to Zane Theo makes a motion for me to come to sit down.

" Look Thea I know what you must think of me, and I do not blame you. I don't even blame you for despising me, but please listen to me and take this seriously, please.", Theo begs and then pauses for me to acknowledge. I nod and then he continues. " As you know today is the recruitment ceremony, not just here in the coven but for all supernaturals. You know that Kora is going to choose you, and there is nothing I can do about it." He pauses again and I think why tell me anything when you know you won't do anything. " Let me rephrase that. I won't even try to change Kora's mind." I c**k my head at him because I never expected him to so why does he feel the need to explain anything to me. He never has before. " I won't because now that you are sixteen being a recruit gives you a chance at freedom. Tomorrow morning when it's time for you to be placed on the transport that will take you to the Training Camp, Kora will be forced to remove this." He says as he lifts my left arm and touches the silver cuff on my wrist.

" Does that mean I will have access to all my magik?" I ask him.

" Yes, it does. This is why I needed to make sure to talk to you this morning. When she removes it all your magik will come flooding back at once. Depending on how strong you will depend on how much it hurts. Don't cry out. Do not make it seems like it hurts at all. Do your absolute best to ignore whatever pain you feel when it is removed.", he states. Then he gets up and leaves the room.

I sit there dumbfounded for a minute. Why would he make it a point to tell me this information? Why will Kora have to remove it? Is this kind of thing not supposed to happen? I hear the stairs squeak and I shake my head and snap myself back to reality. Zane is still waiting for me outside and it is now already five fifteen. I need to get moving. I know I have extra time today due to not having to cook this morning, but I want to spend as much time as possible with Zane. I head for the door and walk out into the yard and see the sun is just beginning to peak out on the horizon edge. So much beauty in the earth and nature. I spot Zane sitting under the willow tree to the side of the yard and head that way. As I walk up I notice that he also has a backpack with him. He has never brought a bag with him before when he chooses to run with me in the morning. It makes me wonder what he has in the bag.

"Let us go," I say disregarding my internal want to be nosy.

Zane replies as he is getting off the ground, " Beat you to the lake!", and starts running off toward the woods.